FRESH ONLINEtag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//82008-04-23T09:58:47ZDebates - Ideas - Society - LifeMovable Type 3.31WIN TICKETS TO SCOUTING FOR GIRLStag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4342008-04-23T08:49:59Z2008-04-23T09:58:47ZLondon boys, Scouting For Girls will be headlining their show at Fat Sam’s Live in Dundee on Tuesday, April 29, 2008. RoAR 2008 is a series of exclusive gigs organised by Scotland’s best radio stations in partnership with the Scottish...
London boys, Scouting For Girls will be headlining their show at Fat Sam’s Live in Dundee on Tuesday, April 29, 2008.
RoAR 2008 is a series of exclusive gigs organised by Scotland’s best radio stations in partnership with the Scottish Government’s ‘One Scotland' campaign. The shows take place in venues the length and breadth of Scotland and the tour aims to tackle racist attitudes and encourage people to celebrate Scotland’s many cultures.
Tickets to RoAR with Scouting for Girls cannot be bought, but thanks to organisers Bauer Radio Events and One Scotland, you could be there simply by answering the question below:
Simply email your answer to the question below along with your name, address, daytime telephone number to marketing@sundayherald.com using ‘ROAR’ as the subject title.
Q: What does RoAR stand for?
Terms and Conditions
* Competition closes at 12 noon on Monday 28 April. This gig is strictly for over 16’s ONLY and all 16 &17 year olds MUST be accompanied by a responsible adult.
* Prize supplied by ROAR and Scottish Government’s ‘One Scotland campaign
* Three winners will receive a pair of ROAR with Scoting For Girls Tickets
* The prize is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative.
* All entries must be received by Sunday, April 27, 2008.
* Allow 28 days for delivery of prize(s).
* Winners will be drawn on Monday, April 28, 2008 at noon.
* Usual Sunday Herald competition rules apply
* The prize will be awarded to first three correct entries drawn from assembled emails on Monday, April 28, 2008 at noon.
For more information on the gigs, to have your say on racism and find out more about how you could be on stage at RoAR, please visit www.rockagainstracism.info. ]]>
Fresh has teamed up with the organisers of the RoAR 2008 tour to offer you the chance to be part of the next show in this series of exciting live gigs
INDIANA JONES AND THE SECRET OF THE CINEMA GOLDtag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4332008-04-19T19:50:42Z2008-04-19T20:17:52ZThe countdown is almost complete ... soon Harrison Ford will be swinging into our cinemas as the star of Indiana Jones 4: The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. But what is all the fuss about? And what makes Mr Jones...
Inspired by the antics of Jack Black in Be Kind Rewind and the film making talents of Will and Lee Carter in Son Of Rambow, fresh decided to make its very own tribute to the best bits from the Indiana Jones trilogy. From escaping hurtling boulders to swinging over treacherous waters, our cameras caught the lot. Tipping his hat to the legend was intrepid reporter Malcolm Jack. Click here and start the adventure...]]>
As the fourth instalment whips into view, Malcolm Jack dons his fedora and enlists the help of Scotland’s very own Indy to find out what makes Dr Jones so special]]>
DOOING GREATtag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4322008-04-19T19:41:54Z2008-04-19T19:42:20ZLAST May, The Pigeon Detectives’ debut album went to number three in the UK charts and earned the guys a Q nomination for Best New Act. Since then, the Leeds quintet have been busy touring the world, scribbling their next...
LAST May, The Pigeon Detectives’ debut album went to number three in the UK charts and earned the guys a Q nomination for Best New Act. Since then, the Leeds quintet have been busy touring the world, scribbling their next offering and giving Avril Lavigne a Yorkshire makeover. Now back home, Pigeons guitarist Ryan Wilson took time out from washing his tour clothes ahead of a series of UK dates to talk to fresh.
USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, Austria – are you chuffed to be back home?
We’ve actually left a couple of the guys behind in Europe but I am definitely glad to be back in Leeds. It’s been a long couple of months. We’ve known each other since we were kids, so when we are on tour it’s almost like we’re brothers – arguing and disagreeing loads then completely forgetting about it minutes later. I don’t miss getting up at 5 o’clock in the morning to catch a flight or trawling around foreign countries not knowing what’s going on, but most of the time we just have a laugh.
Do you ever forget which country you are in?
Yeh, like we were going out to Austria but had to fly to Munich then drive an hour to get there. We got pulled in at the airport and asked where we were going. We were telling them Austria but they were looking at our tickets then looking at us really funny, saying ‘no you’re not’. They thought we were thick but we were just muddled up!
Not too muddled obviously as you’ve managed to get your new album written and ready for release in under a year ...
We had the tracks so we went into the studio at the back of last year and thought ‘let’s get it out’. I mean The Beatles released an album every six months. They were the biggest band in the world and the quality of their songs were amazing, they didn’t get worse over time. If we’d written 10 or 15 songs that were rubbish then we wouldn’t have put an album out so quickly, but we think we’ve written some really good songs.
Did the fact you recorded it in a Welsh hideaway help?
It was at a studio called Monnow Valley where Oasis, Stereophonics, Black Sabbath and other top bands have recorded. It’s almost like a farm and being in the middle of nowhere suited us as we didn’t want any distractions. Saying that, we had quad bikes and we did a spot of fishing. I nearly broke my neck [on the quads, not fishing] but I was being a bit stupid, to be fair.
The new album is called Emergency – what’s the panic?
It was actually my idea to name it that. We were in Wales and I said what about Emergency? It has quite a good ring to it and sounds energetic which sums up the last year for us – frantic bolting around everywhere. Everyone agreed and within two minutes it was decided. We don’t beat around the bush us.
Talking of names, we’ve heard you make up lies about why you called yourselves The Pigeon Detectives. Can we have the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth please?
You’re right, we did tell a few random stories but that’s only cos the truth isn’t that exciting really. But this is the truth: we were at the Leeds festival about four years ago and met this Australian bloke who was over travelling. We let him camp with us and for whatever reason, Matt [Bowman – lead singer] was yapping on about pigeons. This guy kept calling him a Pigeon Detective because he knew so much and we were looking for a band name so for a joke Matt said ‘why not’? We were going to change it but we got so far down the line, it would have confused people. But a lot of band names don’t make sense – I mean what is an Arctic Monkey or Razorlight?
True, but if you could change it, what would you go for?
To be fair, we actually quite like it. We’re not really that arty so if it wasn’t called that, it would probably be something totally bog standard like The Walls.
Has it caused any embarrassing moments?
I had a package delivered marked The Pigeon Detectives and the postman looked at me weirdly. I think he thought it was some sort of odd enterprise. I just thought, ‘you listen to radio one day and you’ll understand.’
You are good pals with the Kaiser Chiefs – do you all hang out together?
They come from north Leeds which is the posh bit and we are from the south, where the accent is a bit stronger, but we are all still great mates. Matt had a day off last Saturday and went with Nick from Kaiser Chiefs to see the Leeds United match. They ended up in the dressing room before the game just chatting to the lads. Apparently Nick gave them a good team talk.
You covered Avril Lavigne’s Girlfriend for Radio One’s Live Lounge – what attracted you to the artist formerly known as skater girl?
We actually chose a Justin Timberlake song to do first, but it had already been done by somebody else. We didn’t really know which song to do instead, so Radio One gave us a list to pick from and Girlfriend was one of them. It had just come out recently and if you listen to it, musically it is quite rocky with electric guitar and stuff so we thought we can do this one quite well. It worked alright to be fair.
Has Avril been on the blower to compliment your efforts?
No she hasn’t, we’ve not heard anything. Bit annoying really. We are good friends with The Holloways and they did a cover of a Black Eyed Peas song. Fergie sent them a message saying I really like your version but Avril Lavigne couldn’t even do that for us.
So would you snub her if she called asking to do a duet?
I’d like to meet up with her, have a chat and a sing, but I think the management wouldn’t deem it a very cool or rock’n’roll thing to do.
The Pigeon Detectives’ new single This is an Emergency is out on
May 12. The album Emergency is out on May 26
After a year spent spreading their wings, the Pigeon Detectives are home to roost, as David Christie finds out
SOAPBOXtag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4312008-04-19T19:40:36Z2008-04-19T19:41:24ZWHAT could possibly annoy a true sports fan more than cheating? Cheating and getting away with it is my verdict. I cannot believe the state of so-called “professional” football these days with some of the Premierships biggest stars getting away...
WHAT could possibly annoy a true sports fan more than cheating? Cheating and getting away with it is my verdict.
I cannot believe the state of so-called “professional” football these days with some of the Premierships biggest stars getting away with blatant diving or “simulation” each week in the most-watched and supposed best league in the world.
So often the shamefaced stars are draped in accolades for their clubs and countries and praised throughout the world for their achievements, yet we all sit and watch replay after replay of them deliberately diving and feigning injury.
In fact, one of the most iconic footballing moments ever captured on camera involved Argentinian Diego Maradona punching the ball into the net against England in the quarter finals of the 1986 World Cup. Scotland fans even sing a song to celebrate the goal – yet when it comes down to it, the goal involved blatant cheating.
More insulting than watching such moments or seeing Premiership role models conning referees and officials into decisions is watching players in our own country attempting it too. Where have the traditional methods of Scottish football disappeared to?
I play for the CYP national side at boys’ club level (under-16s) and know what a real challenge feels like and relish the opportunity of the crunching 50/50. But most of these professionals nowadays have lost that desire and fight needed to succeed in the Scottish game, and it is these players who opt for the more deceitful tactics of play.
The biggest match our country has, the Old Firm clash, is beamed worldwide for fans to enjoy yet it has featured plenty of ludicrous dives which went unpunished during and after the match. How are young hopefuls like me supposed to develop respect for the officials and the game itself if we see cheats going unpunished week in, week out?
SFA chief executive Gordon Smith has vowed to stamp out this kind of behaviour next season with stricter penalties and higher fines. He plans to use video footage in his fight to rid Scotland of deliberate diving.
Hopefully this will help bring an end to the era of the cheat, but who knows? I’m certainly not convinced, are you?
Promising young football players all around the world look to the game’s elite for inspiration. But, according to Queen Margaret Academy pupil Brendan McGivern, 15, the behaviour of the professionals leaves a lot to be desired.
A TESTING TIMEtag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4302008-04-19T19:39:31Z2008-04-19T19:40:11Zin error or a lapse in concentration + a violation = a crash. Maths may not be your strong point but, according to Michael McDonnell, director of Road Safety Scotland, this is one of the simplest and most important equations...
in error or a lapse in concentration + a violation = a crash.
Maths may not be your strong point but, according to Michael McDonnell, director of Road Safety Scotland, this is one of the simplest and most important equations to remember. It could even save your life.
To simplify, an error is a mistake behind the wheel, while a violation is anything that breaks the law, like speeding or not wearing your seat belt. The outcome needs no explanation.
This equation is relevant to all drivers, but the shocking number of accidents involving young people means it is something that less experienced motorists can’t afford to ignore.
One in five new drivers in Scotland is likely to crash in their first year of driving. In the first half of 2007, one in three fatal accidents on Scotland’s roads involved someone under the age of 25.
“Young people base things on the principle that it will never happen to them,” says Michael. “But if you pick up the paper on a Monday morning or look at the stats, it does happen to young people every day.”
Michael and his team have been behind a series of high-profile campaigns highlighting the dangers on our roads. Much of their work has been based on the findings of driver behaviour psychologists and neuroscientists.
“They have told us that the part of the brain that may assist in keeping young people out of danger is not fully developed until the mid-20s,” adds Michael. “This, coupled with the fact they are novice drivers, can often prove a lethal combination.”
The scientists’ research has also found a new driver requires about 1000 miles of solo driving – with no-one to help them spot hazards or make decisions – to gain the experience that will set them up for the rest of their driving lives.
Michael adds: “We have to cotton wool people through that first 1000 miles, hope they do have experiences where they know they were lucky to get away from something, but not actually become involved in a crash.
“This is a particularly dangerous time, not because they are not skilful – they have this thought that their skills and quick reactions will get them out of any trouble – but the unfortunate thing is we can’t predict what other people will do on the roads.
“There are two things young drivers should do: one is slow down a bit and the other is always wear a seat belt. If we can achieve that, the number of young lives we could save and the number of serious injuries we could prevent would be incredible.”
One person on the way to her first 1000 miles behind the wheel is 18-year-old Gillian Whyte. The accountancy student cast off her L-plates last September and since then has been clocking up the miles in her Mini Cooper.
“I’m pretty lazy so I even drive to the station, which is about five minutes from my house,” says Gillian. “I had quite a few lessons before I sat the test – about 40. I meant to do the advanced driving test too but because of university and my part-time job I’ve just not had the chance.”
So has her time behind the wheel been bump-free? “Almost. Technically I drove into my neighbour’s car but it wasn’t a massive crash, I just kind of dented his door.
“I was taking my dad to Paisley but I wasn’t really happy about going out as it was really icy. My dad told me to put water on the windows but the whole back window iced up and I didn’t realise my neighbour’s car was out till I heard this crunching noise. He wasn’t actually that bothered, as my mum had done the same thing years ago. And I blamed my dad for his advice.”
Gillian does admit to having a few bad habits, but insists she is a very careful driver.
“My instructor was an ex-policeman and was really focused on safety. He had first-hand experience of crashes and made me very aware of potential hazards.
“If I was an unsafe driver I might be more worried about crashing but I keep to the speed limit and drive carefully. Someone else’s stupidity could cause me to crash but if I thought about that non-stop then I probably would be too scared to go out on the road.”
When it comes to stupidity on the roads, 27-year-old Colin Halliday still has vivid memories of a moment of madness in 2002 which set him back years.
“I was car-daft,” says Colin, who passed his test after just 12 lessons. “I was desperate for the day I could get my licence and have some freedom. I loved car racing on the telly, looking at cars on the road and I just thought it was cool to have a car. I had friends who had passed so that spurred me on even more.”
At 18, he experienced his first accident when another driver took the front bumper right off his dad’s car as he edged out to see beyond a parked van. But it was an incident of his own making that he deeply regrets.
Colin explains: “I was on the M74 at half 11 at night, with just me and my girlfriend in the car. There were no cars on the road and the conditions were dry so I decided to see how fast my car could go.”
Clocked by police doing 143mph – more than double the speed limit – Colin was banned for a year and a half and fined £1000.
“From the moment the police stopped me I knew my licence was gone. I had to sell the car which meant a £4000 debt, but it was my job too. I was working as a maintenance engineer quite far from my home so I needed to drive there. My dad had to run me to make sure I still had a job but they made me redundant.
“It actually affected me more when I got my licence back. I couldn’t get jobs because I had dangerous driving printed on my licence. And there was the insurance cost too. I’ll never put the foot down again as I know it will be a jail sentence, or worse, I could kill someone.”
In 2006, 109 male drivers aged 16-19 were killed or seriously injured, and Sergeant Mark Gillespie, who heads Strathclyde Police’s Road Safety Unit, has first-hand experience of such tragedies. He says: “I’ve been at the scene of many crashes where young people have died and having to deal with relatives is heartbreaking. It is such a tragic waste of life.”
Sergeant Gillespie and his three-man team are set to launch a young driver safety initiative in June called Drive 4 Safety, which will include visits to secondary schools and to employers with large numbers of young people working for them, and will even look at educating parents.
“Parents have a real role to play in forming their children’s attitudes towards driving,” he says. “Even from as young as eight or nine, children see how their parents drive. Research has shown that if the parents have poor attitudes to driving then the likelihood is that their children may adopt the same attitudes.
“While parents can have influence, it’s still up to young drivers and their passengers to be responsible. Everyone should wear seat belts and passengers should have the guts to tell the driver to slow down and speak up if they feel in danger.
“If not, there could be serious consequences, whether it is being involved in a crash which results in death or serious injury or being stopped for committing road traffic offences. You pay a fortune to pass a test and get out on the road but it can quite literally be gone in a flash if you are caught speeding.”
Before you get in the car, remember...
Seat belts
Around 2000 lives every year are saved by front seat belts so it is well worth buckling up. And it’s just as important to belt up in the back too. In a crash at 30mph, if you are not wearing your seat belt in the back, you will hit the front seat, and anyone in it, with a force of between 30 and 60 times your own body weight – the equivalent of a baby elephant.
Mobile Phones
It is handy to have a mobile in your car in case of emergencies, but calls and texts can be a lethal distraction. Your phone doesn’t even have to be switched on to be breaking the law, as it relates to holding it, and the offence carries a fine and three penalty points which, as a new driver, puts you half-way towards being a learner again.
Drink and Drugs
Drink and drugs slow reaction times and make it easier for you to make bad decisions. A drink or drug-driving conviction brings an automatic 12-month ban, a hefty fine and a criminal record for at least 20 years. Be careful with prescription and over-the-counter medicines too, as impairment through these can carry the same penalty, so check with your doctor or pharmacist.
The Passenger
Friends are meant to look out for each other. Don’t let them disrespect you by putting your life at risk. Nobody wants to be the spoilsport, but having the guts to speak up will gain you more respect than letting someone gamble with your life. And make sure you buckle up.
IN THEORY
DESPITE what teachers might have you believe, passing a school exam is not a matter of life and death, but passing your driving theory test ultimately could be. On average, 5000 young people in Scotland pass their practical driving tests every month and it is vital to be clued up on the Highway Code before you get behind the wheel. Try a few sample questions to see whether you’re steering in the right direction:
1. You are driving behind a large goods vehicle which signals left but starts to turn right. What should you do?
a) Slow down and let the vehicle turn.
b) Overtake on the right of it.
c) Drive on, keeping to the left.
d) Hold your speed and sound your horn.
2. This traffic signal means ... (50 circle sign)
a) A compulsory maximum speed limit.
b) A compulsory minimum speed limit.
c) An advisory maximum speed limit.
d) An advisory stopping distance.
3. When can you use your hazard warning lights when driving?
a) Instead of sounding your horn in a built-up area between 11.30pm
and 7am.
b) On rural routes, after a warning sign of animals.
c) On a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway to warn of a hazard ahead.
d) On the approach to a toucan crossing where cyclists are waiting to cross.
4. As a provisional licence-holder, you should not drive a car ...
a) Over 30mph.
b) On the motorway.
c) At night.
d) With passengers in the rear seats.
5. How will a school crossing patrol signal you to stop?
a) By pointing to children on the opposite pavement.
b) By displaying a stop sign.
c) By displaying a red light.
d) By giving you an arm signal.
6. You are waiting at a T-junction. A vehicle is coming from the right with the left signal flashing. What should you do?
a) Move out and accelerate hard.
b) Pull out before the vehicle reaches the junction.
c) Wait until the vehicle starts to turn.
d) Move out slowly.
7. You are about to go down a steep hill. How do you best control the speed of your vehicle?
a) Select a high gear and use the brakes carefully.
b) Select a low gear and use the brakes carefully.
c) Select a high gear and use the brakes firmly.
d) Select a low gear and avoid using the brakes.
8. You are driving in town. Ahead of you is a bus at a bus stop. Which two should you do?
a) Be prepared to give way if the bus suddenly moves off.
b) Watch carefully for the sudden approach of pedestrians.
c) Continue at the same speed but sound your horn as a warning.
d) Pass the bus as quickly as you possibly can.
9. You are at the front of a queue of traffic waiting to turn right into a side street. Why is it important to check your right mirror just before turning?
a) To look for pedestrians about to cross.
b) To make sure the side road is clear.
c) To check for overtaking vehicles.
d) To check for emerging traffic.
10. What style of driving causes increased risk to everyone?
a) Considerate.
b) Competitive.
c) Defensive.
500.
Responsible.
Answers:
1 a), 2 a), 3 c), 4 b), 5 b), 6 c), 7 b), 8 a) and b),
9 c), 10 b).]]>
Passing your test and getting behind the wheel opens up a whole world of freedom – and danger. So how can new drivers stay safe? David Christie finds out
A BRIEF ENCOUNTER WITH DELAYStag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4292008-04-19T19:38:36Z2008-04-19T19:39:09Z“WE don’t get travel sick and it helps that we’re in quite a plush little van,” croaks Delays frontman Greg Gilbert as he and his three bandmates head into another valley in the direction of Wales. “Apparently the van was...
“WE don’t get travel sick and it helps that we’re in quite a plush little van,” croaks Delays frontman Greg Gilbert as he and his three bandmates head into another valley in the direction of Wales.
“Apparently the van was Duffy’s so it’s got nice trim, a lacy finish and a few Dusty Springfield DVDs,” he adds.
The signal is crackly as Greg talks to fresh en route to the next location on the Delays’ whistle-stop radio station tour. While they may be geographically “in the middle of nowhere”, musically the band are very much somewhere.
After a troubled time which saw them split from their record label, suffer nervous exhaustion, go through relationship break-ups and deal with health problems, Delays are back on the road to promote their new album, Everything’s The Rush. And when you hear what the lads from Southampton have coming up, never has an album been more fittingly named.
“We’ve been sitting on the album for a while, waiting till it was exactly right but now it’s like a dam that’s just gone – the diary is getting chock–a-block. We’ve done two or three TV shows, we’ve got a tour coming up, another video to do and then festivals to play.
“It’s a busy time but it was the same when we put the album together. We went to Spain and recorded a track a day, making it up on the spot – it was totally psychedelic. Our producer was a guy called Youth and he was pogo-ing about as we played so we felt it was going well.”
Everything’s The Rush is full of upbeat, happy singalong songs, none more so than the first single to be released, Hooray. So it’s surprising to discover it is all about how obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a form of anxiety where a person is driven to repetitive behaviour, was ruining Greg’s life.
He says: “It was taking me hours and hours to go to bed and I was having to go outside and pick up litter, otherwise I couldn’t sleep. It was miserable and, from starting off as a superstition, it became controlling.
“I felt if I didn’t do it then everything would go wrong. I’d tell myself I was over it, then I’d be back downstairs again. I became reclusive and didn’t want to go out. It drove me mad.”
After years of OCD dominating his life, he visited a doctor who cured him within an hour. “It is weird, a defining part of my life is gone so Hooray is just about rediscovering myself before I had all the mud getting in my brain.”
With his brother Aaron also in Delays (keyboard and vocals) there is someone close to help jog his memory of his past. But today Greg, now 30, is having no trouble recalling being a teenager, when he was desperate to be a footballer, playing in Portsmouth’s youth set-up.
“I just loved it,” says Greg. “It was my life and George Best was my hero. There was something about his arrogance and confidence I wanted. But I was the sort of guy who’d have been happy to sit in a corner reading a book or drawing, so I didn’t fit in with the other players.
“We were having games choosing apprentices and I threw my kit at the manager and walked out. That was where I took control of my life. I realised you don’t have to answer to anybody and the adults around you are just kids as well, only older.”
And it was a bunch of big kids who inspired Greg to give up on football and pursue music. He says: “I remember having this book about the Beatles and staring at pictures of these bearded Scousers with these mad songs floating about. From then on, it wasn’t about the lifestyle or becoming a good musician, it was about writing songs. Discovering music was completely liberating for me.”
The single Hooray is released on April 28, album Everything’s The Rush is released on May 5. The band will play Glasgow ABC on May 13.
Frontman Greg Gilbert tells fresh he’s in a rush to make up for lost time
BOLLYWOOD – STEPPING TO ITtag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4282008-04-19T19:37:43Z2008-04-19T19:38:14ZTHERE isn’t a month goes by when celebrities from cricket stars to news readers and soap stars haven’t been showing us that the medium of dance can be cool. Next month, however, Scotland will be treated to a spectacular outdoor...
BOLLYWOOD BITES
Bollywood may not have a humongous sign at the top of a hill, but the Indian film industry is every bit as razzmatazz as its Hollywood counterpart. Based in Mumbai, its films commonly weave catchy dance numbers and music into the script. In fact, often a film’s box office success hinges on the quality of its music.
The highest grossing Bollywood film of all time is Om Shanti Om, raked in 86,50,00,000 Indian rupees – or £10,959,602. The most expensive film ever is likely to be the epic Mahabharata, being filmed this year and expected to cost up to £30m.
Thanks to Big Brother, Shilpa Shetty may well be the best known star over here, but there are plenty of big names, none more so than keen vest wearer Hrithik Roshan and the sassy Aishwarya Rai.
With heaps of melodrama and a heady cocktail of star-crossed lovers and angry parents, the films have mass appeal. The dancing is modelled on classical Indian and folk dances. But in recent years, there has been a noticeable impact of western culture with the likes of Britney Spears, right, providing the impetus for alternative moves.
And don’t forget the emergence of the puckered lips. That’s right, kissing is now well and truly on the cards, having been previously considered taboo.]]>
Abigail Wild checks out a Bolly good show which is heading for Scotland
CLASS ACTtag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4272008-04-19T19:36:46Z2008-04-19T19:37:16ZMOST teenagers spend a lot of time in their beds. So maybe it shouldn’t be such a surprise that 19-year-old actor Anton Yelchin is in his scratcher when I phone his house in LA. But at least he has a...
MOST teenagers spend a lot of time in their beds. So maybe it shouldn’t be such a surprise that 19-year-old actor Anton Yelchin is in his scratcher when I phone his house in LA. But at least he has a valid excuse. “I got in at 2am last night from New York and it’s only about 11am here,” he says apologetically. “So I’m still in my bed.”
It’s difficult to begrudge him a lie-down; Yelchin has been a hard-working film and TV actor since the age of 11, where he got his first big break playing opposite Anthony Hopkins in Hearts Of Atlantis. Since then, he’s guest-starred in practically every popular American TV cop show on the box, from Without A Trace to Criminal Minds.
In the past two years, though, Yelchin’s career has jumped to warp speed. He’s just wrapped filming on the hugely anticipated new Star Trek movie, and will also play a key character in the new Terminator feature film. But before all that, we’ll see him in the title role of Charlie Bartlett, a whip-smart comedy drama about a rich kid who’s kicked out of so many private schools he ends up trying to fit in at a normal American high. And at first, his classmates don’t take too kindly to his smart blazer and chauffeur-driven limo.
We’ve seen lots of high school heroes down the years, from angry rebels to goofy pranksters. What’s different about Charlie is that instead of wisecracking his way into and out of trouble, he seems to genuinely want to help people, including the bully who beats him up on his first day and the principal – played by Robert Downey Jr – who’s suspicious of the moneyed newcomer.
“Charlie’s grown up having to take care of himself,” says Yelchin. “His mother’s sort of out of it and his father’s not there. And as opposed to most people who have to parent themselves, he’s actually really good at it. But I think his desire to help people also stems from his desire to have attention … that’s his whole thing. It’s just as important for him to help these kids as it is for them to be listening to him, be attentive to him.”
By presenting the problems of his classmates to various different psychiatrists, Charlie is able to glean professional advice and also access prescription drugs, which he then distributes at school. When the film was being made, was there any friction over the fact that Charlie is essentially a drug dealer (albeit one dispensing the same drugs “difficult” pupils would probably be prescribed anyway)?
“It wasn’t really an issue because that was the point of the whole movie,” says Yelchin. “We tried to approach it in a mild-mannered way. He stops selling them anyway when he realises he’s in over his head.”
So should we be approaching the problems of schoolkids in a different way, or just accept that it’s part of growing up? “It’s a difficult environment to be in. You don’t really have your stuff together. There are so many people who are insecure and don’t know what they want yet and we’re putting them all together for years, every day of the week! Sometimes it’s like they learn bad things from each other.”
Does that tally with Yelchin’s own experience of going to school, or was it different because he was away filming a lot of the time?
“I would come and go,” he says. “But I remember I was really awkward when I was 15. I was introverted and didn’t really know how to carry myself or conduct myself. Most of my extroverted stuff came out on set. That’s how I released whatever I was thinking or feeling.”
Charlie Bartlett proves that Yelchin can carry an independent movie himself, but with Star Trek and Terminator he’s entered the world of blockbusters in a big way. Unfortunately, not revealing plot details of these massive movies is now part of his job.
“Big-budget movies are just a lot of fun to do because you get to do things that you would only have done when you were five,” he says.
The Star Trek movie is a prequel to the original TV series which will show Kirk, Spock and the original Enterprise crew meeting up for the first time. Yelchin can at least talk about his character, the dashing, Russian-born navigator Pavel Chekhov. The burning question, of course, is: does he do the voice? (Chekhov famously pronounced “captain” as “kiptin”.)
“Yeah, of course I do the accent!” says Yelchin. “I watched a lot of the old show to get the Chekhov I wanted.” The two do have something in common: though he moved to the USA with his parents when he was six months old, Yelchin was born in Leningrad, the Russian port that was renamed St Petersburg in 1991. Chekhov is apparently from the same neck of the woods.
“I have a Star Trek encyclopedia which references old episodes and tells you exactly where each character is from. There’s one episode where Chekhov mentions that his grandmother was born in a little town outside of Leningrad. Which is weird, because that city doesn’t even exist any more …”
Yelchin was in New York working on a short film with Brett Ratner, the director of X-Men 3. Now that he’s getting used to blockbusters, did he lobby Ratner for a part in the next mutant movie? Or have all the best superheroes already been bagged by other actors?
“Yeah, it would be great … they’re making a Justice League movie, so there’s still a lot going on. It seems like there are as many superheroes as there are normal people in the world. There are tons of them if you go back to the original comics.”
So is there a hero he would particularly like to bring to the screen? Yelchin hesitates, as if I’ve asked him how the new Star Trek movie ends.
“The Flash is a great character,” he says slowly, talking about the DC Comics hero billed as “the fastest man alive”. But that’s all he’ll say on the subject. Perhaps his real superpower is keeping secrets safe …
Charlie Bartlett is released on May 9
Teenage actor Anton Yelchin is certainly not wasting his youth. He has already starred alongside Anthony Hopkins, Bruce Willis and even Justin Timberlake. But busy actors can be caught napping, discovers Graeme Virtue
NICE SHOT!!! A conversational guide to online gamingtag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4262008-04-19T19:35:15Z2008-04-19T19:36:16ZTRUE story. A friend of a friend was playing alien invasion shoot-em-up Resistance: Fall Of Man online for the first time on his PlayStation 3. The game has some pretty nifty weapons, including one where you fire a special bullet...
GAMES REVIEWS
SEGA SUPERSTARS TENNIS
Format: Nintendo DS (version reviewed)
Price: £29.99
After limbering up in Mario And Sonic At The Olympic Games, Sega’s famous blue hedgehog branches out into standalone sports sims with this stuffed tennis game. With 16 unlockable characters from classic Sega titles, 10 different themed arenas and authentic music, it should be a sparkling package. It certainly looks great, with vivid graphics and smooth animation; cheeky players like Aiai from Super Monkey Ball bring a sense of fun. The only problem is, the actual tennis mechanic isn’t very good: the choice of shots is too limited, and since every player has a “special move” they can charge up, matches can be a little lop-sided. You’ll keep playing to unlock all the minigames – including a version of shoot-em-up Virtua Cop using tennis balls – but it’s more of a tribute to Sega’s history than a proper game.
Good bits: Imaginative use of Sega mascots, music and games.
Bad bits: The actual tennis isn’t sophisticated enough.
Overall: HHH
GRAN TURISMO 5 PROLOGUE
Format: PS3
Price: £24.99
Since it was released, the name of this game has already been changed to Gran Turismo Prologue 5 Spec II after a downloadable update that added a couple of extra cars and fixed some technical issues. It’s still not the full Gran Turismo 5 experience – we’ll have to wait until next year for that – but it features over 70 cars, six tracks and online racing for up to 16 players. If you’re new to the series, it’s basically the opposite of Burnout Paradise – instead of smashing cars around the tarmac, you must learn driving skill and discipline starting in underpowered cars before slowly building up to the mean machines. No matter how much you jostle other players, the cars remain undamaged but once you’ve got used to the realistic driving sensibility, it’s incredibly absorbing, even if all the menu screens feature lift-music jazz.
Good bits: For a budget-price game, it oozes quality.
Bad bits: Leaves you yearning for the full game.
Overall: HHHH]]>
It’s big, it’s clever and it’s full of banter but as Graeme Virtue discovered, online gaming means more chance of seeing two words – GAME OVER
DREAM LANDtag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4252008-04-19T19:32:31Z2008-04-19T19:34:13ZIMAGINE spending years slogging your guts out on your dad’s farm – with no idea about crops or any inclination to find out. Then, all of a sudden, a name pops into your head and before you know it you’ve...
IMAGINE spending years slogging your guts out on your dad’s farm – with no idea about crops or any inclination to find out. Then, all of a sudden, a name pops into your head and before you know it you’ve written a best-selling novel, sold the movie rights to the guys who make the Harry Potter films, and made pots of cash in the process.
Well that’s exactly what happened to Dubliner Derek Landy, whose unorthodox idea to write about the adventures of a smartly dressed skeleton detective called Skulduggery Pleasant has completely changed his life.
“I don’t know how or what I was thinking about beforehand,” Derek says. “The name just appeared and with that the character came.
“It was startling, it has never happened before and unfortunately it hasn’t happened since, but it was genuinely like he arrived fully formed. If the name hadn’t popped into my head I’d still be working part-time on the farm.
“I was out there for six years, eight hours a day, in the rain and mud and freezing cold. While I was working away, my mind would be free to think about plots then when I got back in at night I’d write really fast to remember it all.”
Like anyone who has had a life-changing experience, Derek’s gone a little crazy; and he’s channelled this into shopping on eBay.
“I love movies and all the paraphernalia that goes with it,” he explains. “When I eventually got some money in, it was a chance to surround myself with everything I adore. I’ve always had two holy grails when it comes to movie memorabilia and in the past year I’ve managed to snag both.
“The first one was an original pulse rifle from Aliens – it is absolutely fantastic. And I’ve been a lifelong Superman fan so I now have hanging up in my new house an original cape worn by Christopher Reeve in the first two movies.”
Derek has already been inundated with friends coming round to see his purchases and, so far, no-one has been disappointed. “My house is decorated with original movie posters as well as all the toys,” he adds. “I was showing a friend around and he stopped in the middle of the room and said ‘yep, this is indeed the silliest house I have ever been in’.”
Silly or not, Derek has moved into his dream home just outside Dublin, where he’s surrounded by tranquillity and a short walk from the beach. Here he has completed Skulduggery Pleasant Playing With Fire, the second book in what he hopes will be a nine-book series. And he is just about to start editing the third.
But his flow could soon be interrupted when the bright lights of Hollywood come calling. Having sold the rights to Warner Pictures, he has already written a draft of the film version, and started dreaming of his preferred cast list.
Derek says: “Things are proceeding well, we have a director – I can’t tell you who but he or she has made two or three well-known films. It might be made as soon as the end of this year, but then again it could be 2010 or even never.
“I am, however, cautiously optimistic. This is the really fun time of everybody having a wish list. The producer, director and myself, everyone seems to want Johnny Depp as Skulduggery. I’d say it would be a cross between him and Liam Neeson.”
Derek’s list also includes Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron and Jessica Biel, while the part of Skulduggery’s 12-year-old sidekick Stephanie “would be one of those big nationwide casting thingies. On the Skulduggery website, I get emails all the time asking if they’re having auditions yet.”
While Skulduggery has an inherently dark element, set in modern-day Dublin but with a hidden underworld of evil killers, Derek also enjoys delving deeper into the world of horror.
Having grown up devouring books by the likes of Stephen King and watching every Hammer horror he could find, Derek has since written several horror film scripts including Boy Eats Girl, a flesh-craving zombie creation starring none other than Samantha Mumba.
What is it he loves about the horror genre?
“Horror is so much fun,” he laughs. “People say it’s cathartic as you watch them and get scared but you know that no matter how bad it gets, at the end of the 100 minutes you’ll be walking out the cinema or turning off the DVD and it will be the real world again.
“And people like to be scared. It’s perverse and warped that we would actually subject ourselves to extreme, uncomfortable emotions and reactions but as a species we are inherently warped so horror kind of suits us.”
But don’t get him started on Paris Hilton and the Scary Movie brigade. “I don’t watch them because they are not funny at all. In the 1970s, spoofs were funny but not now. And every spoof these days has something about Paris Hilton, who it’s fair to say I am not a fan of. Whenever a film is spoofed you know it is time to move on.”
For now, Derek has to end his chat with fresh and head off for some book-signing sessions, but we couldn’t let him escape without finding out what he will be spending his cash on next.
“I need to buy a few shelves but other than that I’ve reached a plateau,” he laughs. “But I’m sure by the end of the year I’ll be scaling another height of ridiculous memorabilia and movie props.”
Skulduggery Pleasant author Derek Landy tells David Christie why he loves horror, Hollywood and eBay
WHAT'S THE SCORE?tag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4242008-04-19T19:29:01Z2008-04-19T19:31:47ZLET’S start with the good news: in the last eight years, fewer and fewer young people have reported being offered drugs, while more and more teenagers say they know where to turn to get the important information they need about...
My first experience of drugs
Brandon: I first heard about drugs at school when we had a class about them. No-one at school really talks about them as they don’t fancy them. I found out my uncle used to take them but I never knew till I talked to my dad about it. My uncle looks very ill and he is so unfit, I don’t want to turn out like him.
David: I was 19 when I first came into contact with drugs, which I know is quite old. I went back to a party with a crowd of guys I played football with and they were all smoking cannabis. A year or two later, when we started hitting clubs, I came across lots of other drugs like ecstasy, speed, charlie – they were rife.
My knowledge of drugs
Brandon: The worst drugs are heroin and cocaine because when you use them for a short time you get chest pains, you get depressed and very tired. And you get lung damage and breathing problems. I also know how long you can go to jail for: seven years for having a Class A drug and for dealing it you could get life.
David: When I was growing up, my dad would say: “drugs are bad, don’t take them”, but I didn’t know much else. I think I’d seen a film with someone injecting themselves so I always associated drugs with that. I didn’t even know there were other ways you could take them – 90% of my learning has come from the Know the Score Parent Guide. There are so many different drugs and ways people take them. Brandon had seen a lot of what is in the book already so he knows much more about the consequences than I did.
My fears about drugs
David: You don’t have to be on drugs for 10 years before you are going to get affected by something. Straight away, Brandon could take his first bit of speed, first cannabis joint, first ecstasy tablet and could be damaged for life or even killed. That’s my first fear. My second is that he takes them and nothing happens to him, then he keeps on taking them because of the high. To find out my son is stuck wasting his money on stuff I know will not make him any happier is a horrible thought.
Brandon: I really don’t fear drugs, I don’t think I ever need them or want to take them. I just don’t know why other people would want to take them because it just makes you happy for that wee while, then it makes you more depressed and it damages you.
My conversations about drugs
Brandon: I felt OK talking about them with my dad. I asked him because I had seen my uncle with something but didn’t know what. I asked my dad and he told me, then we read the information book together. It has helped me understand that drugs hurt you more than they help you. Nobody has ever offered me drugs so I don’t know how I’d cope but I know I’d feel a bit sick knowing what they can do to you.
David: I didn’t even go there with my mum; if I’d asked she’d have taken it to mean I was taking them. But the problem with that is if someone tells you: “take this drug and you’ll get a high”, without the knowledge you might think it’s a great gamble. It was such a relief to talk about it with Brandon. Now, when we are watching TV, he is so disgusted whenever drugs appear. I couldn’t be any more pleased or proud as I really believe he has the knowledge I never had.
My message about drugs
David: People take drugs because they don’t really know what they will do to them. If you know you’ll get a high then feel awful for days or maybe even die, would you still want to take it?
Brandon: I would tell anyone thinking about taking any about all the effects. And talk to your parents, it’s worth it.
For information and advice on drugs for young people and their parents, call Know the Score’s free, confidential 24-hour helpline on 0800 587 587 9 or visit www.knowthescore.info
fresh facts
l Cannabis comes as a solid lump (resin), stalks and leaves (grass) or a sticky dark oil. Users may feel relaxed and more aware of sounds and colours, but it can lead to paranoia and breathing problems.
l Cocaine is also known as charlie, coke or snow. The white powder acts quickly and lasts for about half an hour, making people feel confident and alert. Crack is a stronger version of cocaine. Both lead to tension and anxiety, and if used frequently could bring on a heart attack or stroke.
l Amphetamines are also known as speed or whizz and usually come in a white powder.
l Highly addictive heroin is a Class A drug. It slows the brain, heart rate and breathing. Overdose is a serious risk, leading to coma or death, while injecting can damage veins and sharing needles could lead to HIV.
l Ecstasy is also a Class A drug, and users could face up to seven years in jail for possession. Taking the tablets can lead to dehydration and users feel tired and depressed afterwards. Long-term, it can lead to brain damage.
l Magic mushrooms provoke a trip similar to LSD. Users run the risk of stomach pains or poisoning if they pick the wrong mushroom.
DRUGS ABS: HOW DO YOU SCORE?
1. Which of the following drugs falls into the hallucinogen category?
A – Paracetamol
B – Enchanted Edam
C – Magic mushrooms
2. Which of these is a Class A drug?
A – Echinacea
B – Vitamin E
C – Heroin
3. By what other name is amphetamine commonly known by?
A – Fast
B – Douglas
C – Speed
4. Which group of drugs does cocaine belong to?
A – Vegetables
B – Minerals
C – Stimulants
5. What class of drug is ecstasy in?
A – Science
B – X
C – A
6. Which household item is a common name for cannabis?
A – Pillow
B – Cupboard
C – Soap bar
7. The hallucinogen LSD is also commonly known as:
A – Alkaline
B – Apples
C – Acid
8. What colour is cocaine?
A – Green
B – Brown
C – White
If you answered mostly A or B: Your knowledge about drugs is limited, but Know the Score can help you find out more. Call their free helpline (above) to speak to trained advisers in confidence or visit the Know the Score website. A guide, titled What Every Parent Should Know, is available through the helpline.
If you answered mostly C:
You have a good basic knowledge, but for more help and advice on speaking to your children about drugs call the Know the Score helpline on 0800 587 587 9 and speak to trained advisers or visit the website at
www.knowthescore.info]]>
When it comes to drugs, it’s good to talk – just ask the McBeath family
THE RIGHT STUFFtag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4232008-04-19T19:23:26Z2008-04-19T19:24:21ZIT’S August. The exam results are in and you’ve narrowly missed out on getting into the university course of your choice. You’ve heard rumours that other people with similar grades have been accepted on to the course, so why haven’t...
FOI 101
l Decide what kind of information you are looking for; personal, environmental etc
l Find out who to ask for the information. You can ask to see information from all Scottish public authorities or office-holders listed in the Act.
l Decide what information you would like. The public authority will help you here.
l Make your request in writing or in any form that can be kept for future use, like an audio recording or email.
l Your request should be dealt with for free. However, if it costs more than £100, you can be charged 10% of the cost.
l In most cases you should receive a reply within 20 working days.
]]>
It’s rubbish when you don’t get answers to your questions, especially from politicians. But what if you could make them tell the truth? Jamie Lafferty investigates freedom of information
HANGING TOUGHtag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4222008-04-19T19:20:53Z2008-04-19T19:22:42ZHow did you get into climbing? When I was 12 I went to a mate’s party at Glasgow Climbing Centre. I got hooked so mum went on a climbing course that let me climb more often. She’s an OK climber...
upwardly mobile: best of the rest
Robert Mackenzie
Lives: Inverness
Age: 16
2006 British Lead Climbing Champion, 15th at the 2006 World Youth Championships and 8th at the European Championships. Outdoors, climbs to E5 level and is reported to have made first ascents in the Scottish islands with his father. Considered to be one of Scotland’s most impressive young climbers.
Natalie Berry
Lives: Glasgow (born Liverpool).
Age: 16
Current member of the British Junior Climbing Team. Came 4th at the
2006 World Youth Championships
and 3rd at the 2006 and 2007 European Youth Championships.
The McofS rates her as one of the most outstanding young female competitive climbers at UK level.
Ross Kirkland
Lives: Edinburgh
Age: 16
Selected as Aspirant British Team member for 2007/8. The 2007 Scottish Youth Champion and 3rd in the MCofS Youth Climbing Series.
Upcoming events:
2008 MCofS Scottish Youth Championship (May 31, Aviemore).
2008 British Youth Championships Final (June 28, Ratho, Edinburgh).
Links:
www.mcofs.org.uk (Mountaineering Council of Scotland)
www.thebmc.co.uk (The British Mountaineering Council)]]>
15-year-old Jonathan Stocking has a talent for hanging around – very high places!
Record Takerstag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4192008-03-15T20:38:41Z2008-03-15T20:45:03ZVIDEO games have always inspired rivalry. Whether it’s trying to beat your best friend at Street Fighter II or jostling for a rocking score on Guitar Hero, competitiveness is at the very heart of playing. Since the early days of...
www.guinness
worldrecords.com/gamers)
]]>
The new Guinness World Records book on gaming puts Graeme Virtue in his place.
Wave Power tag:sundayheraldsalon.com,2008:/salon//8.4212008-03-15T19:50:13Z2008-03-15T20:37:23ZGlasgow-born, you now train in Nottingham. What’s wrong with Scottish water? There’s Grandtully [Perthshire], with the poles [slalom gates] suspended above the river, but it’s not technically demanding enough for world-class slalom training. The majority of top events are held...
Glasgow-born, you now train in Nottingham. What’s wrong with Scottish water?
There’s Grandtully [Perthshire], with the poles [slalom gates] suspended above the river, but it’s not technically demanding enough for world-class slalom training. The majority of top events are held on white water – or rapids – poured down purpose-built cement channels and the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham is the best such training facility in the UK.
How did you become a canoe slalom athlete?
The first time I got into a canoe was at the age of eight on Airthrey Loch in Stirling. It was on a council-run course during the summer holidays. The next year I took a more advanced course and then, when I was 11, I joined the local canoe slalom club, CR Cats. I was no childhood superstar. I won the Scottish Junior Championships at the age of 16 but it was only a year before the 2004 Olympics that I thought myself capable of winning an Olympic medal.
Do you ever get recognised in the street?
No. Even if someone does point me out as that bloke who won silver at the 2004 Olympics they say: “He can’t be, he’s too small!” (Campbell is 5ft 8in tall).
When are your GB Olympic trials?
Our trials take place over three races next month. The first two are in Holland, followed by a final race in Nottingham. All three results will count towards selection for the one available place. I am the highest-ranked British paddler in the world and I will be disappointed if I don’t get the qualifying spot for Beijing. But it won’t be easy and I’ll need to earn it.
Will you go for gold in Beijing wearing your Saltire helmet?
I’ll win gold if I perform to the best of my ability. I’m not allowed to wear my Saltire helmet at the Games. Mind you, I wasn’t allowed the last time either. But I did!
Describe a typical course and what’s the toughest part of canoe slalom?
It’s usually about 250 metres long with white water rapids. Competitors must paddle through anything between 18 and 25 gates. There’s a two-second time penalty if you hit a gate and 50 seconds if you miss one! Competitions are decided over two runs. You need skill, mental toughness and physical power. The toughest part is putting those together to perform well consistently. A lot of guys can do one good fast run but only a handful are fast in every run of every competition. I consider myself to be one of them.
How do you juggle work with keeping in shape?
I’m a full-time athlete, supported by what’s called the Olympic Podium Programme through UK Sport. I’ve also been on the Scottish Institute of Sport programme since 2003. I live off my Lottery funding of around £25,000 per year, with things like training camps paid for by the British Canoe Union. I train about 10-12 times per week, mostly in the canoe but also several times a week in the weights room. I’m lucky that my training is very varied and often fun as opposed to being miserably hard. I don’t run or cycle because that won’t help me canoe faster.
Ever get scared of paddling in the white water?
I don’t get scared anymore. Well, maybe a little apprehensive! But when I was younger, the thought of going into the white water really got my adrenaline going.
Is it true your favourite food and drink is chip butties and Irn-Bru?
Well, they are some of my favourites but I don’t have chip butties very often. Mind you, I do still drink Irn-Bru. I suppose it’s my Scottishness! Overall, I don’t follow a very strict diet, just try to keep it healthy.
I hear you like to design websites.
Yes, I’ve designed a few, including my own, www.campbellwalsh.com. I like the technical side of it. I did pretty geeky degrees (he has a first-class degree in mathematical physics and a postgraduate diploma in IT). When I’m at training camps, working on the web helps take my mind off paddling for a while.
Is it true you’d like to work for Nasa and be an astronaut?
I don’t think they’d have me but it would be pretty cool. If I hadn’t paddled I’d have probably gone down the academic career path. It would be good to be an astronaut. I’m just waiting for Richard Branson to bring down the price of space travel before I go!
Who are your role models?
I read a lot of sports biographies and admire anyone who has become the best in their sport. John McEnroe had a reputation for his temper on the tennis court but for several years he was also the world number one! I’ve also got a lot of admiration for American sprinter Michael Johnson, who broke the 200m world record by a huge margin at the 1996 Olympics.
What tips can you offer aspiring young paddlers?
Get on to the white water as often as possible. There really is no substitute for practicing paddling round the slalom poles as fast as you can.
]]>
Campbell Walsh may be small in stature but, as the 30-year-old canoeing superstar tells
Colin Hutchison, the Scot has lofty ambitions for the Olympics – and outer space!
Tickets to RoAR with Scouting for Girls cannot be bought, but thanks to organisers Bauer Radio Events and One Scotland, you could be there simply by answering the question below:
Simply email your answer to the question below along with your name, address, daytime telephone number to marketing@sundayherald.com using ‘ROAR’ as the subject title.
Q: What does RoAR stand for?
