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GaudieEst. 1934 FREE
The University of Aberdeen
20th October 2009 [email protected]
Sport
Opine
ArtsASV Fitness Closed To New Peak Memberships
The firsts win at Stirling by 43-0 to continue their impresssive start to the season. Match report, page 15
Rugby 1st XV
The men’s football team recover from their defeat to RGU - back page
MusicReviews of Editors and Massive Attack’s new releases -Pages 8 & 9
This autumn saw the opening of the long awaited Aberdeen Sports Village, and the start of the transfer of University sports facilities to the new Linksfield Campus. This transfer saw the closure of the old King’s Pavilion Fitness Suite in June.
According to a notice
Aberdeen Sports Village fitness: opened August 2009 to replace the Butchart facility Katarzyna Banaszek
published on Tuesday, 6th October, the fitness suite has stopped taking applications for new peak memberships, having only been open to membership applications for a period of six weeks, citing excessive demand for the fitness suite facilities. A period of review will now be undertaken to determine if the facility can comfortably accommodate
the memberships already granted, and to determine, after a “settling in” period whether or not new memberships can be offered. A report is expected on Monday the 9th of November.
Aberdeen students who do not already have a member-ship to the gym will have no choice but to use non-uni-
versity fitness facilities dur-ing peak hours as no walk-in usage is to be allowed. Presumably such students will be faced with higher fees at private facilities, plus the cost of travel to and from off-site gyms.
Whilst the new gym is undoubtedly an improve-ment on the old facilities enjoyed at King’s Pavilion,
one wonders whether the imposition of a 120% price hike on certain packages (fitness and swim fees have jumped from £85 per annum to £187), along with the restrictions to membership numbers have been of ben-efit to the student body at large. Also notable is the fact
Alan O’Brien
Continued: Page 2
Should Obama have won the Nobel Peace Prize? Plus much more!Pages 10 & 11
Shopping suggestions, Ron Mueck and lots more: Pages 6 & 7
NewsGaudie 20th October 20092
that the monthly direct debit price of £11.30 per month (75% of the peak price) entitles you to only 57% of the opening hours, and those hours are at inconvenient times.
Whilst this is only the most dramatic increase in fees, increases have been observed across the full range of packages being offered. This at a time when student costs are rising dramatically in Aberdeen in the middle of a period of recession.
Some of the sports clubs have also been feeling the pinch. Take, for example, AU Cricket Club. During the transition to ASV, the club has been forced to grant ownership of training equipment, with a value of £7000 to the ASV and is now forced to, in effect, lease the usage of training equipment which it previously owned. The club also is now forced to share a hall with other clubs during training sessions, endangering the other users (with flying cricket balls, for example), and creating friction between the clubs. The club has had to cancel intra-mural indoor cricket events previously hosted with no difficulty in Butchart, and travel to Newcastle at extra expense for an indoor training and team selection weekend which also would have previously been held at Butchart. This for a University team which reached the last 16 in the Outdoor UK Championships last year, and performed well in the North of England Indoor Event. When asked if he felt that this would negatively impact the performance of the team this year, Chris Parr, Captain of the Cricket Club replied: “The ASV, which was supposed to have represented a move to better facilities, has in fact led to an inferior training experience relative to that which was enjoyed at the older, simpler Butchart.” The Sports Union has received complaints from other clubs in similar situations.
Individual students have fared no better. Lazer Woolf, a fourth year Forest
Conservation student feels sidelined by the transition. He claims that his £12 per month fee last year entitled him to unlimited access to fitness, swim, squash, badminton and table tennis facilities. Badminton nets at the new facility are apparently not regulation. He says that there is no access to the indoor soccer facilities after 5pm on any day due to block bookings. He says his per-use costs have almost doubled on last year’s and all court-time is now an extra. When asked if the transition has had a negative effect on his University sporting experience he replied: “Definitely. I feel let down by the University. We were excited about the construction, expecting it to provide us with more facilities and better access, with the opposite being true.”
Robin Parker, President of the Student Association, commented that: “ASV has resulted in some winners and some losers. The popularity of ASV shows what a good facility it is, but it is unfortunate that this has come with such a ridiculous associated price increase.”
David Beattie, General Manager of ASV and Director for Sports at Aberdeen University was unavailable for comment this week. However, Shaunagh Kirby, Head of Communications speaking on behalf of the University and ASV said “The superb facilities of the Aberdeen Sports Village are proving extremely popular with the University and local community.”
Comments on this article can be mailed to the news desk at [email protected]
Continue to the Opine section for further comment on this issue.
ASV Says No To More Peak MembershipsContinued from front page
It has been proposed that the University of Aberdeen has a curriculum reform to ensure we continue to be a high quality University. The report was first suggested in November 2006 and the whole implementation time will take approximately six years, the team will have a lot of time for discussion. There were meetings with other organisations who gave advice, consultations with other staff and students and comparison with other world-wide experiences of curriculum reform. This would mainly apply to students coming to the university in 2010. The aim is to create a University which is
It’s 8am on Monday morning and a group of 15 students gather on Elphinstone Lawn. All dressed respectably in black, some are clutching anti-war banners whilst others carry bundles of bright, white crosses. On the other side of the lawn, university Grounds staff have just clocked on; their opulent high-vis jackets glint in the morning sun as they wait for the first traffic of the morning to appear.
This scene marked the beginning of a confrontation last week, which saw a group of students ejected from university grounds.
The group had formed in an attempt to raise awareness of the rising number of military deaths in the ongoing Afghanistan conflict. Organisers of the protest, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “We wanted to erect the crosses to highlight the fact that 221 British Soldiers have died in the war on Afghanistan since it started 8 years ago.”
Each cross was apparently designed to represent one
military death and when questioned on the timing of the protest, organisers were keen to point out that “this summer has been the bloodiest period for the British Army.”
Despite attempts to convince university grounds staff that their actions were more of a memorial than a political act, the group were confronted by a Senior groundskeeper who prevented any crosses being erected before contacting the Director of Estates.
Such was the desire to subvert the protest that when the Director of Estates arrived even a Gaudie photographer was prevented from capturing the scene. All members of the group were then forced to hand over student identification before being asked to leave the area.
At this point, one of the Grounds staff was quoted as saying: “The University will not be associated with any political or religious group. Images of political stunts on campus have appeared in the press recently and we won’t let that happen again.”
What he was referring to
Jenny Smith
University Staff Crush Student Protest
Bobby Mcleod was a completely unrelated protest in which a mask and golf clubs were placed on Kenny Hunter’s ‘Youth with split apple’ statue outside New Kings. This protest against the Donald Trump’s golf development in Aberdeenshire was given widespread coverage in the local and national press.
Yet, it seems odd that staff would be so keen to suppress any visible links between protest and Aberdeen University grounds.
On the contrary, vibrant and academically respected campuses all over the world are also noted for their politically active student population. Surely it would be of more concern if a campus was made up solely of unquestioning drones?
“Students should be able to express themselves within the realms of the law, on campus,” said Student President Robin Parker, “The University should be encouraging students to take an active interest in the big debates facing society,” he continued.
University management were
quick to release a statement on the issue in which they defended the actions of their staff, claiming that “The policy of University management is to support free speech.
When a planned protest involves our buildings or estate we ask that the organisers first make contact with the Director of Estates to discuss what is proposed and any impact that might have on normal University activity.”
Further attempts were then made to justify the censorship of the Gaudie photographer: “To protect the privacy of our student and staff community we also request that any photography on campus is cleared with the communications team.”
From this statement it is not clear if all visitors to the university campus will be forced to get permission before photographing the grounds. It seems somewhat unlikely that every passing tour bus will have to stop for a permit before any snapping takes place.
New Curriculum
modern, flexible and in-line with the needs of employers. The students who will benefit most are those considering studying abroad, doing an Arts degree or choosing a different type of course than is offered at the moment. There would be the option to choose subjects which are focused on real global issues, different languages, such as Mandarin, and each subject would go into greater context and depth. This would mean the degrees will be harder, but better for student and employer.
New scholarships are also being proposed, as is the idea of ‘study-breaks’. The Principal states on the report that “it is our duty
to reflect regularly on what we teach and to ensure that it remains relevant and challenging”. Overall, the reform looks appealing and very challenging. With the recent opening of the Sports Village and a new library under construction, some students may wonder why they didn’t come a year or two later when the projects are fully completed.
The content of the curriculum is to change completely. Often, students in first year take three courses of twenty credit points. The report proposes that students should take a course of Enhanced Study as part of their degree which would involve doing four courses of fifteen credits
each. There would be a choice between three types: Sixth Century Courses, Sustained Study Programmes and Disciplinary Breadth Courses. The Sixth Century Courses would address the subject at a global level and deal with real issues so as to be useful in understanding the course in real terms. The Sustained Study Programmes would include languages and business in order to communicate globally, regarding the chosen degree. The Disciplinary Breadth Courses would mean the Degree Programme Team would choose a related course in order to get a broader sense of the main subject.
Katarzyna Banaszek
Gaudie 20th October 2009
News 3
The Scottish Government has recently announced that they are to invest an extra £30 million in funding for students in Scotland. The plan, announced by Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop, details a number of ways in which they aim to make life easier for students, with those students who are less well off being their main focus. It is estimated that the plans may help up to 76,000 students.
The extra funding aims to ease the financial pressure on students in the current economic climate where, for some, there may be trouble finding part time work. The main aspect of the support will be the introduction of a grant for independent students who receive no financial help from their
For the 75th anniversary of Gaudie’s creation, Xander Brouwer interviewed two former editors to see how things have changed throughout the years.
On the 24th of October 1934, a new newspaper appeared on the University of Aberdeen’s campus: Gaudie. Originally priced at one penny, it was formed by a group of students eager to provide the students of Aberdeen with a relevant and high-quality newspaper.
Over the years, Gaudie prospered as a student newspaper with updates on University and local news, music reviews, sports news and features.
Malcolm Christie was editor for the autumn term of 1955. Reflecting on the state of student journalism during his editorship, he said that: “Back in the mid-’50s, the student population was 1800 and the range of academic subjects offered was narrower. So there were far fewer students available to volunteer to write for the paper, and a much narrower range of topics to write about.” The current student body numbers about 15,000 and this dramatic increase, Christie says, allows the Gaudie to write about a far wider range of topics.
During the time Mike Newth was active for the Gaudie, starting in 1968, the events in the world influenced the
Scottish Government Announce Boost in Student Funding
Scott Carle
Gaudie’s Diamond Anniversaryarticles in the paper. He recalls: “Articles making passionate arguments that were hugely unpopular at the time were carried with sometimes a little sub-editorial sabotage. A signed defence of the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, a remarkable and anonymous defence of the equally indefensible Vietnam war were both carried in the same term.”
The printing was far more complicated in the past, as both Christie and Newth recall. Each word had to be set into metal individually and had not changed in a century. “There was a kind of primitive excitement about being in the midst of all this
The AUSA Elections were held from the 13th to the 15th of October in order to determine who would be elected onto the AUSA Standing Committees. After a great deal of campaigning, the positions were won by Peter Joseph McRoberts as Entertainments Officer, Stuart Cowan and Kirstie McDonald as Charities Campaign Ordinary Members and Hazel Walker as Mature Students Officer.
The Entertainments Officer’s manifesto was aimed at creating an enjoyable Union.
AUSA Committe Election Results
Ciara McFadden
Jailbreak ‘09parents and who previously relied on loans. This is expected to help around 14,000 students. They are also planning to increase the maximum income-assessed loan by £442 and are currently discussing the introduction of £2 million funding for student childcare.The support package would also increase the level of support for those students who live on a lower income, by increasing the size of grant they receive.
Although opposition parties think the Scottish Government is taking the wrong approach to tackling the issue of student income support, Hylsop has stated that the opposition, as well as the National Union of Students, will both have their say in the shaping of the final package and in how the money would be best spent.
He also aims to encourage society participation in Union events. The main aim of the Charities Campaign Ordinary Members is to raise the profile of charity events, and get societies involved to help raise more money for the campaign. As Mature Students Officer, Hazel Walker intends to actively find out the needs of mature students and work to address these. She also aims to raise the profile of mature students at the university as a whole. The next AUSA Executive Committee elections will place in April 2010.
noisy, busy activity in the small hours of the morning,” Christie says. This printing process, however, was costly: at the time of Christie’s editorship students had to pay 3 old pence for the paper, which was equal to the price of a cup of coffee. Fourteen years later, the price had doubled but the technology had developed rapidly. New methods allowed for a free newspaper to be printed weekly, paid for mostly through advertisements. The new printing process allowed for extra pages and with a reduction in costs of 60%.
Newth does recall a slight disappointment concerning the now free paper: “I am sorry that we did it in that it
became harder for our many readers (...) to feed back or pass news items to us. The distribution manager would just dump piles at the various hotspots and pick up the unsold remainder at the end of the day. Previously the various writers (who were also the sellers of course) would get people’s reaction face to face as part of the transaction.” Gaudie continued to evolve - it began being printed in full colour only a few years ago and has been published fortnightly from the start of this term.
Alex Lewis
Natalie Palin
Jailbreak 2009 began at 9am on Friday the 16th of October; crowding around the King’s College Gates were thirteen groups of students eager to get as far away from Aberdeen as possible, and all in the name of charity.
The long-established race requires students to go to the furthest reaches of the globe, relying solely on their charms and ability to cadge free travel.
With continual updates by text and phone throughout
Friday and Saturday, tensions were high as members of the Charities Campaign followed the teams’ progress. This year also saw the teams being tracked in real-time online for the first time.
After 36 hours on the road, the teams had reached: Union Street, Aberdeen; Edinburgh; Manchester; 3 teams had managed to travel to London; Paris; Zurich; Clermont-Ferrand; Magaluf and Alicante - 1301 miles from Aberdeen. The second furthest away team, ‘Tartan Army’, was 1997 miles away in Rhodes by 9pm on Saturday.
The winning team was ‘Hocus Pocus.’ Rachel O’Neill, Hayley Peace and Vicki Wringley reached Tenerife, 2130 miles from Aberdeen, early on Saturday morning. Before Jailbreak began, the team said that they were taking part in the competition for the “sheer banter.” Not only did they manage to travel furthest, they also raised £200 from other passengers on the flight, as well as managing to blag free food onboard and free accommodation on their arrival.
Sandy McKinnon, President for Charities, said that he was “very impressed by the teams’
effort and how far they got.” He was also impressed by “everyone’s spirit” and their enthusiasm for Aberdeen Student Charities’ Campaign. Jailbreak 2009 was the most successful year team-wise for reaching Continental Europe.
Look out for The Race To Paris, a down-scaled version of Jailbreak, which will be taking place in the second term.
Donations to Aberdeen Students’ Charities Campaign can be made at www.justgiving.com/ascc
The front cover of the first edition, as
well as the front covers of Gaudie throughout its 75
years can be found in the pull-out section in the centre of this
issue.
ListingsGaudie 20th October 20094
What’s On. 20th October – 3rd November
Rocky Horror Picture ShowHer Majesty’s Theatre7pm £9 – £14.50 (Conc. £2 off)
Ron Mueck (29th Aug – 31st Oct)Aberdeen Art GalleryTuesday - Saturday 10am-5pm; Sunday 2-5pm
Snafu Comedy ClubComedy from John Gillick, Chris Forbes, Chris Stephen and Obie.Snafu7.30pm doors, 8pm show start£4 (£3 students)
The Scots In Spain (12th Sept – 5th Dec) Aberdeen Art Gallery The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus (12A) Belmont Picturehouse
Triangle (15) Vue
Halloween 2 (18) Vue
Couples Retreat (15) Cineworld
Exclusive previews of Fantastic Mr Fox (PG)Belmont Picturehouse
Amnesty International Society Fundraiser The Tunnels 10pm
DIRTY Hearts clubOno PalidromesDHC DJsSnafu10pm£2 - £3
Scottish Ballet (23rd – 24th Oct)His Majesty’s Theatre7.30pm £12.50 - £22.50
edit-selectRaudive Aka Oliver Ho Tony Scott (edit-select)Snafu11pm£6 advance£5 Snafu Members , £7 door
Nunsense II (29th Oct – 31st Oct)Aberdeen Arts Centre7.30pm £11 (Conc. £10)
Interesting music promotions present:Andy White + Emily Scott + Tommy TungstenThe Tunnels8pm £6 - £8
DIRTY Hearts clubSnafu10pm£2 - £3
If We Go On as performed by the Vincent Dance TheatreThe Lemon Tree7pm £9
Ghostbusting: Part OneJP’s University Bar & Grill8pm
Zombieland (15)Cineworld Cinema
Skalloween with Palma Interna-tional, Famous Apeand a live set from akaSKAThe Lemon Tree 8pm £12
Halloween 2 (18)The second of Rob Zombie’s takes on the scary saga – not to be missed!Cineworld Cinema
Halloween Ghost Walk7pm, 9pm, 11pm.Mercat Cross on Castlegate£5
Sunday Jazz with The John Hall BandThe Lemon Tree12pm
Sunday Special with Calvin HarrisSnafu10pm£9 (advanced tickets from ticketweb)
Scottish Street & Hip Hop Dance Competition.11am - 5pm.£10 dancer, £10 spectator.Beach Ballroom.
Vodka IslandTiger Tiger10pm
A Collection of Dresses 18th century album of water-colours by Scottish artist David Allan displayed alongside new digital images of the entire volume.Aberdeen Art Gallery
In The Night Garden: Sneezing (U)Belmont Picturehouse
Ara Malakian & Daniel De PinoUniversity Of Aberdeen MusicKing’s College Chapel7.45pm £8 (£2 students and children)
The Chapel from the Restoration to the 1800s:Jacobite chapel, museum and libraryProfessor Peter DavidsonUniversity of AberdeenFree - in King’s College Chapel
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Scottish Ballet www.ballet-dance.com
A Timeless CollectionAberdeen Arts Centre2.30pm and 7.30pm £13 (Conc. £11)
Acid Thunder Origin 11pm - 3am £5
Rooftop Gig with Jamie Jones (Crosstown Rebels)Hosted by MinivalThe Motown Soul Bar Rooftop, Beach Esplanade4pm – 3amwww.myspace.com/mnvl
Antipode The Lemon Tree 7pm £9
Oxjam Day and night of music from: Gerry Jablonski and the Electric Band, Incrediboy and the Forgetmenots, performing across the stages of Drum-monds, Priory, Tunnels, EnigmaPlus a BBQ in Engima court-yard.1.30pm – 2am
The Steamie (26th Oct – 31st Oct)His Majesty’s Theatre7.30pm £12.50 - £22.50 Vocoustics Promotions Presents:‘Chris T-T on LSD’ + Men Di-amler + Clayton BlizzardThe Tunnels8pm£6
Engllsoc Ghostwalk8pm St Machar’s ChurchHunt for ghosts and watch a scary movie with the English Society. FREE.
The Inevitability of Catastro-phe (27th Oct – 28th Oct)The Lemon Tree7pm £5
Snafu Comedy ClubRicky Callan headlines with support from Gus Lymburn and Alan SharpSnafu7.30pm doors, 8pm show£4 (£3 students)
NEW RELEASEMichael Jackson’s This Is ItVue Cinema
TRASH JP’s University Bar & Grill8pm Lunchtime Talk: Recent Ar-chaeological work in Aberdeen12:30pm - 1.00pmAberdeen Maritime MuseumFree EventBooking essential 01224 337714
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www.buyzombie.com www.thetunnels.co.uk
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www.aberdeencity.gov.uk www.flickr.com
Features Gaudie 20th October 2009 5
So much to see, smell and hear, they all say, but I wanted to experience it for myself. When I received “the” e-mail from Kings College London on Tuesday 7th July 2009 entitled “Study India - offer e-mail New Delhi” I leapt off my chair in high excitement, ran around the room and only then opened the e-mail and read its contents. It took a while before I realised that, YES, I was actually going to go to India! The Study India Programme (SIP) is a government-funded three-week study programme in which participants are given the opportunity to learn about India, its language, its culture and take part in social activities. The programme is open to undergraduates studying in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, with one hundred student places available in New Delhi and a further hundred in Mumbai.
On the 23rd of August I boarded a plane in Shanghai heading for New Delhi, I couldn’t believe that I was finally going to India! Before going to India I had heard vast amounts about the country and culture, but I was determined not to let that influence my experience. I was driven by curiosity rather than certainty, by the wish to understand India rather than to pass judgment. I arrived at New Delhi airport at 2am, jet-lagged, excited and ready to embrace this new environment, culture and challenge. My first experience of India was pushing cars out of the way in order to clear a path for us to drive out of the parking lot. Still, the only thing going through my mind at that point was “Yes! I’m in India!” When I arrived at the youth hostel I was allocated a room to myself, but told I would be getting two roommates on Sunday who would be other students participating in the same programme. I was quite happy to be getting roommates as that meant I would meet some other people very quickly. Sunday went by and there were no roommates to be seen. I was a little disappointed but as some people pointed out later
on, it was quite comfortable to have the privacy of my own room.
Week One of the programme was largely spent indoors attending lectures. I don’t think I have ever learnt so much in such a short space of time. We had guest speakers come from all over to talk to us. The subjects covered anything you could possibly imagine: from the Indian economy to photography, relationships between India and the UK, and railways.
In between the lectures we were taken on various trips to places of worship, monuments, museums and even the cinema! I am not someone who normally sits around and wastes time, but even I thought it was an extremely busy programme of events.
The second week we were all sent off to different placements across Delhi. I had been allocated The Pinnacle School in the south of the city, a school with both a primary and a secondary school. I am an Education student at the University of Aberdeen about to embark on my final year, so being able to observe and take part in the school’s activities was an absolutely amazing, invaluable experience for me. The most fascinating dimension was being able to compare and contrast two different educational systems, Scottish and Indian. There are so many things I hope to be able to use when I eventually have my own class. I have never been welcomed
as warmly as I was at The Pinnacle School. The pupils and staff were absolutely amazing and went totally out of their way to make sure I had the best of times. When I tell my own parents all about how I was treated at the Pinnacle School, and make sure they get the hint that I now expect to be treated the same way at home, they are not going to like it! During my week at the school I gave French workshops to some of the children. (I was brought up in Belgium so French is one of the languages I am fluent in). It was so wonderful to be with children eager to learn. I came in on the first day and chatted with the children so I could get a feel of the level they were at. After the second workshop the class asked me if I could tell them about Belgium, its history and culture, after learning that I had been born and brought up there. I had to go back to the hostel to do some serious research! I prepared a presentation and some pictures and videos while explaining it all to them. At the end of the class they told me they loved the buildings and were wondering if I could talk to them the next day about architecture in Belgium - not exactly my specialty! So once more, back to the hostel at the end of the day to go and do some more research. Putting so much effort into the preparation of a lesson is hugely rewarding when the pupils are so eager and willing to learn and it made it a pleasure to teach them.
I was lucky as the last day of
our placement was a Teachers’ Day and that it happened to be on one of the five days I was at the school. Teachers’ Day is celebrated in India as a tribute to the contribution made by teachers to society. As the day passed, the pupils performed the regular activities that are usually performed by the teachers and put on performances or recited poems for their
teachers. Students also gave teachers small tokens of their appreciation, such as cards and flowers. I found this to be a lovely idea and would like to take it back to the schools I will be teaching in. The fact that the children are allowed to mimic the usual responsibilities of teachers proved to be a very effective way of helping the pupils understand what the job of a teacher entails.
The third and final week was spent in different colleges at the University of Delhi. I was sent to one of the colleges located in the South Campus, Sri Venkateswara College, where again, an absolutely amazing welcome awaited me! While at the college we attended a few lectures and participated in some social activities organised for us by the college. Classes finished quite early and students have every afternoon off, allowing time to become acquainted with the locals. Everywhere we went in India,
people put a lot of time and effort into the preparation of our programme activities and we were always warmly welcomed. This has made me think how we welcome foreigners and has made me want to make a much greater effort in the future, especially in my role as an ambassador at the University of Aberdeen. I would like visitors to feel as welcome in my country as I was made to feel during my stay in India. This programme was so much better than simply going to India as a tourist: thanks to the fact that we were able to meet and spend time with local people in their daily lives. We were given a real taste of how people go about their daily activities and an insight into their lives.
Links:
www.studyindia.org.uk Study India official website.
www.thepinnacleschool.comPinnacle School.
A Passage to IndiaFeatures continues the post-summer student travel theme as Isabella Catherine
Brown recounts her experiences teaching in India with tales of pushing cars, warm welcomes and giving lectures on Belgium...
Isabella Catherine Brown
ArtsGaudie 20th October 20096
Mad About Majtenyi This fortnight, Gaudie talks to Andrew Majtenyi, award- winning fashion designer, whose style and design stands apart from the conventional. In this interview, we get to understand what inspires Majtenyi’s work and pieces.
Katy Campbell, Gaudie: Hi Andrew! So, I think the most critical question really is: what was it that originally drew you into the world of fashion design?
Andrew: Originally I was inspired by the cut of vintage men’s tailored suits. I was about 14 or 15 at the time when it became almost an obsession; could not get it out of my system. Later working in theatrical costuming.
G: Working in the theatre must have been a wonderful experience. With this inspi-
ration in mind, who would you say your fashion idol/s are/were, and why?
Andrew: I always liked Chanel, as their collections are creative and timeless. Karl Lagerfeld is perfect with this combination. Givenchy has been showing some real-ly good pieces these past few seasons. Alexander McQueen is such an innovator – I don’t know where he keeps getting all these inspirations.
G: It is amazing how they seem to come up with new ideas each season. I think that past fashion has a lot to do with designs of the 21st Century. If you were to pick any era to live in when would it be and why?
Andrew: The late 18th and early 19th century was a very interesting time. Everyone
was quite dapper, espe-cially the men. France beat out England hands down in terms of dress.
G: No-one wears a cravat as well as the French! Back to inspiration, what is it that usually inspires your collec-tions?
Andrew: It could be any-thing. Mostly it starts with the fabrics when I begin the season. Textures, colours, prints etc. For general theme it could be a film, news event or something historical that may manifest itself.
G: Being a designer must mean that you get to create outfits for some pretty amaz-ing people. Who’s the best person you’ve ever designed for?
Andrew: I did a project with
Skydive Burnaby called the John & Jane Jumper, futur-istic skydive suits winning a Gold award in Design at the Design Exchange. Other projects included designing speciality pieces for the dis-abled.
G: What do you think it is about fashion that women find so fascinating?
Andrew: I’m not sure. I think it’s a woman thing, which I don’t know.
G: This is true! As a woman, I think fashion and clothes are definitely on my mind 90% of the time! If you weren’t a fashion designer, what do you think your career would be?
Andrew: Never thought of that. Maybe comedy writer or filmmaker but I do that
occasionally anyway.
G: It’s nice to have a hobby. What do you think it is about your designs that make them stand out from the crowd?
Andrew: Everyone has a unique sense of styling and a way of interpreting things. My speciality is working with a combination of prints and textures to create my looks.
G: Thank you so much for answering all of Gaudie’s questions. Finally, what advice would you give to budding student designers out there?
Andrew: Follow your heart.
If you want to see more of Andrew Majtenyi’s work, check out his website: www.andrewmajtenyi.com
Nestled off the fashionable upper-end of Union Street, Frox is a shopping experience with a difference. Frox is a designer eveningwear boutique that offers a range of dresses for every function imaginable. Whether you’re going to a wedding, a law ball or are getting married, there’s something for you. Part of the philosophy behind Frox is that if something isn’t right or doesn’t work, they will tell you! It might be blunt, but if you don’t look good in the shop, you won’t look good anywhere else, and they don’t want that.
If you find shopping for a dress daunting, staff can help you through the whole experience: choosing dresses to suit your shape and colours to suit your skin. The staff aim to make the experience as fun and enjoyable as possible, and the number of loyal customers who return for each new event could tell you the same.
There are frequent sales with bargains aplenty, and a vast array of colours, styles and sizes. Some of the collections can be custom ordered, and they stock American collections such as Jovani and Sherri Hill, which can be specially obtained for customers.
If you’re worried about turning up to a function in the same dress as somebody else, don’t worry! Frox keeps a diary in which the dresses are tracked for big events and ensure they only sell one of each dress to the function to save potential embarrassment! If this hasn’t whetted your appetite yet, there’s also a 10% student discount. So, if you’re looking for one-off outfits and dresses for a function, quirky jewellery and evening bags, look no further than Frox. A quick jaunt up to Thistle Street could change your wardrobe forever!
Frox28 Thistle Street
Fancy a Frox?Rebecca Munro
The Aberdeen Art Gallery is currently playing host to world leading hyper-realist Ron Mueck. Born in Melbourne in 1958, Mueck is an internationally renowned artist, he has exhibited in the Tate Modern, the Saatchi Gallery, at the opening of the Millennium Dome and the La Biennale di Venezia, to name only a few. His exhibition in Aberdeen covers two floors and is made up of six extraordinary pieces.
Explaining what the sculptures are is really quite simple - they are people: babies, men, women, usually scaled up to a massive size, all shown in amazing detail. But that is not all Mueck’s work is, it is so much more than just big sculptures.
The two things that hit you when you first see Mueck’s work is that it is big (a girl is five metres long) and very detailed. The danger in enlarging his sculptures is that there will not be enough detail to go around the body. One look at the sculptures dispels this problem, nothing is missing: hairs that are placed individually fall in the right direction, toenails, tendons, wrinkles, spots, moles and the pigmentation of the skin are all perfect…almost too perfect. I walked into the upper gallery to be faced by a petrified looking three metre high totally naked, very hairy man; I had to stop myself from blushing.
Mueck’s sculptures provoke reactions from us as we look on life at its most critical points: birth, life, death and also on emotional states such as loneliness, anxiety and
tenderness. You experience a roller coaster of emotions as you move from room to room in the gallery. The life-like quality of the sculptures makes you feel genuinely touched by the obvious distress of the new born baby with its clenched fists and curled feet; intrigued by the coldness of the couple in ‘spooning’ and just a wee bit worried for the ‘lost man’ having a mid life crisis in a boat with no oars.
Mueck’s work certainly does have deeper emotional value than just being impressive to look at, but it is not implicit to the enjoyment of his work, the sculptures appeal to all walks of life. I recently visited with my housemate, a self-proclaimed ‘I just don’t get modern art’ girl. You do not have to appreciate the psychological aspect of Mueck’s work to be amazed. The life-like quality and sheer
scale will blow you away. The art gallery itself has seen a sharp increase in the number of visitors. One look at the visitors’ book will convince you if I have not already. A variety of comments are written from ‘hauntingly realistic’ to ‘horrible and grotesque’. Although some of the comments are more ‘ewww’ than ‘ahhh’, these sculptures will definitely provide some welcome cultural stimulation.
The art gallery is free to get into (essential for any student), is in the middle of town and has other fantastic art on display too. I could not recommend it more for a cheap day out with a difference.
Aberdeen Art Gallery is located on Schoolhill, open Tuesday to Sunday. The Ron Mueck exhibition is on until the 31st of October.
Get Real With Mueck
Rosie Dias
www.andrewmajtenyi.com
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/24338
Arts Gaudie 20th October 2009 7
As an eagerly-anticipated remake of Christopher Gore’s Oscar winning 1980s movie of the same name, “Fame” had a lot to live up to. The actors, despite being unknown in the film industry, delivered what was mostly a convincing performance. The artistic talent the film contains is amazing; the best parts are undoubtedly those heartfelt musical numbers and the snappy dance routines peppered throughout the best part of two hours. Re-written for the screen by Allison Burnett and directed by Kevin Tancharoen, Fame (as most of you will already be aware) follows the lives of several students at the New York Academy of Performing Arts. For all, the steep climb to the top takes its toll but is, in the end, a rewarding film that sticks to the original ideas of hard work and dedication as agents of success.
Although there are many stars in the film, a large part of the story is about Jenny and Marco; cue some very High School Musical moments. Despite Jenny being led astray by a previous performing art student who found the road to success in acting, their budding romance appears to be getting back on track by the end of the film. Like Jenny and Marco, the side character Kevin also gets a happy ending after he stars in the sinister twist to the tale. Following a fateful interview with the school’s Principal Teacher, where she shreds his dreams of being a ballet dancer, Kevin attempts to take his own life by jumping in front of a subway train. Realising his intentions at the last minute, his friends come to the rescue and he sets about realising an alternative dream - becoming a dance teacher.
Along the way the numbers thin out as the demands of
The Arts become too much for many. One student keeps up the fight for her dream, braving the anger of her parents and possibly removal from P.A. - Denise. During her time she undergoes the self-discovering transformation from devoted classical pianist to hip hop diva, showcasing her voice in a club where none other than her own parents wait unknowingly in the audience. At times there are even bursts of humour from the various teachers at the school, in particular from the singing coach Ms. Rowan who happens to be Will & Grace’s very own Karen Delaney; it’s not going to win any comedy awards but the mild injections here and there help to hold your attention. Was it worth the hype? Debatable. Although it’s unquestionably a sterling effort from the cast, it just doesn’t have that memorable quality. As is to be expected from a film following the lives of so many, the storyline is at times disjointed: it seems to wander aimlessly, not delivering anything too unexpected or straying from the original lines. Apart from the clothing, it seems to lack a modern twist - admittedly, I never saw the original film but for me the theatre is a much better outlet for such a creative work. Is it packed with talented young cast members? Undoubtedly. Is it going to sweep you off your feet with a fierce desire to star in the next series of X-factor? I don’t think we’ll be losing any students anytime soon. If it’s an unsurprising, happy ending, vaguely predictable film you’re after then this is for you. Otherwise, don’t waste good drink money.
Zoe Simpson
Will It Live Forever?
The Soloist is a beautiful story of two very different men who find themselves forging a friendship due to Steve Lopez’s (Robert Downey Jr) need to write an article for the newspaper he works at.
Steve meets the homeless Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx) in a park, playing astonishingly on a 2-stringed violin. Steve soon realises that Nathaniel has amazing talent and starts to delve deeper into his past.
A friend of mine dragged me to see this, and I have to say I was somewhat dubious as ‘serious’ films are not normally my thing. However, twenty minutes into the film and I was drawn into the moving story.
Jamie Foxx perfectly portrays the suffering of a schizophrenic. Journalist Steve, despite first seeming very selfish, develops into a sensitive, caring character.
I would say that this movie is a must-see, I have certainly recommended it to parents and friends alike. Enjoy!
Beth Fullagar
The Soloist THEATREFANTASMAGORCIAL PERFORMANCE!
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG! The most fabulous stage musical in the history of everything! The film itself was breathtaking, and I never thought that I would witness anything as spectacular - I was wrong. The costumes were beautifully designed, such vibrant colours and themes were brought out. All the actors gave more than 100%, the children were absolutely darling, whilst the Baron and Baroness had the audience
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!His Majesty TheatreKaty Campbell
rolling in the aisles. The songs were sung to perfection, especially by Caractacus Potts (Darren Bennett) and Truly Scrumptious (Katie Ray). The best part overall would have to be the flying car, I really had to restrain myself from rushing on to the stage and flying away with them. I saw this musical in London and I was younger, where I was completely blown away, and never thought this would happen again: but it did! Truly breath-taking, and enjoyable for all.
Bright Black tells the sad story of a woman who loses her lover. She enters a world of trouble and turmoil, and is torn between her life and being tempted to the underworld to resurrect her dead boyfriend.
The play will be travelling around Scotland over the next month and a half. It’s not something that I
would recommend seeing. The acting was fabulous, passionate and heartfelt. Watching them, I really felt their plight and angst. However, the script, modelled on the story of Orpheus, was horrific. It really dragged on and there was no climax. The set, however, was rather impressive, and the team worked well in the space that they were given.
It’s a shame the script was shoddy!
Gaudie Arts is on the pull! And we WANT you.
If you want to review something or write us an article, feel free to drop us an email:
Hats Off To Olivia RoatLondon-based milliner Olivia Roat, talks to Gaudie about her fascination with hats, and parts with her valu-able advice.
Katy Campbell, Gaudie: What was it that originally drew you into the world of hat design?
Olivia Roat: It’s strange because I have always loved fashion but never had any desire to make or design clothes. I liked sculpture for years but something had always been missing, then I had a wedding to go to and didn’t have a hat so I made myself one. I had no idea what I was doing, I think I even used sellotape but peo-
ple liked it and I got orders and that was it really. I think with hats you get the best of both worlds.
G: Who would you say your fashion idol/s are/were, and why?
OR: I love Galliano - His use of fabrics and colour is so inspiring, his work is so decadent and ornate, I just want to eat it. I love the way Westwood is so constantly on trend yet I really believe she doesn’t try to predict what’s going to be fashionable, she’s just there already. Stephen Jones, he has pushed the concept of hats so far. He’s not afraid to use any mate-rial.
G: If you were to pick any era to live in when would it be and why?
OR: I’m afraid my answer is very unoriginal and from a purely fashion point of view but I would have to say France in the middle of the 18th century, before the Revolution. It was so frivo-lous and decadent, it was an exciting time for fashion. Anything was possible.
G: What is it that usually inspires your collections?
OR: Lots of things - often jewels, patterns and detailed plaster work on walls and cornicing. There are a lot of curves in my work it’s not
geometric at all. I also look back in history, particularly at the 20s, 30s, Italian baroque and Rococo period. Nature is always inspiring but ideas and shapes are everywhere, you just have to find them.
G: Who’s the best person you’ve ever designed for?
OR: Well, designing a Spring/Summer collection for Maria Grachvogel was obviously very exciting, but one off hats would have to be my friend Julia, who wears totally bizarre clothes and is never afraid to stand out.
G: What do you think it is about hats that people find so fascinating?
OR: There is a long tradition of wearing hats in different cultures all over the world, which is clearly nothing to do with keeping your head warm. It would seem that whatever your beliefs, status, stature or demeanour, a hat is a way of making a state-ment about who you are and that is exciting.
G: If you weren’t designing hats, what do you think your career would be?
OR: Well I did once have an interview to be a sports agent (one of the most humiliating experiences of my life).
G: What do you think it is about your designs that makes them stand out from
the rest of crowd?
OR: I really don’t know. I think some of them have quite a vintage feel to them. I also have a bit of an obses-sion with using pearls, crys-tals or gold and silver, which I think can make them look a bit more opulent.
G: Finally, what advice would you give to budding student milliners out there?
OR: Do as much work experience as you can, it’s invaluable. Also remember you want to make money as well, so try and find a bal-ance of making hats that are wearable without losing the design ideas that drive you.
Bright Black The Lemon TreeKaty Campbell
MusicGaudie 20th October 20098 Music8
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Amy HaywardAlbum ReviewMumford & Sons - Sigh No More
THE COVER OF Sigh No More is decorated with the elaborate designs more associated with a sophisticated Oxford Street shop. So naturally, it’s an unexpected pleasure that this London-based quartet’s debut album far from reflects this delicate first impression.
The album begins in a fashion not totally dissimilar to Bon Iver but soon jumps into something completely different. Indeed, Mumford & Sons guide us gracefully through this epic album making it satisfyingly easy to listen to for the first time and very difficult to skip through.
The tracks themselves are incredibly well finished and promising for a band only formed in late 2007. Tracks like “The Lion Man”, “The Cave”, “Roll Away Your Stone”
and “White Blank Page” give a real feel for the mood of the album. From these, we realise what this music is about is big ideas, heroic crescendos, and massive banjo backing. It’s not something to just dip into once in a while; it’s a keeper and a rare gem.
True to type, the press has highlighted similarities between Mumford & Sons and the likes of Noah and the Whale. Whilst this could be a deal breaker for many people in search of fresh music, for Mumford & Sons, this is probably a good thing. Since both the bands claim to enjoy a very close relationship, it seems natural that their artistic ideas might intertwine occasionally and provide competition: competition that pushes the material on this album from the mundane to the incredible.
Despite this likeness to other music, Sigh No More is still a breath of fresh air - Mumford & Sons have managed to retain their musical character
and charm whilst providing something for the more mainstream of us who are not entirely sure about how we feel about folk music.
On the whole, this band is unabashedly a folk-indie band. Indeed, by choosing
to launch their album on Monday the 5th October in the rather unusual form of a 500 strong hoe-down nestled in the heart of Hertfordshire Countryside they seem to have no qualms in being seen as such. In fact, with their well-rounded and often
From the moment I began playing Massive Attacks’s newly released EP Splitting the Atom, I was bombarded with the grumpy slamming of doors surrounding my room and a stream of Geordie insults telling me to “turn that s***e down” introducing the first song to disappoint all Massive Attack fans: “Splitting The Atom”. Centred around a simple, slow and moronic keyboard riff, the entire 5 minutes and 18 seconds of the song is taken up with it’s nauseating and frustrating repetition. Having listened to it again for the third time (a feat that no one should really undergo), I found myself grinding my teeth in complete discomfort. Compared to Massive Attack’s earlier hits of “Angel”, “Tear
Drop” and “Unfinished Sympathy”, Splitting the Atom EP has the special ability of underwhelming anyone who chooses to listen to it. Furthermore, the depressing tone established in the first song is maintained throughout the two out of
three other songs on the EP: “Pray for Rain” and “Bullet Proof Love”. The only shred of dignity to come from this EP is “Pysche” which contains more interesting variations of the basic beats adopted by Massive Attack. Setting this song apart from the others, the female vocals help lift the song from the downtrodden
“You know those guitars that are like, double guitars, you know?” Otto from The Simpsons claims that the pillar of awesome raditude is a double guitar. He is clearly unaware of the existence of the Gaudie Music Facebook page. Become a fan of this sexually charged venture and you’ll be treated to a “Song of the Day” Youtube link. We’re open to any and all suggestions for the Song of the Day, so get commenting! Additionally, we’ll keep you abreast of the latest gig listings in and around Aberdeen which will be updated every week. This is your chance to have your say on what we cover in the Gaudie Music pages. Search
for “Gaudie Music” in the Facebook searchbox. Get involved hombres!!!
Mumford & Sons Revive The Banjo
Massive MisfireNick WoodsEP ReviewMassive Attack - Splitting The Atom
and dismal mood created by the other three songs.
Do not hold your breath if you are expecting anything special from this new release. It feels like Massive Attack has churned out this new material with little effort or
care towards originality or entertainment. Whilst the last song “Pysche” restores some pedigree to this EP, the other three songs are instantly forgettable and damaging to the iconic status of Massive Attack.
catchy lyrics, these boys are bringing back the banjo in no small way.
The growing support of popular DJs such as Radio One’s Greg James, Zane Lowe (who made “Little Lion Man” his Reaction Record on 27 July
2009, before naming it the Hottest Record in the World the following evening) and a live lounge performance in the bag make this a band to definitely keep your eye on in the future.
Mumford & Sons: Happy Chappy McTwee Pants and his band of toe-rag tearaways
Editors Still DullChris ReganAlbum ReviewEditors - In This Light, On This Evening
Gaudie Music: better than a double guitar.
Somewhere in a studio or on a stage Trent Reznor is shaking with convulsions of laughter, tears streaming down his healthy, wrinkle-free, LA-tan face. Between whoops and spasmodic breaths he asks the name of the delightfully arch-ironists paying such humorous homage to the music he has made a living defiling. Whether his laughter buckles into straight-faced disappointment or cracks further on hearing that no, Editors are not having a laugh with this new direction of theirs, rather they are - true to form - being incredibly po-faced and reverential isn’t for us to know. Trent Reznor is a multi-millionaire who guards his privacy tenaciously.
Editors always had that retro-electro slant to them, but for
In This Light, On This Evening, Tom and the rest have set themselves the unenviable task of re-writing the back catalogues of New Order and Depeche Mode; a vaguely similar manifesto which Nine Inch Nails adopted in the early 90s - one which saw them distort and molest their heroes into new, harder, more violent permutations of the electronically expressed anger which informed their work. Editors clearly had neither the inclination, capacity nor the audacity necessary to try to improve on the work from which they draw, leaving them with a dry run-through of 80s synth-rock.
None of this is helped by the fact that Tom Smith has
the adopted baritone of a 16 year old teen attempting to buy alcohol for the first time: terrifically unconvincing. Coupled with the Big Statementness of his lyrics, the petty yearning for credibility by referencing unquestionably important alternative releases and sheer joylessness of the performances, the record presents itself as more of a mockery of those ideas conveyed by the source material. Calling a song “Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool“? Good one Editors, you saw that killing animals for meat is a bit on the dubious side of morality. What you failed to see is that meat is juicy and delicious, like the best music.
EditorsMassive Attack
“I found myself grinding my teeth in complete discomfort.”
Gaudie 8-page Pull-Out:Looking back over the 75 years of Gaudie
20th October 2009
University of Aberdeen Special Libraries and Archives are the repository for the archive copies of Gaudie and predecessor student magazines.
Music Gaudie 20th October 2009 9
Music 9
Podcast To Peruse: our fortnightly recommendation of the best podcasts around
Pearl Jam Tour TVEddie Vedder and Co. are currently dragging their whole hoary-voiced-10-years-and-3-musical-trends-out-of-date-rock and roll thing around Australia and New Zealand. The tech savvy bunch have decided to complement the tour with a free 16 part podcast series detailing (in no great depth) their inception to
this tour. Expect spiralling blues guitar solos and quasi-hippy bullshit rants from Vedder.Search “Pearl Jam Tour TV” in iTunes Store
SO OASIS HAVE SPLIT. Yes, properly this time. Well didn’t it ruin your summer? Regardless of whether you’re actually bothered about the band’s apparent demise, it rocked the popular press and left many long-term fans dismayed as the Gallagher brothers pulled out of major concerts and festivals. At V-Fest the excuse was laryngitis - “but we’ll be back in time for Paris”. Oasis had dissolved before even reaching Calais. Splits in popular music aren’t necessarily calls for alarm though - quite the opposite. Bloc Party front-man Kele Okereke possibly summed it up best when he announced the Oasis split on stage at the very Rock en Seine performance that the Manchester brothers never made - “Oasis have cancelled. So I guess by default, we are headlining!” Characteristically cutting and sarcastic maybe, but still making a very serious point. Without the natural passing of the previous generation’s musical titans, there really wouldn’t be room for the new superstars of the age.
Or at least, that’s one understanding of how it should be - one which some artists and record companies evidently disagree with. Like it or not, we live in the era of The Comeback. Maybe the current trend started with Take That in 2005, or The Pixies’ reunion a year earlier, but regardless of who did it first, barely a week goes by without a ‘They’re Back’ headline or tour announcement. From Led Zeppelin’s one-off arena show last year, to the BeeGees scheduled return in the near future, the musical past is being raked up and bands put back together for their adoring fans - and their grown-up kids. Even KISS have declared (another) album and accompanying tour, after more than a decade of truculent silence on the matter. And don’t go thinking this is just mainstream musicians
with huge record company backing - cult underground rock outfit Pavement have set the indie world buzzing with hints at a forthcoming performances and recording. Across the voids of genres and generations, musical zombie-ism is rife. The dead just won’t stay dead.
More astonishing than the sheer volume of artists is the very fact that some of them can bear to be together as a group again. Most notably, the reformation of Spandau Ballet after 19 years of bitter court battles over royalties is hard to believe - a resurrection as dramatic as their demise as the Princes of
New Romanticism. Equally surprising was the second coming of The Police with their year-long 2007 tour, and Genesis’s return to playing live, though admittedly without former front man Peter Gabriel. What is it that heals the acrimony and bad feelings responsible for tearing apart close colleagues and friends who lived together, travelled together and, in the case of Spandau Ballet, sold 25 million albums of collaborative work?
In these harsh financial times, many say money is the prime motivator - in Spandau’s case the very thing which tore them apart. Indeed, until the
Artistic Integrity or Reunion Gravy Train?This edition we have a feature article inspired by the recent and devastating (depending on your persuasion) news that Oasis have split up, which questions the nature of reunions. Robert Henthorn discusses the factors which pull former
bandmates back together for one last knees-up.
negotiations for bringing the group together again began, John Keeble and Gary Kemp had barely seen each other outside of a courtroom, as the saxophonist and his bandmates successfully pursued Kemp for royalties. It is a fact well remarked upon that such proliferation of comebacks occurs as solo careers dry up, and the entertainment world slowly attempts a regression to a more profitable era. 2008’s Spice Girls extravaganza in particular has been singled out as a cynical attempt to cash in on nostalgic fans now in their early twenties.
But does moral bankruptcy
necessarily follow financial bankruptcy? Does it matter that artists seem willing to put up with each other only for the financial gain? Certainly it’s easier to stomach the joint appearance of Roger Waters and David Gilmore at the awareness raising and altruistic atmosphere of Live 8 than seeing Blink182 return to the studio. The deeper issue might have more to do with whether we value the honesty of musical heroes alongside the music itself. The very term ‘artist’ seems to imply a motivation from an intellectually higher source, and even ‘doing it for the fans’ doesn’t seem to cut it. If we take the music
we love seriously, surely the people who create it should care just as much? Even fans with little regard for such concerns, such returns to the road, stink of dishonesty, and manipulation by record companies and promoters out and desperate to find the quickest route to financial gain.
But when we talk about hon-esty amongst professional musicians, we’re claiming that artists have a responsi-bility to their fans, which a reunion can sometimes ful-fil. Spandau Ballet et al have certainly done more for the good of their adoring pub-lic than Oasis have in recent months, where the Britpop brothers’ private squabbles left fans with worthless tick-ets, and major events without a headline act. Accusing Oa-sis of being too honest, too open about their disagree-ments seems as disingenuous as Gary Kemp’s new-found affability, but the childish-ness and truculence of the Gallagher boys has been a continual source of tension within the band and the press that they create. Noel and Liam are both quick to speak their minds - something of an attraction for Oasis fans - but rarely accomplish more than a heightening of ire in their sibling war of attrition. Booking seats at opposite ends of the Manchester City ground is but one example of the laughably excessive lengths the two stretched to to prove their mutual loath-ing. Fine, they don’t get on, but is it too much to ask that they don’t play out their con-flict in the papers?
This debate needn’t be a choice between immaturity and commercial smarminess - there have been agreeable, honest splits and affable reformations, the Eagles’ 1998 ‘Hell Freezes Over’ tour being a perfect example of the latter. But still, the question of what we want from musicians has to be raised in light of all this. Honesty, professionalism, or just more music?
Oasis: Believe it or not, this is their “approachable” face after extensive media training
OpineGaudie 20th October 200910
Nelson Mandela, the 14th Dalai Llama, Mother Teresa, and Martin Luther King: all world famous icons who stood (or still stand) for peace and unity, and all former winners of the esteemed Nobel Peace Prize. And, as of last week, another famous name has joined their ranks: Barack Obama, for it was announced that he will pick up the 2009 prize for his efforts in strengthening international diplomacy, and towards bringing about global nuclear disarmament.
He has proven to be a fairly controversial choice, with the public and some world leaders questioning whether or not he has done enough to be considered for the award so early into his term as US President. In the official statement from the Nobel Committee it was stated that: “Only very rarely has
a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future”, which we could argue is true.
Certainly the worldwide celebrations on the eve of his election win showed that his call for hope and change had appeal far beyond the borders of the U.S, and the focus on his first few weeks in office was probably more intense than that of any previous president. However, for all the grand words spoken and promises made before the election, what Obama has actually achieved during his short time in office doesn’t seem worthy of the award.
Let us not forget that Obama is still a wartime president, with the conflict in Afghanistan seemingly spiralling further out of control, while tensions with Iran and North Korea show no sign of abating. In addition, his promise to close down the Guantanamo Bay detention centre remains unfulfilled, though the
closure is due to go ahead at some time next year.
That the head of the Nobel Committee said Obama was awarded the prize “because we would like to support what he is trying to achieve” shows that rather than focusing on his accomplishments thus far, they are instead looking forward to what they expect him to secure while in office. A nice enough sentiment; presumably, now that I intend to invent a clean burning fuel source and end world hunger within 5 years, I can expect to be a shoe-in for the 2010 prize.
Let’s look at a hypothetical forecast of the next few years: the war in Afghanistan escalates further, more and more troops are being shipped over to fight, but the death toll keeps on rising; relations with Iran and North Korea degenerate, bringing about nuclear tensions that echo the years of the Cold War. Obama loses the support of the American public and is defeated in the next election,
his one term littered with broken promises and wasted potential. Would the Nobel Committee then rescind his Peace Prize? After all, if the criteria on which he won it never came to pass, then the award is surely rendered
meaningless.
And here lies the major problem with this award: something as important as a Nobel Peace Prize should be won through achievement rather than intentions,
Joseph BlytheOpine Editor
Another season, another set of health fears for Britain. So far this year swine flu has dominated the headlines, but in the past month we’ve seen the emergence of the latest bout of mass hysteria.
Yes, the inevitable has happened: after a massive push from the government to have the HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccination administered to school girls, and the relative success of the campaign, concerns have been raised over its safety.
I’m sure you’ve seen the adverts on TV; it’s impossible not to sit through a commercial break and come across one (personally, I’m getting rather sick of seeing all these girls mispronouncing “cervical” as “cer-vy-i-cal”).
For those who don’t know, the HPV injection can prevent the development of cervical cancer when administered
in adolescence. Over the past year the vaccine has been put into action in schools across the UK.
It has only been in the last fortnight, however, that we’ve seen a serious backlash after a young girl died within hours of being given the injection.
It was quickly confirmed that she had underlying health issues, and that the HPV injection was not to blame. Yet, across the nation, young girls are now refusing the medication, and mothers are questioning the safety of it. As with all health campaigns, a dark cloud has drawn over what has so far been a success.
Let’s stop at this point and look back to approximately a year ago. The sudden public awareness of the threat of cervical cancer came about because of what’s now known as “The Jade Goody Effect”; essentially, when Goody decided to go public with her fight against cervical cancer, it had was a massive impact. There was a reported surge
in the number of women who came forward for cancer screening, with nurses saying they had never seen so many patients before.
There are a number of reasons why her plight garnered so much attention, the most prominent being that it’s rare that we see such a private subject in the media. Goody sadly lost her battle, but achieved the desired effect of raising awareness of the importance of cancer screening amongst women in their late twenties.
Young girls in particular stand to lose out in this sudden mutiny against the HPV vaccination. Aside from the obvious medical benefits, it’s highly likely that this subject will once again crawl back into the depths of the unmentionable and be forgotten; and Goody’s plight, not to mention the government’s efforts to raise awareness, will all have been in vain.
I’m not suggesting that all is lost. I’m perfectly aware that
there are plenty of people out there who aren’t deterred by horror stories (and I emphasise the word ‘stories’) that have been blown out of proportion in the media. My concern is only that, as with any national medical issue, we become frenzied at the slightest hint that something may go wrong.
It’s so important to remember the trials that these vaccines go through before they can even be considered for public use, and this injection in particular is used worldwide.
Of course there’s always going to be a backlash when it comes to relatively new vaccines. But I’ve no doubt that within a couple of months there will be something else health-related for everyone to fear, so it’s time to gain some perspective of what’s been both a necessary and successful campaign, and consider the implications for future generations if we are to throw away our new-found
knowledge.
Louise RetOpine Editor
HPV Vaccine: Friend or Enemy?
Nobel Intentions - Should Obama Have Won The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize?
and though winning it will hopefully push Obama on to work harder towards all that he has promised, I feel that this year’s prize should have been someone else’s to win, and Obama’s to earn in the future.
It has been brought to our attention that some errors occurred in the last edition.
We would like to point out that Alexander J. Ryland was no longer a member of the Liberal Democrat Youth movement the date of publication of the paper the date of publication of the paper and had resigned from the Liberal Democrat Society.
Furthermore, he was elected as Editor-in-Chief and Vox Pop is not seeking corporate sponsors.
Correction from 6th October: Vox Pop - Voice of the People?
Opine Gaudie 20th October 2009 11
Teenagers, and young adults, are often persecuted for their apparent lack of manners. Many an elderly person can be heard muttering “we weren’t like that in my day!” under their breath in public places. But do they ever turn around and take a look at themselves?
In my life, I endeavour to be polite: to say please and thank you; to hold doors open for people; to lend a hand where help is needed. It is simply the way I was brought up. And so, I’m lead to believe, was the case for many elderly people in the city of Aberdeen; morals being a large part of their upbringing.
I must, then, applaud Aberdeen’s OAPs on this occasion: their acting skills are second to none. They seem to have successfully masked these values which were apparently instilled in them at an early age with a great degree of skill. Too
many times have I been walking through the Bon Accord Centre only for a door to be slammed in my face by an old woman; too many times have I held a door open for someone and received nothing more than a cursory glance or even a dirty look. (Imagine the cheek of a ‘yoof’ to try and do something nice!)
Former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli is quoted as saying “Manners are easy, life is hard.” This simple statment is, indeed, imbued with great truths. No matter how bad a day you are having, it doesn’t hurt to say thank you to someone holding a door open for you. If you are asking for assistance in a shop, it won’t kill you to say please. Older people constantly complain that the ‘youth of today’ have no manners, and yet we see proof every day that they themselves are rarely courteous and polite.
It would, of course, be very hypocritical of me to tar all Aberdeen’s elderly with the same brush. (It would also be very impractical – surely
the bristles would never last.) There are those who do remember their Ps and Qs. There are those who remember to say thank you. More often than not, however, these people wear a bemused look on their face, as if seeing a younger member of society do a good deed is a novelty.
It can be said that the reputation and respect of young people has been tarnished; the old cliché of ‘the few ruining it for the many’ rings true. But the time is fast approaching when the same will be said for the nation’s elderly; a time when, fed up of receiving no gratitude, people slamming doors in other people’s faces is commonplace, telling someone to ‘eff off’ replaces ‘thank you’ in the English vocabulary, and shop assistants are regularly harassed and abused.
The late, great, Fred Astaire once said that “the hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any.” And in today’s society, that sentiment rings truer than ever…
To The Manner BornEoin Smith
As proved by the massive hole and the high-vis jacket-wear-ing construction workers outside the Queen Mother Library, the University of Aberdeen is building a new library to replace the QML and to house our valuable his-toric collections and archives. This £57 million project is planned to be completed in 2011 and will accommodate almost three times the num-ber of students that the QML is able to cater for.
The university talks about a ‘library designed for learn-ing in the 21st century’ and that it will be ‘a landmark building, a bold architectural statement’. On the university web page you can read exten-sively about the exhibition spaces and interactive study spaces for visiting primary school children, about the public spaces both inside and outside the building.
On the other hand, the facili-ties we, the students, will be using most - the actual library
and the study spaces - are hardly mentioned and not explained at all. According to the web page, the new library will have ‘reader spac-es, of varying types’, both for individual and group study, but nowhere does it say what these study spaces will be like. A group of students found this worrying.
A light and airy, open-plan library is very modern and attractive but not every-one wants a second Hub to study in; some people like the safety of small spaces between bookshelves. Quite apart from the problems of noise in an open-plan space, the continuous movement of students browsing the shelves intruding on your field of vision will probably not help you figure out what Nietzsche is trying to say in *insert important sounding book title here*.
With no specific information about these study spaces, we contacted the Development office and arranged a meet-ing with the new University
Librarian Chris Banks to dis-cuss the plans. This meeting will take place on October 27th at 3.30pm in the Queen Mother Library Seminar Room. If you would like to know more about the ongo-ing discussions or join the meeting, please join the facebook group The New Aberdeen University Library or email [email protected]
We need as many opinions as possible about the facilities we, and the next generation of students, will use. If you can’t make it to the meeting but would still like to voice your opinion, please email me and I will print them off and read them in the meet-ing. We also need to know how many people are going to show up to the meeting so please let me know if you want to attend.
For more information on the library project see the University web page: www.abdn.ac.uk/newlibrary
Goodbye QML, Hello AUL Fanny Johansson
This year, languages are particularly popular nationwide. There’s a mass movement as young Brits moving to higher education come to the sudden and startling realisation that they are streets behind the rest of the conti-nent, most of whom speak at least two languages. As the recession starts to bite, more and more graduates are finding that their language skills – or lack thereof – are a definite factor in even gaining an interview for a job.
It is unsurprising, then, that this year more than three hundred students are taking French as part of their first year course: that volume of students will require a lot of rooms and a lot of teaching time, something which is not available, according to a senior member of the language department. Admittedly, budgets are tight this year, but I do not feel in the slightest that half an hour of speech in a class of eleven people (which is still very large for an oral class) will help me develop to the best of my ability the following skills:
(1) The ability to demonstrate a high degree of understanding of authentic written and spoken French,
(2) The ability to translate in writing, with reasonable accuracy and pro-fessionalism.
These are taken from a course guide for French. Now, I am outgoing and confident, and I went to discuss this with the aforementioned member of staff who gave me a lot of helpful advice, and I came away feeling confident that any speaking practice I needed, I could easily organise.
But that’s me. I am outgoing. Those students who are not, who need the tutorials because they are too unsure of their French ability to ask another student for personal help, will suffer - of that I have no doubt. Furthermore this problem is not specific to French. It takes only a brief questioning of senior students to discover that tutorials of up to twenty students are a recent development.
The reason for this massive increase is not difficult to work out, especially when we couple it with the difficulty many students have had this year in merely getting accommodation. The University’s current approach to stu-dent admissions is simply untenable. It must be slowed, or the University must grow at the same rate.
The staff do the best they can, but there are only so many hours in a day, so either more staff must be employed or less students admitted. It is a cold, hard thing to say, but if numbers continue to grow, then within my time here I am sure that tutorials will eventually become mini-lectures.
The situation is not impossible, not yet; the resources in the library are incredible, and almost anything can be found on the Web. We are indepen-dent learners, and to a certain extent we should not be relying on lecturers and tutorials to feed us the information. But independence needs confidence, and in the silence of twenty freshers all terrified of looking stupid, indepen-dent learning starts to look more and more like total abandonment.
The Language BarrierJonathan Kerr
As mentioned in the leading article of this edition, Uni students returned this year to the opening of Aberdeen Sports Village, the sparkling new jewel in the crown of north-east Sport. And, whoops, parts of the facility are already restricted. That took just six weeks.
This facility was touted to be the dog’s danglies for students, clubs, the city and all of north-east Scotland. This student can’t get peak membership so it doesn’t represent much of anything to me. If you’re one of the lucky ones who got in early and got peak membership, well done. I didn’t get membership as I didn’t have the £187 to hand over in September and didn’t want to subscribe to another monthly direct debit (I regard the gym as an annual capital expenditure). Now I can’t get the membership I want even if I have the money.
One can only wonder what the rest of the city and north-east Scotland are experiencing (are they even aware of the issue?). Aberdeen City Council and SportScotland contributed massively to the funding of this facility and in the provision of the site. 2500 memberships for peak usage were initially offered, all of them being taken in the first six weeks hence the resultant
closure to new applications. Apparently 1700 of these were taken by students. I am awaiting details as to how many of these 1700 students are Uni of Aberdeen students? As students have snapped up 68% of the initial peak memberships offered, you can’t help but wonder whether the City Council and the north-east are getting a bit of a raw deal. When I asked why this peak membership capacity was applied, I received the response that it was the policy of ASV to provide a “premium fitness experience”. I’d rather a poor experience at an overcrowded gym to no experience at a facility for which I can’t get membership that suits.
This student feels that all universities in this day and age (particularly well-established universities) should be able to provide basic fitness facilities to all of its staff and students, preferably on site. These facilities should be priced in such a way to as to make them available to the maximum number of students (in an ideal world these facilities should be free!). These facilities should give preferred access to students and staff of the University. We had these facilities. We’ve lost them. RGU still retains them, presumably for its own students and staff.
The change from walk-in usage (until full capacity) as
was enjoyed at the old King’s Pavilion facility - where your annual subscription simply meant that you didn’t have to pay at the door, it did not guarantee you right of access, and was at a heavily reduced rate as a result of your commitment to a full year package - to a peak/off peak member, restricted set-up is, in this student’s opinion, counter to general student interest. This is the way private gyms are run, where premium customers receive premium service. This was supposed to be a public facility. An immediate project to expand capacity at the already overburdened ASV fitness suite is of interest to everybody, student, staff and city resident alike, and should commence immediately.
Now if the worst comes to worst, and the November 9th report recommends that no new Peak memberships be allocated, then we will be presented with a one out/one in system of membership application. This can only lead to waiting lists. What then happens to the new students arriving in January for the second semester? They will have no access to peak times at the fitness suite. What then for next September? Presumably by then the waiting list will be sizeable, thick with students and non-students. At what point will the rest of the facility become fully
subscribed? Already, after just six weeks, University clubs are feeling the pinch. This can only have a negative impact on the fitness of the student populace at large. This at a time when teenage and adult obesity is on the rise and fitness is becoming a national health issue observable in the rise in obesity-related diseases throughout the developed world and its resultant burden on the NHS. Robin Parker, President of the Students’ Association speaking on behalf of Welfare said: “Having the opportunity to exercise frequently is a very important part of students’ health and wellbeing”.
With the negative effects already being experienced by well-established clubs and individuals alike, I have to wonder whether the experience so far has been a negative one for sports in the University. I’m sure if one were to dive into research on the topic that you would come to the conclusion that the transition to ASV as a whole has been far from painless. I would have thought that a phased relocation to the ASV might have provided for a more seamless integration of interests. Certainly I feel that the well-established Butchart and King’s Pavilion facilities should have been retained during the crossover period.
I was considering calling for a re-opening of the King’s
Aberdeen Sports Village - Globo Gym?
Alan O’Brien
OpineGaudie 20th October 200912
Pavilion fitness suite to add to the capacity of the ASV fitness suite and remove some of the student burden being experienced at ASV. However this student has learned that some of the old equipment may already have been sold off in a car boot sale fashion, so that becomes a moot point.
I feel that the restrictions to fitness suite facilities, which in my opinion are the absolute core of any sporting facility, are an absolute disgrace. I feel that the jump in annual fees for the fitness and swim package from £85 to £187 in the middle of a recession is an extortionate burden on students already facing spiralling costs in Aberdeen. As this has come with no new pool as yet, the extra must all be to the benefit of the fitness suite. Are we to expect another massive price spike when the new Olympic-size swimming pool opens? I feel that a pricing structure which can only be interpreted as off-peak subscribers supporting peak users as ludicrous. I thereby call for some sort of rationalisation of the price structure at ASV.
My perception of this issue as a whole has been that the University has withdrawn from the advancement of sport in the University, devolving interest to a privatised off-site facility which is now being leased back to University clubs at an
inflated rate. This must have a massive, negative effect on the Sports Unions budget and the coffers of all clubs now forced to use the new facility.
I liked the old gym. It was Average Joes to ASV’s Globogym. A place that was cramped and sweaty and full of regular student folk doing their bit to keep fit and improve their sporting abilities. As for this student, due to a heavy-ish course load and a part time job needed to survive in this culture of expense heaped on expense, peak time usage of the fitness suite suits my timetable best. ASV was the Promised Land, a land of milk and honey. As I have blatantly missed the boat on that one, I guess I’m Oliver from Dicken’s famous novel, one of the lonely orphans of university sports, standing at the table saying “Please sir, can I have some more?”
If you personally, or your club has been negatively affected (or positively for that matter) please feel free to contact me via the Gaudie News desk at [email protected] marked FAO Alan O’Brien as we will be following this story throughout the semester.
Fit For Purpose? Just teething problems or is there something not quite right about the Sports Village? Katarzyna Banaszek
Your President here. I’m starting to feel at home up here in my office, with all this power around me. That’s all your fault! You need to take me and my colleagues out of our comfort zones; start telling us what we should be doing and start joining in with our services, opportunities and campaigns. Folks, put the student back into the Student Association! Challenge us about our views, about our decisions, about our services.So what have we achieved the past two weeks? I think we as an association won our first big victory of the year, with First Bus bowing to your demands and reinstating their Student Day Ticket, back at £2.60, saving each of you at least 40p per day. I think that this represents the correction of a very ill-considered business move by First. Students are one of their biggest customer bases and they should understand that many of us have limited funds at our disposal.
Now I think we as an Association need to start looking into which areas and in what ways we can secure bigger student discounts in Aberdeen. If you have an idea for how to do this then I’d be keen to hear it. Even if there is just one company or business you would like us to talk to about a student discount, then let me know. There are over 60,000 students in Aberdeen and
we need to start using that economic power to our advantage. A recent study of the University of Aberdeen pointed out the student spending, of just University of Aberdeen students, contributed almost £50million a year to the local economy. As well as that our part-time work contributes £44million. That’s quite a big bargaining chip.
The past two weeks have also seen the appointment of a new Principal, Ian Diamond. It’s exciting that we as a University have managed to attract such a high-profile candidate, and it is further testament to the up-swing that the University is on in terms of its national and international profile. Something also demonstrated by the impressive rise to 129th in the University World Rankings, also published last week. However, in both cases I am still holding out judgement. Mr Diamond will need to prove that his expertise and knowledge of the research agenda in the UK (he’s currently head of a research funding council) will be matched by his enthusiasm and encouragement of Aberdeen’s teaching and learning environment and his support of the undergraduate student experience. It’s also notable that the rankings climb covered up the fact that we slipped 11 points on the metric used for the ‘Teaching Excellence’ of the University, the student:staff ratio.
The last week also, of course, saw an election - well done to all those who ran campaigns, especially as there was such a high turn-out. Check out the website for more details. There are still a few spaces left on council, especially on the Foresterhill Committee and the Employability Committee, get in touch if you are interested.
Finally, one more rant: all the parties (except perhaps the SNP) have been fighting each other over the past months, vowing to cut more from government spending. This has become a ridiculous battle to be the most frugal, to be seen to be the most tough. Yet at the same time, Alastair Darling (someone who has previously held my position) is offering bigger bailouts to the big banks which have failed to cut the bonuses they are needlessly awarding to their most senior employees. We need to start standing up as students, together with our lecturers and the senior representatives of the University and start demonstrating the contribution of universities to the nation and making the case for why funding for Higher Education should not be cut. We need to be clear to voters and candidates that education cannot be seen as an easy target for public spending cuts. Instead our University is rolling over in the face of the Government and raising the fees paid by international students, as well as the other charges levied on students. We need to stand up for our international peers to make sure they are not seen as a cash-cow by this Institution.
Cuts have already come to this University, with a major cut in Government spending on teacher education, which will mean fewer students accepted onto Primary Education courses next year. When further cuts do come to the University, as they will, and as the University is already preparing for, we need to be sure that these cuts don’t come to the areas which will adversely affect the student experience. We need to make sure that the University upholds its expenditure on lecturers and professors who teach and on the services, like accommodation and student support which are crucial to the attractiveness of this University as a study destination, and crucial to ensuring that students are able to study hard while they are here. We also need to ensure that the University continues to provide services which take account of students needs and provide them with the welfare support which 1st year and International students, in particular, need.
Room 103, The HubElphinstone RoadOld AberdeenAB24 3TUTel: 01224 272965Web: www.ausa.org.ukEmail: [email protected]
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What’s your name, where are you from and what do you study?Hi I’m Lukas Bronec from the Czech Republic and I study Hispanic Studies with International Relations.
So we’re here to find out about Floorball, can you tell us a bit about it?It’s a sport that originated in Scandinavia and is extremely popular there. It’s like ice hockey, except without the ice, it’s indoors and it’s less of
Robin J. ParkerAUSA President
a contact sport.
What got you into the sport?Well everyone over here loves Football and it wasn’t my thing so I had a look around and found out about Floorball. The Aberdeen Floorball team (The Aberdeen Oilers) had won the national league last year and we will be doing it again this year as a university team!
It sounds like an amazing sport - why else should people
get involved?Floorball is currently made up of students from all over the world, it’s something brand new for the UK and it’s a great chance to meet fun and interesting new people, so come along and try it out!
Floorball for all levels trains on Thursdays 8-10pm at Aberdeen Grammar School and Thursdays 2-4pm as well as Saturday 6-7pm over at Aberdeen Sports Village.
James Simpson
60 second interview: Floorball
Problems with the new Sports Village, curriculum reform on the cards, more far-flung Jailbreak success and much, much more.
Gaudie is bursting at the seams on its 75th birthday, so much so we had to add an extra 8 pages for a souvenir pull-out of front covers from 1934 to the present. We would like to thank the University of Aberdeen Special Libraries and Archives for their help and for providing us with copies of all the old Gaudies.
And if this newspaper wasn’t enough, we’d like to invite you to our birthday ceilidh - it’s going to be an
Editorialunforgettable night of celebration! We’re hosting the party in Elphinstone Hall on November the 6th; there will be dancing, food, drink, even birthday cake, and we’ve invited former editors to celebrate the continued success of your very own student newspaper.
Tickets will go on sale shortly: stay hot of the heels of the details on our Gaudie facebook page.
As the essential student newspaper of Aberdeen, we’re always looking for new contributors and anyone who wants to help make Gaudie even more successful for the next 75 years and beyond.
SportGaudie 20th October 200914
Rugby Club Make It Two Wins Out Of Two
Any worries about the strength of this year’s 1st XV for Aberdeen (AU), after the loss of several crafty veterans to full-time employment and life after university, have been put to rest following a rampaging start to the season. Having played two away games, the team has an enviable record having conceded only 8 points and scoring 89.
The first match of the season away at Dundee Uni, was an unknown. With this being the first game of the season we had no yardstick against which to judge this season’s Dundee side. No injuries and all university commitments avoided or skived meant we could put out the strongest team available for the first game of the season. A major positive was to see the large frame of Andrew Massie return to the side after his decision to stay on at uni for one more year. A nervous start by both sides made for a broken and frustrating opening 10 minutes until back rower Tony McGinness managed to find his way through the Dundee defence and over the try line after some good forward work led by prop and captain Finlay Hay. A further try from centre Paddy Traylor and a penalty pulled us away further. Soon after, Dundee scored a try to set up a potential fight back,
however their tails were soon stuck back between their legs by a third Aberdeen try just before half time. At half time we were 22-5 up. Having made several substitutions in the forwards, the fresh legs and a tiring Dundee side meant the game really opened up in the second half leading to some very attractive attacking rugby. Fraser Galbraith led the line-out well to feed the backs with a lot of ball. The game finished 46 – 8.
Aberdeen then travelled south to face Stirling, again without much idea of their ability this season. This brought back bad memories for members of last year’s squad. Stirling had won the last match of last season to take the league title out of AU’s hands. Both sides had changed considerably since that match, but there was still a lot of pride to be salvaged. The start to the game was equally as tense as that fateful match last year. This was maybe due to the 4 forced changes in AU’s starting side. They struggled to get into the game in the first 15 minutes and didn’t offer much going forward, however, some quick ball gave the backs some space and it was no surprise that Traylor, never one to pass up an opportunity, went through the Stirling line
for the first try. After this they didn’t look back. Back-rower Dominique Dunnaye scored our second try. Paddy Traylor went over twice to continue his good start to the season. Second rower Fraser Galbraith and back rower William Yates went over in the second half to claim some reward for the forwards’ hard work, whilst youngster Henry Oliver claimed a try late on. Winger Bret Martin was not only strong on his wing but also kicked several conversions and a penalty. Most impressive for Aberdeen
though was the solid defence and not conceding points against last year’s champions. The game finished 43-0.
From the rest of the results this season, it seems as though Edinburgh University are Aberdeen’s biggest threat to the league title this year. They also beat Stirling and Dundee in their opening two matches of the season, but could only manage a draw last week with Heriot-Watt. AU play Edinburgh on the 28th of October in a crucial match for both sides.
Aberdeen are also hoping to repeat last year’s cup success, when they won the final of the Hydro Electric Plate Shield for the second year in a row. The previous year they had become the first university side to reach the final of a Scottish Rugby Union tournament.
President of the Rugby Club James Fearon said: “Obviously, getting to Murrayfield twice in a row is hard to beat, but we’re just going to take it game at a time and hopefully
William YatesRugby
Champions: The 1st XV have set their sights on another Murrayfield appearance Derek Blair
Stirling 1st XV 0Aberdeen 1st XV 43
After a disappointing loss against Glasgow two weeks ago, Aberdeen University Women’s Lacrosse club defeated Stirling University last Wednesday, with an invigorating final score of 15-3. A full squad of both old and new players travelled to Stirling at the crack of dawn for a highly anticipated match against a university that has become our arch enemy in the world of lacrosse.
Our determination helped us from the first whistle, with Charlotte Bascombe scor-ing within the first minute. The goals kept on coming and by the end of the first half we were 8-3 up, thanks to the determination of our attackers and the skill of our defenders. We learned our lesson from the Glasgow game, and were fortunate to have plenty of substitutes with us to keep up the fast pace that we established in the first half. Player of the match, Jenny Stewart, helped us obtain one of our seven goals in the second half, and the attackers were able to
try out new strategies and improve their overall passing skills. Defenders must also be commended for the ini-tiative shown in this game: intimidation was key and the Stirling team didn’t know what had hit them!
This was a great game, not just in terms of the final score but of the overall per-formance. The whole team has had a boost of confidence and we look forward to the challenge of the rest of the season’s matches, both home and away.
Aberdeen Lacrosse Show Stirling Who’s BossLouise RetLacrosse
we can win it again. We were obviously disappointed by losing out so narrowly in the league to Stirling last year, but we feel like we can go one step further and win it this time around.
Obviously we’ve lost a few key players from last year but we also have an exciting influx of new talent.”
So far this season, the new talent seems to be more than doing its job in keeping up the high standards at Aberdeen University Rugby Club.
Sport Gaudie 20th October 2009 15
Hello from AU King’s Triathletes, Aberdeen University’s very own Triathlon Club!
Triathlon (the multi-sport consisting of swimming, cycling and running) is commonly perceived as a sport for those of a slightly mental disposition with an affection for skin-tight clothing. It is seen as an activity which your average exercise-shy, alcohol-friendly student should avoid. Hopefully this article will dispel these notions. I will attempt to put some myths about Triathlon to rest, giving you a clearer picture of the sport.
Myth 1) Triathlon is a gruelling, endurance sport and races take hours to complete.
Races vary enormously in distance. For example, we play host to an ‘Aquathlon’ race (31st October 2009) which is a 400m swim, followed by a 5k run around the Aberdeen campus. This takes an average
of 35 minutes to complete – making it a fraction of the time you would spend if you played a football, hockey or rugby match! Being a student club, the majority of the races we enter are short, with most taking less than an hour to complete. We will also enter a few longer ones for the keener members – such as the AUSU’s ‘Ironman’ event.
Myth 2) You must dedicate your entire life training to complete a triathlon.
For the majority of members who are beginners to the sport, attending about 2/3 sessions per week will suffice to get them through a short race such as our Aquathlon. To reach a competitive level in the sport, or to complete longer races, putting in some training time is essential. The club organises six training sessions per week (1 circuits, 2 runs, 2 swims & 1 road cycle – see our website). Realistically, the majority of members won’t attend even half of these and there is no requirement that anyone who joins need do so.
Myth 3) Booze and triathlon don’t mix.
From personal experience, it is certainly not advisable to combine a race with a hangover! However, the majority of our members do enjoy regular shandies. The club’s first social event of the year, a ‘pubathlon’ (think pub golf but using a timed scoring system), saw members partaking in a 9-pub alcohol feast. Our newly appointed social convenors will be arranging more exciting events like this throughout the year.
Myth 4) You have to buy an expensive bike and wear lycra to enter races.
Absolute nonsense! Firstly, for some of the races we enter you will not even need a bike. Secondly, events requiring the use of a bike can be entered using any rusty, old banger which you possess – people race on tandems, hybrids and all sorts! Skin-tight clothing, whilst it will help to reduce your time in a race, is non-mandatory and many competitors turn up wearing shorts and t-shirts.
Myth 5) Triathlon will knacker you out.
Why Don’t You Give It A ‘Tri’?Ben ChristmanTriathlon
Contrary to popular belief amongst the UK population, the human body responds positively to exercise. You will find that regular exercise will actually give you more energy and vitality in your day-to-day life. The other benefits of regular exercise, such as stress relief and reducing your chances of getting ill, are too numerous to cover here. Basically, triathlon is good for you!Myths hopefully tackled, now the sell. King’s Triathletes is a friendly, inclusive sports club which is always open to new members. You do not need to have any prior fitness level or experience in triathlon to join, and you will not be ‘beasted’ by us if you turn up to a training session. We cater for beginners, but also aim to support those who want to compete in the sport too. A wee a bit of enthusiasm is all that is required to come along!
We are really a multi-sport club – and we enter all sorts of endurance races throughout the year, from our own aquathlons, to running races, fun races (such as a run in a Santa Suit and the
‘Deerstalker’ wearing tweed) and triathlons of course. You do not need to race if you join the club, but you may find yourself tempted! And you are welcome to come along if you are just looking to improve your fitness – because our training will certainly do that.
So come along to a session and give it a Tri!
For more details about the club see- www.abdn.ac.uk/~aus049/ or email the captain, Ben: [email protected]
impressive was the size of the team Aberdeen brought down, which numbered more than the teams brought by the traditional athletic universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. After a few more pints the team was ready for home but faced the worrying prospect of the Club President’s favourite CD, ‘100 Greatest Driving Songs’ for the next 3 hours.
All in all, the beginning of the season has shown many encouraging signs for the Athletics team. The good performance in this race is particularly exciting after the recent appointment of Stirling as hosts for this year’s BUCS cross-country race. The impressive results of the AU runners over this course is encouraging as many of the BUCS competitors will be stepping onto the course for the very first time when race day arrives. Good team performances at races and athletes’ continued commitment to training has ensured a successful first few weeks back. Well done to everyone who competed, see you back at training!
Encouraging Performance By Athletics Club Over Future BUCS Course
Calum MckenzieAthletics
The University of Aberdeen Athletics team headed to Stirling on Wednesday the 14th of October looking to build on their successful start to the year. 19 athletes were ready to depart ASV at 2pm, a few of whom had not quite recovered from their experiences at beerienteering the night before and were looking the worse for wear! Arriving at 5, there was plenty of time for a blast of Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing,’ the official team anthem, and a jog round the course before the 3K race got underway. On the start line it was that addictive mix of nerves and excitement that comes before pitting yourself against 80 other competitors. The Aberdeen team acquitted themselves well on this undulating course, managing 3 in the top 6 and a host of other strong performances throughout the field. After the race was a well deserved trip to the pub for the prize giving and a few drinks. What was particularly
Gaudie
Sport20th October 2009
Dundee Made To Rue Missed Chances
Aberdeen came into this one on the back of losing to rivals Robert Gordon 2-1 last week. The Aberdeen manager Graham Donald was in a positive mood prior to kick-off but spoke of the difficulty in adjusting to huge changes in the team from last season.
“We lost ten first team players from last year so we are going through an adjustment period. Going to RGU on the opening day was always going to be a tough one, but I thought we played some good football and at
the end of the day it was simply a case of them taking their chances. We certainly gave a good account of ourselves.
It’s hard to know what to expect against sides at the start of the season. There are always so many changes. We beat Dundee 3-2 and 5-0 last year though so we feel that this is a match we can win.”
The corresponding fixture last year saw Aberdeen grab a last minute winner to take all three points.
This time around, Aberdeen didn’t take
long to open the scoring. After only five minutes, a long ball forward was flicked on by Jason Bell and David Lawrence used his pace to latch onto it before calmly lofting the ball over the helpless keeper Gianluca Fino. It was just what Aberdeen deserved after such a positive start to the match.
Soon after, Come Doleac of Aberdeen evaded the Dundee defence, but Fino deflected the ball out for a corner.
Aurele Champion, of
Aberdeen, looked a class act at right back, and his fizzing strike from 30 yards was just
over the bar as Aberdeen pushed for a second.
Dundee had been the second best side for much of the first half, but they had their chance to level things up.
The ball was played in from the right wing to
Lawrence Neville who only had to tap in for 1-1, but, in a Chris Iwelumo
style rush of blood to the head, he somehow managed to miss. It was
a let-off for Aberdeen, who instantly broke
to the other end, where goalscorer Lawrence was foiled at the last second by Fino as he tried to double his tally for the afternoon.
It was Lawrence again who perhaps should have added the second, as he wound his way around the Dundee defence before trying to pick out Bell at the back post. The cross was just too high for Bell, who headed wide. Having done all the hard work, a strike at goal would have been the better option,
but the striker was still looking like the most likely player to score.
After the break, Dundee looked a better side, but they still could not find the back of the net. It was Aberdeen who finally took their chance and doubled their advantage. Lawrence broke clear on the half way line and passed to Kevin Leitch who set up James Workman to coolly slot past the keeper.
Aberdeen looked fairly
comfortable as they played out the rest of the match, but in stoppage time the referee awarded a penalty for an innocuous-looking challenge by Grant Miller. Lawrence Neville sent Miller the wrong way from the spot to score what was merely a consolation goal for the visitors.
Graham Donald was happy with the outcome, despite considerable displeasure at the penalty award late on.
John BraidFootball
Aberdeen 2
Dundee 1
“It was a good win for us. We made it hard for ourselves but at this transitional stage of the season we’re happy just to get the three points.”
Last week, it was Robert Gordon, pictured left, who came out on top against a new look Aberdeen side. Their manager Fil Anzoniazzi was happy to have got off to a winning start: “We’re delighted to have won our opening game, and the fact that it was against Aberdeen is a bonus for us.”
Aberdeen back to winning ways after opening day derby defeat to Robert Gordon
Home and Dry: Aberdeen players celebrate after James Workman, left, makes the score 2-0
“This was a good defensive test for us and the main thing is that we ground out a result”
Lawrence 5, Workman 66
Neville 90 pen
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