Prepare for controversial realism with Manchester-based TV drama The Endz

Posted Monday, August 29, 2011 - 12:38

By James Briscoe, Arts & Culture Correspondent

The Endz is nigh!  Fans of Coronation Street and Shameless: prepare for a realistic take on Manchester street life with new Sky drama, The Endz.

Be warned: this no-holds-barred production contains all sorts of behaviour with drug abuse, violence, racism, radical views and gang crime all prevalent.

The makers of The Endz say it is unlike other dramas in its class as it allows the actors and audience to live as the characters.

They also claim there will be no glamourisation in this take of life in ‘the ends’ of Manchester and its gritty nature might make you double check your door at night.

The Endz director, Chris Kenna, who also stars in the 12-part series, said: “We expect our audience to be shocked and appalled yet socially reflective on what they observe and learn.

“I loved Shameless but I thought it was the only thing of its kind (based) in Manchester and I thought we could show something diverse through local people.”

Chris said that about 90% of the cast of The Endz come from Manchester and they portray the gritty way of life in the city brilliantly.

The series is currently being filmed in Manchester on a Canon 7D and Canon 5D mark 2. It is the first TV series to be filmed on such equipment, Chris said.

This minimalistic way of filming shows the potential for cutting edge drama with fewer and smaller cameras and is an exciting step for the industry.

Chris had a meeting with Sky chiefs in London and the prospect of a second series is apparently ‘favourable’.

The show premieres on Wednesday, September 21 on Sky My View Channel 219 at 10pm and will show once a week.

My Big Mouth: Jeremy Clarkson, the BBC and Salford's MediaCityUK

Outraged Mancunians are hitting back after BBC presenter, Jeremy Clarkson, slammed Salford when talking about the BBC’s MediaCityUK.

Clarkson, 51, said Salford, in Greater Manchester, is a ‘small suburb with little to offer beyond a Starbucks and a canal with ducks’.

He added: “Every year we’d end up making a Christmas special from the Dog and Duck or the nearest Arndale Centre.”

He also said he would rather quit his job than move up to the BBC’s new venture in Salford.

BBC legend and It’s A Knockout presenter, Stuart Hall, 81, has come to Salford’s defence with a characteristically eccentric response, calling Clarkson ‘deluded’.

He said: “Does he imagine that at the advance of effete southerners we retreat to our outside lavatories with ripped-up copies of the News of the Screws?

“Manchester is a seat of knowledge, a breeding ground for brains.”

Once again, the so-called north/ south divide is highlighted and designer Peter Saville and comedian Victoria Wood have defended Salford and Manchester.

Wood said she did not really follow Clarkson’s career and that all she knows about him is that he wears a denim jacket.

Mr Saville, who was a designer for Factory Records, said: “Manchester is a great place for it to be.”

I think Salford can look after itself though. Northerners know the sorts of things Southerners think about them and vice versa. It is the way it has always been.

The Today Programme’s Evan Davis wrote an arguably patronising article following Clarkson’s comments, saying: “I have been up there for the first time this week."

The heading to his article on the BBC website said the ‘BBC should give Salford a try’. I’m not sure how Salfordians will take that. They probably feel like they are coping fine as they are.

Cllr Bernard Lea, who will be Salford’s mayor in 2012-2013, said: “Having lived in Surrey during my teenage years, I can appreciate the image seen by Southern Softies. The reality is quite different.”

He added: “If I were to use two words to describe his (Clarkson's) utterances they would be PITY and PRAT.

“A PITY he chose to make an uninformed comment, and he has made himself look a right PRAT.”

I am from Cheshire but I have spent plenty of time in Salford and I don’t even feel slightly offended about comments like Clarkson’s.

Salford is a city on the up and everyone who lives and works there should be proud of this.

Salford, in my opinion, is not the most beautiful place in the world and yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however, that is a reason MediaCityUK will be a brilliant thing for the city.

In fact, the plans have already created hype in the area; there is more hope and people want to come to live and work in the city because they see it as something which will become better and better in coming years.

The argument that there is more working talent in London and that the BBC might not produce the same quality of TV as it does there is a valid one and it is not hard to see why the young and gifted would want to leave the provinces to test themselves in the country’s melting pot.

However, people seem to be missing the point about this new venture. They are wondering, ‘What can Salford do for the BBC?’ but the question should be, ‘What can the BBC do for Salford?’

The BBC says that it is paid for by the whole of the UK and it needs to reflect the depth and breadth of our culture.

It added that BBC North will help meet the commitment to get as close to their audiences as possible.

I doubt many Northerners were not surprised when they heard the BBC would be moving several of its departments to Salford but surely most people will support something that will help to improve an area which still requires a leg-up.

Anish Kapoor’s “Flashback”

This is a quick reminder that sculptor, Anish Kapoor’s, “Flashback” exhibition at the Manchester Art Gallery will close on Monday June 5.

So if you are interested in “dark”, thought-provoking sculptures then get to the Manchester Art Gallery on Mosley Street, just off Piccadilly Gardens.

Kapoor describes his work (1981): “I don’t wish to make sculpture about form – it doesn’t really interest me. I wish to make sculpture about belief or about passion, about experience that is outside of material concern.”

Ponytail: Do Whatever You Want All The Time

Ponytail is an indie pop band from Maryland, America, consisting of Molly Siegel - vocals, Ken Seeno - guitar, Jeremy Hyman - drums and Dustin Wong - guitar.

They were named "Best Live Band" by Baltimore City Paper in September 2007 and "Best Band" in September 2008 and now they return with the aptly named, "Do Whatever You Want All The Time".

Ponytail's chaotic and impulsive style gives the impression that they're not worried what the mainstream music media think. They seem to play just for the love of music so their work leaves them more open to criticism.

This naked exposure is refreshing especially compared with bands trying to stand on the shoulders of giants. It's liberating to hear a band expressing themselves, freed from the shackles of trying to sound familiar.

Some bands have to rely on sounding a certain way, because they don't have the bravery or the musical ability to branch out on a limb but Ponytail grow their music like drug-taking, love-making hippies who grow their hair long.

Having said that, I hope that if I ever get a chance to see Ponytail perform live they don't turn out to be extremely serious "artistic types".

None of the tracks are less than four minutes long but they are so vibrant and generally played at a high-tempo that they seem to go by as quickly as a magic moment.


Do Whatever You Want All The Time begins with "Easy Peasy" which includes some rhythmic wind instruments echoing like sea breezes blowing through driftwood.

Soon enough we're introduced to arguably the star of the band and the album, Molly Siegel. She is the lead singer of Ponytail and, although reminiscent of Karen O from the New York band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, her voice is awesome in its own right.

The second track on the album, is predictably named "Flabbermouse" - not sure why it is, although Molly Siegel's voice is quite squeaky. It's a track with everlasting energy, created by Justin Wong's guitar and maybe should be called "Duracellmouse" instead.

"Honey Touches" comes in with a powerful but friendly enough drum beat, a bit like Nellie the elephant. Again, Siegel's voice keeps the momentum going and then some big guitar riffs remind us of the band's instrumental skill. Nearly half-way through the album and there are no signs of this small but mighty band showing signs of weakness.

When "Beyondersville// Flight of Fancy" plays, I'm left wondering where Molly Sigel went. For the first few minutes of the song, Siegel's voice isn't heard, just a melodically beeping pair of keyboards. While the track is an inoffensive segway, I think I'll have to say it is a flight of fancy and maybe Ponytail should stick to their strengths. However, it displays Ponytail's continuing desire to experiment.

The album continues with "Tush", which mixes sexy feminine yells and rip-roaring guitar riffs. I'm almost lost for words as I hear a fountain of sounds, including what sounds like electro-keyboards, a wind instrument and Jeremy Hyman's drum but I'm no expert.

"Music Tunes" is the last track on the album and it leaves us with a crescendo of high-pitched notes on an acoustic guitar which is artificially sped up until you start to think, "Are they having a laugh?"
The 'song' settles down soon enough though and we're again able to bask in the lovely sound of the boyish but cute Molly Siegel.

The album will be released by Popfrenzy on April 12.


Label: Popfrenzy

Released: Tuesday 12 April 2011

Warm Ghost - Uncut Diamond

Warm Ghost is made up of Paul Duncan: songwriter and singer and Oliver Chapoy: composer and all round facilitator.

You could say, 'like band name, like music'. Warm Ghost is a 'synth pop' DJ duo from New York, yet their tracks lack the cold, mechanical nature which other 'hip' DJ partnerships, such as 'Crystal Castles' could be accused of. It is also eerie and mysterious, sometimes even as frightening as a spectre.

The first track on the EP, 'Open The Wormhole In Your Heart' is accompanied with an 'arty', extremely revealing video (not included with the EP), which shows naked flesh writhing around on a lubricated surface. Maybe that's where the 'uncut' comes from. If I was to make a metaphor to describe the feeling at the heart of this track, I would say it's a bud in a forest, sprouting, growing a stem and leaves and growing and growing until its leaves reach the sunlight or it's like waking up to a brand new day, feeling optimistic and ready to attack the rest of your life. Paul Duncan's celestial, god-like singing gives this image - a fantastic way to start a day and an EP then.

'Without A Dancer' continues with the otherworldly and upbeat feel of The Wormhole In Your Heart and we are introduced to a warm, eccentric chorus of keyboarderie. It sounds like we're being invaded by little, friendly ET's who just want to contribute to the Uncut Diamond EP. Aside from the little green men, the track is extremely chilled out, the slow introductory beat mimics a slow heart beat and will comatose anyone who listens to it - you've been warned. I like the simplicity of Without A Dancer; we hear the same line, 'without a dancer, my love, it wanders and crawls', repeatedly, in a morose tone and we know what the track is about immediately.

'Claws Overhead' continues the synthy sound and we're treated to more extravagant vocals. Paul Duncan, the man who writes the songs, says that he is inspired by The Cure, Depeche Mode and OMD, however, this third track has the essence of The Shins, the main similarity coming between the two enigmatic voices. It is also very '80's pop' and it benefits from the uplifting torrent of the music of that care-free decade. It's almost impossible to gauge what Paul Duncan is singing in Claws Overhead and I'm left wondering if the EP would benefit from the vocals being more forthright. You could say that it is the mysterious nature of the vocals that gives the song its appeal. Maybe I'm just going deaf but lowering the volume of the synths and boosting the vocal, I believe, could make this track even more kind to the ears.

Paul Duncan has a history of song writing; this isn't just some futuristic sounding chords played on a digital keyboard. In fact, the more you listen to Uncut Diamond, the more it seems that these songs are almost all about the lyrics. The synths are just there to create an atmosphere.

I will allow you all to discover the three remaining tracks, the eponymously named 'Uncut Diamond', 'Resignation Rights' and 'Let My Angst Unfold In The Water Like A Hounds Tongue' for yourselves. I will hint that the 80's sound does continue and the tracks might become even more hypnotic. The EP will be available to buy from Partisan Records on February 15^th 2011.

WARM GHOST // OPEN THE WORMHOLE IN YOUR HEART from HOLY COW COLLECTIVE on Vimeo.

Help, I'm alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer.

I'm not gonna thank myself for this tomorrow but I need to write something so here's a review of Metric's album, Fantasies. It was actually released on April 7, 2009, which for some reason amazes me, because it's now 2011 of course. So much has happened in that time. I guess all time is is what happens during it.

Firstly, I'll say that Fantasies has to be my favourite album ever. I feel/ felt so connected to it and connected to Metric's music when I first listened to it. I had recently come to know Metric's music. Their 'Live It Out' album is nothing short of brilliant as well. After Live It Out, I was sceptical as to whether Metric could produce anything close again but it seems that they did. At the time of writing Fantasies, Emily Haines, Metric's iconic lead singer, had became scared about the future and she now admits that she was contemplating never writing again and quitting Metric. She did actually 'go solo' for a time before she wrote Fantasies. She created a new one-person act which went by the name of 'Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton' and released an album interestingly named: 'Knives Don't Have Your Back'. It is actually pretty good itself so I would recommend checking it out. I think it's fair to say she has enough talent to put Elvis to shame.

Fantasies received good reviews from almost every publication but, personally, anything less than a five out of five for the album is a bit churlish. On most albums, there are a few songs it seems are shoved in just to make the album seem like better value for money but that isn't the case here. I would almost stretch to saying that all ten songs would make it in to my favourite 100 songs list, almost anyway. It's hard to pick out the highlights but if my life depended on it, I'd say the three supreme tracks are: 'Blindness', 'Help, I'm Alive', and 'Collect Call'.

During Emily's difficult time where she struggled for artistic creativity, she travelled to Buenos Aires and stayed for a while. She said: 'I went there because it was the one place I felt that I could discover for myself, and I didn't know a single person, which was important. The songs that I wrote here were the simplest and clearest writing that I've done in my life'.



I think Metric have always been fairly difficult to define. They are obviously a rock band but they have often dabbled with digital keyboards, making them more of a 'new wave' group. I'd suggest that if you're the type of 'muso' (as the Aussies say) who likes bands who write good lyrics and play knife-sharp, skin-piercing guitar riffs, then Metric could be a band for you.

Blindness lyrics:

Send us a blindfold, send us a blade
Tell the survivors help is on the way
 
I was a blindfold, never complained
All the survivors singing in the rain
I was the one with the world at my feet

Got us a battle, leave it up to me

Find us a trap door, find us a plane
Tell the survivors help is on the way

I was a blindfold never complained
All the survivors singing in the rain
I was the one with the world at my feet
Got us a battle, leave it up to me

What it is and where it stops nobody knows
You gave me a life I never chose

I wanna leave but the world won't let me go
I wanna leave but the world won't let me go

What it is and where it stops nobody knows
You gave me a life I never chose

I was the one with the world at my feet
Got us a battle, leave it up to me

Are you a Belieber?

I have been looking at America's Billboard charts on www.billboard.com and decided to finally voice my thoughts on Justin Bieber's seemingly astronomic rise to approval, fame and fortune. According to Wiki, he was discovered on Youtube in 2008 and now he must be the most famous and iconic teenager since Macauley Culkin (comment if you disagree). In America, they have the 'American Dream' philosophy. People who believe in it believe that in America, anyone can be anything they want. It's also about working your way up from being poor to having a nice house and a loving family but that the more old-fashioned, maybe heart-warming, philosophy. Anyway, it seems that Justin is taking full advantage of the opportunities the American Dream brings.

You look at Justin Bieber and listen to his music and wonder why he has done so well. Of course, he's cute and his songs are sometimes fairly catchy. I think it says more about his fans than his own limited talent. Young girls desperately need a boy to dream of, one they can imagine making their own, especially girls who might not be very popular with boys who they know in their everyday lives. There was obviously a gap in the market for a cute, young singer. It's not really the same with boys though, is it? Young boys don't fantasize about girls their age. If they have fantasy girls, they usually dote over women in their twenties, like Megan Fox, for example, which seems more of an issue of approaching sexual maturity.

Notwithstanding, there are so many artists with limited talent, doing well in America especially, but also in Europe, that it seems any sly promoter with an eye for potential, could strike gold in music today. It should be the most talented who become the most successful but we all know that isn't the case and the argument about manufactured bands and singers became boring a long time ago. Having said that, the talent will usually still get through and Amen to that.