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A polished performance

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A polished performance

Night_exterior_Southampton_guildhall

Whether you’re a first time visitor, a regular, or you’re travelling on business – the city of Southampton guarantees an enjoyable experience for all.

Said to be the cruise capital of Europe, this up and coming destination boasts a number of inspiring cultural offerings. From music venues to museums, to award winning parks and art galleries, the day-to-day hustle and bustle of this diverse metropolis attracts over four million visitors per year.

And now, with the introduction of the Blue Islands 07.15 red-eye service to Southampton and a new Saturday day return, both of which will be launching on the 1st February, it’s easier than ever to gain access to this exhilarating city.

On top of this, Blue Islands have also partnered up with South West Trains. In just 99 steps, you can exit Southampton Airport and board the train at Parkway Station, and with a negotiated £30 return rail fare to London Waterloo; you can be in the big smoke in less than an hour, with children’s fares and £45 first class also available.

Aside from boasting a number of impressive business links, Southampton is the perfect base for a short break in Hampshire. And with South West Trains launching their biggest ever £10 ticket sale, featuring over 195 destinations, exploring further afield won’t cost you the earth!

From spending the day with Peppa Pig at Paultons Theme Park to discovering New Forest’s many ancient wonders, including miles of breathtaking scenery, footpaths and bridleways – there’s something for both adults and children. In the heart of New Forest, you’ll discover Beaulieu – home to the world famous National Motor Museum and a stunning collection of automobiles.

A trip to the world famous Ageas Bowl, and Hampshire’s test cricket ground, is a must for sporting fanatics, whilst Discover Winchester plays host to an array of architectural gems, comprising the Great Hall, King Arthur’s Round Table and Winchester Cathedral.

For those wishing to delve a little deeper into Southampton’s fascinating history, or alternatively, hire a venue that boasts a unique backdrop for a conference or event, the SeaCity Museum is home to both an excellent exhibition space as well as an abundance of maritime history. Other top attractions include Southampton Art Gallery and the Tudor House Museum.

With Southampton becoming a bigger and better place for business, the likes of Business South are aiming to connect a number of corporate leaders to this area. It’s central, it’s extremely easy to get to and it’s surrounded by a number of top-class hotels, restaurants, shops and cultural attractions – many of which can be hired out as conference venues.

Southampton Airport has been consistently voted as one of the few five star airports in the UK, often nicknamed the ‘Breeze Through’ airport. This is largely because of the speed of service, allowing you to spend less time checking in and more time discovering the outside world.

From 9 o clock meetings in central London to retail therapy at the WestQuay Shopping Centre, with an increase in Flybe’s summer flights to the Channel Islands, and the introduction of Blue Island’s earlier flight times, enjoying a jet-set lifestyle has never been easier!

Close the door on the world

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Close the door on the world

march_105_property_review_savills_wilsons_IMG_8587With oodles of space and higher ceilings than the average farm development, Blanche Pierre Farm is anything but a traditional barn conversion, it’s a rare find.
Everything about this property seems to fall into place and click together. From the exposed stone walls, travertine tiles and original beams, to the under floor heating, state-of-the-art sound system and timeless décor, Blanche Pierre boasts both bags of charm and a contemporary edge. As a result, this family home is a combination of traditional, modern classic and shabby chic.
Although close to the airport and just a short distance from the hustle and bustle of St Helier, this characterful conversion leads you to believe that you’re in the heart of the countryside. Surrounded by an incredible two acres of lush green space, comprising perfectly manicured lawns, tree-lined gardens and striking views of the valley and beyond, it’s here that you’ll stumble upon a truly unique, hidden gem – You would never find it if you didn’t know exactly where to look and this undoubtedly adds to its intrigue.
Once a shell of a house, this now beautiful family-orientated home offers potential buyers the opportunity to shut the door on the world.
Nestled at the end of its own private driveway, and tucked away behind a set of suave, automated gates – few are aware of Blanche Pierre’s existence. In fact, before being wowed by this five-bedroomed converted farmhouse, you’ll need to drive some 120 metres down a narrow path to reach your destination.
Once inside, you’ll discover a truly secret sanctuary set over three floors. Since its redevelopment in 2010, no expense has been spared.
The kitchen – unquestionably the hub of the home – is one of Blanche Pierre’s most impressive rooms. Despite its grand size, the Paul Haslam bespoke, custom made units, country-style sink, iconic AGA and peninsula island conjure up images of warm wintry evenings, cosy dinner parties and family breakfasts. This is the perfect place in which to entertain guests. Furthering this notion is the spacious and sublime country-style conservatory, which borders the kitchen.
march_105_property_review_savills_wilsons_IMG_6915The living room – an unexpected mix of old and contemporary enchants with an incredible efficient log burning stove and stone feature wall – the ruined remnants of the old farmhouse, dressed with beams and painted a chalky, white hue.
This is a home that reveals itself to you slowly and from the living room, guests are welcomed through to the main entrance hall. An additional inner hallway invites you up the open stairwell, showcasing a separate platform, positioned between the second and third floor. Ample sized windows drench the hallway in shafts of light, creating a spectacular vision, whilst also bringing a little of the outdoors in.
Each of the generously sized bedrooms showcase a simple style and ample storage space. In fact, the entire property reveals an abundance of storage space in the shape of hidden cupboards, walk-in airing cupboards, outer food stores and a unique, heated shoe stowaway, which sits just outside the main house – a great asset, and one that prevents muddy wellies and footballs boots from cluttering the interior home.
The master bedroom presents a sumptuous dressing room complete with an idyllic ensuite offering views over the valley, all of which can be enjoyed from the luxurious, freestanding bath.
A further two attic-style bedrooms can be found on the top floor, alongside a family bathroom complete with an enviable vista of the rolling hills. Both of these rooms boast a unique storage system in the shape of easily accessible walk-in wardrobes.
Each of the three main bathrooms, including the ‘Jack and Jill’ en suite, boast bathtubs, showers and under floor heating, whilst the many bedrooms feature Juliette-style balconies, which certainly take advantage of the surrounding, striking scenery.
The south-facing Mediterranean-style garden is reminiscent of sun-drenched Spanish courtyards and is a vision of wisteria, olive trees, thyme, lavender and sweet scented roses – a haven of relaxation come summertime.
The garden’s upper deck reveals an equally attractive vegetables orchard, which poses as the perfect plot for those with green fingers – hoping to grow anything from Jersey Royals to delicious raspberries and wild strawberries. To the left is a picture-perfect pasture and an endless stretch of gated lawn. Keen tennis players will be pleased to learn that plans have been passed to build a court upon this bounteous space.
Within the thick stone walls of this 100-year-old-property lies a tranquil and private family home, brimming with the perfect mix of original and contemporary features. Yet it’s not merely the privacy afforded by Blanche Pierre Farm that will appeal to potential buyers; it’s the quality of the establishment itself.

 

BLANCHE PIERRE FARM
ST LAWRENCE

Guide price:
£2,495,000
Splendid granite barn conversion
5 Bedrooms/3 Bathrooms
Entrance Hall
Large eat-in kitchen
Family room
Conservatory
Dining room
Drawing room
Cloakroom and utility room
Ample storage space
Mediterranean-style garden & balconies
Vegetable plot plus 2 acres of land
Internal Garage & Ample Parking

Savills
01534 722 227
www.savills.co.uk

Wilsons
01534 877 977
www.wilsons.je

Wax-ing Lyrical

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Wax-ing Lyrical

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Ahead of her appearance this month at the jersey opera house, we were lucky enough to grab 10 minutes with ruby wax, comedian, writer, mental health campaigner, to talk about her one-woman show ruby wax: sane new world-the tour. Ruby has based her new show on her no. 1 Bestselling book sane new world: taming the mind, which has enjoyed worldwide success since publication in 2013.

The evening promises to help you understand why we sabotage our own sanity and will also provide a manual on how to survive the 21st century, using ruby’s knowledge from her recent masters degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy at oxford university and spiked with her usual unmissable comedy.

So why do you think we need a ‘manual’…
We are not equipped for this century, it’s too hard, too fast, and too full of fear; we just don’t have the bandwidth. Our brains can’t take so much information in a world where we’re bombarded by bad news and force-fed information. I can just about take in the weather then i’m exhausted. You open a newspaper, everyone’s dead. We’re only supposed to know what our neighbour is up to; if the woman next door to you is having sex with the man next door to her we need to know; but four doors down and it’s none of our business.

That’s a fair assessment of modern life, so can i expect to learn something?
I will take you on a tour of the most important part of your life and how to tame it. We know so much about how the world works – but so little about our how our own minds work. It’s like having a ferrari on top of your head but no one gave you the keys. The show is very visual and high energy, you will definitely learn something about yourself. But of course it’s also funny!

Where did you get the inspiration for your new book?
I’m really interested in what happens in the brain and the book was a result of my studies. I mainly stole the content from a series of great academics and then spun it in to comedy.

Our theme this month is judgement, do you have any thoughts on the word?
Yes, this is something that i cover off in my book. It’s not a word i like, if you live your life judging other people then you’ll live a very narrow life. We don’t have the right to judge other people without the full story.

You’re a respected campaigner for mental illness in the uk and set up the blackdogtribe website some years ago?
Yes i set up the site as a result of a another show. I held these sessions where people could come along and talk, but this wasn’t easy to maintain so we set up the site so that people had a place they could go to meet other like minded people. Sane, the uk charity oversee the site now, i gave it over to them.

Do you think your open approach to mental health has helped to remove some of the stigma?
Yes i do, i feel as though i’ve helped us move away from the dark ages.

“I’m hilarious, trust me,” is the quote from her press release and having been fortunate enough to spend even a short amount of time in ruby’s company, we agree!

Catch ruby’s new show at 8pm on friday 28th march at jersey opera house, tickets are £17.50. Call the box office on 511115. Ruby will also be selling and signing her book, sane new world: taming the mind after the show.

Judgement and Justice

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If the rebellious Scottish fulfil their dream to break from the United Kingdom to set up a rogue state founded on Irn Bru and deep-fried Mars Bars, then surely an independent Jersey can only be just around the corner. The crapaud will be free to follow his own customs, worship his own gods and devise his own laws, free from the meddling imposed by those softies over in the mainland.  The so-called House of Lords wouldn’t know an ormer from a lavoir, and for six hundred years have ignored the pleading of the Jerseyman to be free, perhaps because all 86 people who actually speak Jerriais were occupied organising Parish fetes or playing petanque.

As a calabrese grower for seven decades and now Shadow Justice Minister for the Jersey Independence Movement, it will be my honour to come up with a system for settling our differences that will be closer to the true independent spirit of our Island home. Whether the question is the crucial matter of seaweed-gathering rights in the bay of Grouville or damage caused by a roaming heifer, our courts will dispense justice in the name of the people, and there will be no more travesties imposed by outsiders, like the time Didier Syvret overdid the calvados and was imprisoned for ramming his lobster boat into the French coastguard.
The Jersey Independence Movement is nothing if not democratic, and so we would like to canvass the views of any Jersey-born male, older than 50, who owns at least one vergee of land.  At our last meeting at The Farmer’s Inn, the following suggestions were tabled before a scuffle broke out as to whether refugees from Sark should be welcomed to an independent Jersey or quarantined on the minqiers until they learn to walk on two legs.

TRIAL BY BATTLE
Now, a few of the lads have got a bit carried away watching this Game of Thrones business, but they promise that its popularity has nothing to do with all those feisty maidens with their crumpets out.  This true historical tale could be based on Jersey itself, with its feuding Starks and Lannisters a whisker from our own Carrés and A’Courts, and that nice Miss Targaryen exiled to La Rocco Tower where apparently a working brassiere cannot be found.  That’s a discussion for when the wives are at bingo, but it has been noticed that in this world the men of honour (and the occasional scheming midget) are permitted to nominate a champion to sort out their legal grievances in single combat.  In 2009 Mick Rondel tells me he paid enough in injury compensation to purchase a new glasshouse, and so there is a strong appetite amongst us to see a few of our overpaid advocates equipped with rusty swords and dropped into some sort of jousting arena off the Ronez loop road. The loser will have their head mounted on a spike attached to Terrence the Train.

THE LAW OF THE COUNTRYSIDE
Even within the society of true Jersey patriots, it is true to say that some divisions still exist, most obviously the historic schism between the liberal, modern folk of St Helier (plus outlying districts) and those who uphold the traditional ways of the countryside.  In an independent Jersey, we must give thought to whether there should be different laws for different ways of life, and so a vocal faction in our organisation have proposed that countryside justice be delivered by those who live in it, at the point of a frouque if necessary.  A fair hearing would be guaranteed by the ratepayers of the Parish, backed up by Afghan-style sharia law administered by the National Trust and Men of the Trees. I think few people would argue that our country parishes would not be improved by harsh punishments dealt out to those convicted of leaving dog mess, inappropriate barbecues and breaking the speed limit in green lanes.  As for planning permission, I think I can speak for all of us and say we can sort this out amongst gentlemen without it needing to be discussed in the newspapers.

A CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF JERSEY WORKERS
Nothing ruins a good parish assembly like people who want to start talking about politics, but it’s a sign of the times that even in St Lawrence there is an organised contingent of Marxist-Leninist labourers who regularly petition the Connetable to express solidarity with the noble workers of the Soviet Union.  My wife tells me that Soviet Russia isn’t even a place any more, but they say that about Rhodesia and my cousin Peter moved there and still sends me a Christmas card.  Now I’m a fair man, and despite some of their wild ways I must say that these left-wing rebels of ours have some persuasive ideas, like replacing an elected assembly with a faceless council of potato diggers, nationalising the production of cauliflower and ruthlessly suppressing counter-revolutionary elements in the Parish of St Clement.  I’m less persuaded by the idea of storing Chinese nuclear missiles in Val De La Mare, but I do quite like the notion of the honorary police being transformed into a Cuban-trained guerrilla army.

JUSTICE DONE IN PUBLIC
None of us wish to copy anything they do in the mainland, but those of us with a working knowledge of the place will see that they are saving themselves a lot of money in legal fees by allowing people to be tried by public opinion, helped by their courageous tabloid newspapers and angry users of this thing called Twitter.  It seems like everybody who was on the wireless in the 1980s is in trouble for one thing or another, and if you take a close look you’ll see that the people of England seem determined to redesign their legal system from the traditional way we dealt with witches and devil-worshippers in the olden days.  In Jersey we may not be able to draw upon the legal expertise of judges Judy, Jerry, Jules, Jeremy Kyle and Dredd, but there’s nothing stopping us putting a black hood on Oscar Puffin and judging our miscreants by means of a telephone vote (local numbers only).  We could even return to putting our wrongdoers in the stocks in Royal Square, throwing them to Humphrey the lion or exiling them to the rocks at Corbiere.  If anything is guaranteed to put an end to witchcraft in St John, it’s either going to be trials in public or just sending my mother-in-law on an all-in cruise to the Algarve.

Beautifully Balanced

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Beautifully Balanced

Collection Close up Collection Look 1 Location ShootLocal girl of 22 years Jasmin Ferguson returned to the island last July after 4 years away in London studying at the London college of Fashion, part of University of the Arts London.

Collection Location Shoot copy

Having completed a foundation diploma in Art & Design there, she then moved on to a Foundation Degree in pattern cutting finishing up at LCF with a BA (Hons) degree in Fashion Design Technology Womenswear. This is where she made her graduate collection, which was a womenswear collection of 8 outfits, based on a yin yang theme of opposites working together in harmony, shown here.

“I have been really lucky since finishing my collection to have it featured as part of a few media opportunities, the first being an Ivy and Gold music video with the lead singer wearing one of my dresses and a few pieces of my collection were also used in the Clothes Show Live 2013 “bright young things” ad campaign.” Jasmin told Gallery.

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A selection of Jasmin’s work has been available for sale at Pretty Vacant in St Helier ‘thanks to wonder Louise Evans’ and she’s ecstatic that islanders have had the opportunity to own some of the collection. Currently working as a design and technology technician at Haute Vallee School, Jasmin is enjoying being able to teach GCSE textiles and is hoping to continue this as well as designing, making and selling her clothes here in Jersey.

Don’t just go big…go Massif!

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The Grand Massif is a large ski area just one hour from Geneva which comprises the villages of les Carroz, Morillon, Samoens, Sixt Fer a Cheval and Flaine and boasts over 265 km of pistes, with a great snow record, due to it’s proximity to Mont Blanc, which keeps the whole area cool. Flaine is famous for its severe Bauhaus architecture and multi storey blocks, which are not to everyone’s taste, however the resort has long been “on the map” for British skiers as a self-catered apartment ski destination with great skiing.

Les Carroz, on the way up to Flaine, is a complete contrast as it is a traditional small Savoyard village with chocolate box picture chalets built in rustic pine. I spent a few days there in February and found it a delightful base to explore the tremendous variation in ski terrain offered by the Grand Massif. Nearly all of Les Carroz’s pistes  are cut through tightly packed pine forests, which is beautiful and picturesque in itself, but also gives a welcome alternative to the wide open bowls of further-up Flaine if the weather or visibility is poor. On my first day it was snowing heavily which would have given a “jour Blanche” or white-day higher up, but the trees give definition so that you can ski more confidently when you can see where you are going!

When the snow stopped and the sun came out on the second day I was lucky enough to be shown around the whole area by some local Brits who have made the move and now live in Les Carroz year round. They were keen to demonstrate the diversity and variety of skiing to be had here and to play in the fresh powder snow and sunshine, and were true resort ambassadors. We stopped for lunch in the Auberge de Vernant  which was described by my guides as “ how mountain restaurants used to be!”  It has a large sun terrace and a smaller cosy inside restaurant with Savoyard specialities and table service.

placeAmbiance_OTLescarroz

Zig Zag is a specialist ski shop in Les Carroz which hires and sells a range of skis outside the norm for intermediate skiers and above who are looking for specific qualities in their equipment. Jack and Adrian are passionate in their commitment to supply you with skis that will complement your skiing or even take you to the next level. They supply Volkl, Line and the complete range of Scott skis in men’s and ladies models. I had a pair of Scott Punisher All Mountain skis, which although they are wide and long, the rocker in the tips and tails made them turn easily and they performed as well on piste, with impressive edge grip, as in the powder!

Of special note in Les Carroz is the newly constructed beginner’s area which even has a “baby snow park” and is fenced off to prevent the more advanced and faster skiers from entering. There is a fantastic six kilometre green run down to Morillon called the Marvel, which truly was marvellous, and there is floodlit, night-time skiing twice a week on the Timalets piste from 7-10 p.m. The new lift base station also has lockers to leave all your equipment at the end of the skiing day, while in the village there are restaurants and bars, an outdoor ice rink and a new Aquatic centre with an outdoor heated pool and indoor “Zen” pool.

Blue Islands flies four times a week to Geneva, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and JerseySki.com offers short break and seven nights stays on an any-day arrival basis to the Chalet Cyclamen and the Chalet Bry. The catered chalet concept is a quite a unique way of providing holidays for mixed groups in a communal chalet atmosphere and passing on the joint savings of splitting the cost of a large chalet between several different parties. The chalets have bedrooms that are sold on an individual basis, the guests in the chalet then share the communal facilities including lounge and shared areas. Everyone eats together at breakfast time and dinner time from a set menu with wine provided at dinner and it offers a great opportunity for people to get to know each other and form often lasting friendships based on a common love for snow sports.

The Chalet Cyclamen is quite central, is near to the aquatic centre and has its own sauna and Jacuzzi, while the Chalet Bry sits on a sunny knoll looking across to the slopes. Both chalets are very welcoming  and are a firm favourite with Jersey and Guernsey skiers. I left Jersey for Geneva on Sunday, skied all day Monday and Tuesday and I even managed to get in a final couple of hours on the slopes on Wednesday with the owners of Les Carroz Chalets, Ian and Gill, before my transfer came at 11.15. Thanks Guys!

Les Carroz will be open until 22nd April, so there’s still plenty of time to go Massif…Which is actually the name of the lovely transfer company we use !

To find out more about ski and snowboard adventures from Jersey or Guernsey and even tailor made options, contact Geoff Spencer-Tucker at geoff@jerseyski.com  Tel. 07797 738 180

The Crossfit Craze

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The Crossfit Craze

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So it comes as little surprise to discover that what began life as an online sensation is now the talk of the tabloids, the town, and even the fashionista circuit. But is the sudden crossfit craze a passing fad? Or could our bodies—and minds—be gearing towards a more realistic ideal?
By realistic i mean hard work. An average workout consists of 20 burpees, 15 press-ups, 15 sit-ups, 15 squats, 12 sit-ups, 12 squats, 12 press-ups, 9 sit-ups, 9 press-ups…i think you get the picture. Needless to say, it’s going to be a sweaty year.

So what’s the deal?
With a promise to change your body in less than 15 minutes, it’s no wonder this extremist exercise is now a fully-fledged fitness craze. But what exactly is it? Crossfit is not just one workout; it’s a combination of several. From gymnastics to weightlifting, to sprinting to squatting – workouts are varied, functional and executed at a higher intensity. It’s less about the time you spend in the gym and more about the effort you put in. I should know – i’m now living with a man that rises at 5am to make his class on time – and returns looking like he’s just run a marathon.

However, in just two weeks, his leaner physique shows me this is no fitness fad, it’s the real deal. And from what i gather, a far more social experience than a solitary gym practice. And asides from a killer body, you’ll become accustomed to the motivation and comradeship of your fellow crossfitters.

What crossfit can do for you?
If you live for yoga, or prefer to dance your way to better physique, then i can guarantee crossfit isn’t for you. However, if you want to achieve a leaner shape fast, then now is the time to lose your crossfit virginity. From ramping up your heart rate to enduring a mix of resistance training, you’ll quickly begin to strip fat and build muscle; you’ll also undergo an aerobic workout at the same time!

Let’s go paleo
Aside from a mean workout, crossfit fans are intent on following a leaner diet. The paleo diet (also known as the caveman diet) comprises a mixture of nuts and seeds, meats and vegetables, a little starch, some fruit and no sugar. Basically, ditch the processed food, workout hard and you’ll look like a fitness guru in no time!

However, in just two weeks, his leaner physique shows me this is no fitness fad, it’s the real deal. And from what i gather, a far more social experience than a solitary gym practice.

Time to lose the scales
As muscle weighs more than fat, die-hard crossfitters have swapped the scales for a more radical measuring device and one that keeps tabs on their fat percentage. Yet despite this, many women (me being one of them) live in fear of this exercise regime – i mean surely lifting all those weights will have me looking like a body builder in no time?

Several ‘discussions’ later with crossfit’s newest fan (my partner) –we reach the conclusion that men are built differently to women, for one, they have more testosterone, which means bulking up will be much harder for me than it is for him. Satisfied that i’ll still fit into my skinny jeans after a few sessions, i may actually give this extreme fitness regime a go – of course, setting my alarm for 5.45 Is another matter – thankfully there are evening classes too!

For more information on crossfit in jersey, visit www.Crossfit.Je

High flying fundraisers

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High flying fundraisers

BI CIAS Blue Islands and their generous customers have raised over £25,000 for the Channel Islands Air Search. The airline donated £5 from every return booking from Guernsey and Jersey during the six week campaign for the charity.

Additional donations from passengers were made on the Blue Islands Lions Pride Appeal ‘justgiving’ page. One anonymous donor, very generously gave £1,000.

Roger Dadd, Founder of Channel Islands Air Search gratefully received the donation.

He said: ‘The crew were astounded at the speed with which Blue Islands responded to Air Search in its hour of need. This donation of £25,932 is a magnificent contribution to the ongoing fund raising efforts of the Supporters (The Friends of Air Search) in each of the Channel Islands. Plans for the aircraft replacement programme are now becoming established and we hope a more detailed announcement can be made later in January.’

Mr Dadd continues,

‘The generosity of everyone at Blue Islands is about far more than this superb donation as it has been a great boost to the moral of everyone at Air search. We are faced with a monumental fund-raising task and very much hope it will give a lead to other companies and organisations whose support would be most welcome.’

Rob Veron, managing director of Blue Islands met Roger to hand over the funds raised.

“As a pan island business inextricably linked to the work of the Air Search, it was important that we supported. I am thoroughly delighted that we are able to give the Air Search such headway into their vital fundraising. As we further extend our relationship with the Channel Islands Air Search, we look forward to showing our continued support in the future.”

Chairman of Trustees, Derek Short also showed his gratitude on behalf of the charity.

‘We are most grateful to Blue Islands for the amount that their innovative Appeal has raised. The continuity of their media partners advertisements has greatly enhanced and raised the profile of our all Islands’ Appeal’

The Channel Islands Air Search was established 33 years ago and crewed entirely by volunteers who ensure the service is operational 24/7. Each year the costs to keep the Lions’ Pride airborne is around £100,000. In addition to the annual running costs, funds have to be raised for capital items such as engine replacement programmes and other essential equipment.

Donations can still be made to the appeal on the following ‘justgiving’ site; www.justgiving.com/blueislands-lionspride

Byrd is the Word

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Byrd is the Word

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Local D&B party-starters Chaka return after the huge success of their ‘Blkout’ event at Fort Regent earlier this year, with a Christmas party at the Havana, and their headliner is one with a proven track record of rocking the socks off Jersey’s dancefloors. Drum n’ bass kingpin Danny Byrd will take to the decks on December 21st, and caught up with Gallery to give us a clue as to what he’s got up his sleeves…

This’ll be your third time playing in Jersey, after the last Chaka event and of course Jersey Live – what are your experiences of your previous visits? Well I never knew what to expect coming to Jersey, but Jersey Live was such a fantastic show and so much energy so I wasn’t surprised when I came back for the last Chaka event. I really can’t wait to come back especially as it will be like a mini Christmas warm up – I like a festive gig! Ha… in fact the only things I don’t like about Jersey are the small propeller planes! I hate flying! No wild after parties from what I remember but there’s always December!

You’ve played in some huge venues and festival arenas, so your gig at the Havana, with a capacity of 350, is a relatively intimate one. Do you approach these gigs differently, and is it more or less challenging than performing to a huge crowd? I’d say they are about the same; I do prefer the more intimate shows for sure. The vibes are better as it’s more compact and you can deviate and not play so many ‘festival bangers’ but I always try to bring a good party atmosphere where I play so it’s not too different really. The only thing that puts me off is if the front of the crowd are right by the decks as I get paranoid someone will unplug the mixer or something which has happened a few times, but yes, Havana is a wicked venue to play in.

Do you prefer the thrill of being on the road or do you get more satisfaction from knuckling down in the studio and being rooted to one place? Well last year I took six months off DJ-ing to focus on the studio and I found I wasn’t as productive as I thought I would have been, and I realised that the two go hand in hand. It’s good to have a forced exile from the studio every weekend and keeps you inspired and wanted to get back in there, opposed to having freedom in the studio 24/7, which actually can paralyse the creativity sometimes.

When you’re in the studio, how long do you tend to spend on a track? Do you consider yourself a perfectionist? There are stories of people like Giorgio Moroder spending literally just hours on certain tracks before moving on to the next thing… Yeah I’m pretty OCD with it. Sometimes remixes have to be finished quickly so they get turned around in a week but if you’re doing something from scratch and recording vocals etcetera, it’s not uncommon to take a couple of months on and off. Making D&B is quite complex music and requires a lot of effort to get things sounding as you’d expect them to but then I think I enjoy the challenge at the same time.

I imagine the day-to-day life of a touring DJ, by most people’s standards, is pretty exciting, but I suppose it all eventually becomes something of a routine. However, when was the last time you had to pinch yourself and think, “wow, this is really my job”? The routine part of it is the travel and I think that blocks the appreciation of the situation you’re in sometimes. I mean for most people the worst part of a holiday is the getting there and the going home, but as a DJ you’ll do that in a 24 hour period in a weekend and on about three hours sleep too. Saying that, I’m always thankful to be doing what I’m doing. I think the really ‘wow’ periods are when you get to go to places like Australia, or I remember playing Dallas, Texas, and when I was younger was interested in the JFK assassination, so actually got to visit that site. It’s crazy when music takes you to these places you wouldn’t normally have travelled to.

You’ve been producing for a long time now – how has your approach, and your sound evolved over that period? I think when you start out you’re just making tracks for the clubs and then you start to record a few vocals and then instruments, and then years later you work out that you’re quite a experienced producer that could record a orchestra if you put your mind to it rather just being a kid making underground music in their bedroom. It’s always evolving but I’m glad dance music producers are having the respect they deserve these days.

What’s on your record player at the moment? I really like a band called Fryars at the moment, and I also like the new Eminem album, which I bought last week – and the new Sub Focus album too.

What’s your new year’s resolution? Ahhh, I don’t really have one. I try to remain focused regardless of a date change, but I guess I’m trying to build a house in Bristol at the moment and would like to try and get that rolling and completed in 2014 if I can…

What would be your ideal gift this Christmas? A 007 box set – not that they are not on Sky enough as it is mind!

What’s in the pipeline for you? I’m excited to be going to Australia and New Zealand for a Hospitality tour for the New Year period. I have some garage remixes from legend Wookie and Majestic of my Golden Ticket album coming out in December and by the time you read this I will be dropping a free bootleg album on my Facebook fan page… Facebook.com/dannybyrddnb.

Danny Byrd headlines Chaka’s ‘Christmas Mashup’ at the Havana on Saturday 21st December. Tickets are £10 from White Label Records.

Winterfalle

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Winterfalle

Winterfalle-promo-headshot-2013

What’s led you to this new persona?
I began writing for Winterfalle after my old band Quick and the Dead split up. I’d never wanted to be a singer-songwriter but I felt that I should learn to stand on my own two feet. I also knew that I never again wanted to be in the position where my entire creative life was dependent upon the desires of other people. So I started Winterfalle.
‘Winterfalle’ runs together an old family name (Winter) with my surname (Falle). To me, Winterfalle is a fictional world which my music soundtracks. My lyrics tell stories set there. I wanted to hold up a dark mirror to experiences of growing up in the Island, to bring to light things we tend not to want to engage with either because they are too painful or too close to home.
I’ve been writing narrative-led lyrics accompanied by music that moves from stark and sparse to lush and dense sonic spaces. At its centre are always my voice and the acoustic guitar or piano. My brother John Henry has helped me to find my voice and has opened up all kinds of storytelling possibilities to me. I’ve also been inspired by various artists including John Grant, Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, David Byrne and Brand New.

What has influenced the sound and rationale for launching with this video approach?
With Winterfalle, I’ve wanted to challenge the norms of what it means to be a solo artist in a traditional sense. Winterfalle is, at its heart my music. But for me, collaboration is still king.
I think that now more than ever, it’s important to create a multi-layered artistic experience. This is in part because I think that music, film, photography and so on are too often considered in isolation from one another. But also it’s because we are not consuming music in the same way we used to. This is especially the case in the way that music is shared online. Soundcloud links and Youtube videos containing just the song are rarely things we link to one another. Music is even less likely to be passed around when it’s unknown or unsigned music. However, I believe that an engaging short film, which the song soundtracks can be a much deeper, attention-holding experience.
As a result of this rationale, Winterfalle has sparked involved collaborations with some of my close friends from Jersey.

“Collaborate with people you know. Jersey is an artistic hotbed of talent. I bet everyone has friends who are making things right now. Make things with them”

A key collaborator is filmmaker Todd Macdonald. Since he traded his guitar for a camera, he’s been making visually gripping work. Todd’s eye has given Winterfalle its filmic character. He has directed two Winterfalle videos so far, the first of which for ‘I Know’ launched recently. From concept to shoot to edit, we worked hard to make a piece of work, which is as much a short film as it is a music video. With ‘I Know’, we wanted to create a window’s look into the world of Winterfalle, telling a story where we relive the sort of night we’d have had when we were in 6 Form – before adult life and living-for-the-weekend got in the way. The story of the film is also in a dialogue with the song’s lyrics, playing into the images and also straining against them. We’re really proud of it.
Max Burnett has also been central to building Winterfalle. Max – who recently made the viral tilt-shift photography video, ‘Little Jersey’ – has been working on the Winterfalle shoots with Todd and has also been taking striking pictures of the Island, which play directly into the mood of the music. You can see Max’s photography all over the Winterfalle web presence.
Another schoolmate Alex Pearce lent his mixing skills to ‘I Know’. I recorded the track in my bedroom but after listening to it a million times, I started to lose my grip on reality. Having Alex’s expert ears on the thing made a massive difference. Alex has been making waves in London as an electronic music producer under the name LeBreton – he pushed my vocals much further forward in the mix than I would have done, a move, which I think makes the storytelling far more engaging to a listener.
There are more Winterfalle videos in the works – the next is out in January. I’m also going to put together a Winterfalle ensemble in the New Year and I’ve just started thinking about how to bring visual elements to the live show. At the moment, it’s just me, my guitar and these stories. But ever since I saw The Oscillation play at Branchage Film Festival in the Spiegeltent a few years ago, I’ve been thinking about the exciting possibilities of combining visuals with musical performance.

I-Know-vid-still-for-Gallery-4

Thoughts on how to breakthrough in the modern music industry?
I haven’t ever really ‘broken through’ – I’d also question what that means exactly – but I’ve been able to tour in the UK and Europe as well as put out records with my old band. That was good, but it took a lot of sustained hard work over a very long time.
I think it’s of utmost importance to lead your music with videos. Quick and the Dead’s biggest mistake was that we didn’t have promotional videos in even the loosest sense. People watch videos. People hardly listen to cold tracks. Go make one.
You’ve got be prepared to work hard. Gig all the time. Write all the time. Don’t be precious about putting out your stuff. Get it online. Submit it to blogs. Get involved with BBC Introducing. Yes, it’s never been easier to get your music out there, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s also now easier to get people to care about it or get behind it. That will only come by presenting it in an engaging way, being a ferocious self-improver, being doggedly persistent and above all, being patient.
Foster a healthy DIY ethic. Don’t wait for ‘industry’ to come you. Labels, publishers, promoters, booking agents etc… – they aren’t going to ‘discover’ you or be interested in the slightest in what you’re doing unless you are constantly demonstrating that you are capable of doing it yourself. Again, gig, but also use social media properly and regularly. Even at times when I have nothing to bang a drum about, I’ll still be tweeting things I like and talking to people online as frequently as possible.
Don’t just write songs; build a world. This idea is at the heart of Winterfalle. I’m not saying it’s the ‘right’ way to do things, but to me it feels like the most creatively immersive and engaging thing I’ve ever done. It’s so much more interesting to me than simply releasing tracks.
Collaborate with people you know. Jersey is an artistic hotbed of talent. I bet everyone has friends who are making things right now. Make things with them. And don’t limit that thinking to forming a band. Think bigger and you’ll be surprised by what you can create together.

The debut Winterfalle track ‘I Know’ has been featured by BBC 6 DJ Tom Robinson’s Introducing Mixtape and has been featured on BBC Jersey. Sam toured the UK and Europe with his previous band and has recently performed at Oxjam Festival and Shuffle Festival as Winterfalle.
www.winterfalle.com

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