VultureHound - Issue 18 by VultureHound Magazine

ARCADE FIRE

PRO-WRESTLERS IN MOVIES

GLOW

VULTUREHOUND INTERVIEW

THE HUNNA

KAMIKAZE GIRLS

SPIDER-MAN D E T A R S M L I F

WRESTLING'S

LOW-KI

O T E T U B I R

AUGUST 2017 ISSUE 18

R E T S E H N C O T G N I N N BE 7 1 0 2 6 7 9 1

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PURE LYNCH

TWIN PEAKS

BLOCKBUSTERS: SPIDER-MAN + DUNKIRK REVIEWED

PHOTO: CHUCK ZLOTNICK

WELCOME FROM EDITOR W T

he news of Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington’s sudden passing shocked the world, and it’s with great sadness that we dedicate this issue to him. Also in this issue, following the release of Arcade Fire’s latest album ‘Everything Now’ we look back at all of their releases. We got the chance to chat with The Hunna and took the opportunity to ask who they’d snog, marry or avoid. We’re proper journalists, we are. Another year, another SpiderMan film. Find out what we thought of it in our review of Homecoming and where we think it belongs in the ranking of the web slinger’s moves, as we count them down from worst to best. All that and more reviews, interviews and features. Enjoy!

David Garlick (@davidgarlick)

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TWIN PEAKS

WORDS: OLIVER WHISKARD

S K A E P N I TW H C N Y L E R U P he return of Twin Peaks is perhaps the most exciting cultural event this year, and now that five whole hours have aired, I feel I have had enough time to get the feel of the new series and the promise it holds. David Lynch is indeed back, and more himself than ever. Everything that made the 90s series great has returned, with the addition of darker and deeper elements to its absurd, surrealist themes. We are in the middle of a television renaissance, with many shows owing a debt to the stylistic revolution created by Twin Peaks. The market is more crowded and more ambitious than it was in the 90s, with original concepts for the first time winning out over tried-and-tested formulas and genres, especially with streaming services like Netflix. If the original Twin Peaks were broadcast today, it would not create the shockwave that it did when it first aired. So how has Lynch competed? The simple answer is he has given us the most Lynchian possible version of himself and his sensibilities, completely raw and free from constraints. There are eerie silences, surreal images, idiosyncratic exchanges, multiple unexplained plot strands and adult content on the level of Blue Velvet. This is not simply a cursory gesture to fans of the old series, but instead is a bold re-affirmation of the themes and motifs which have pervaded his films; Twin Peaks is an eighteen-hour film to rival his best work.

The opening to the first episode is perfect. It’s blackand-white and starts with deathly silence. We are with Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLauchlan) and a dream figure, ‘The Giant’ (Carel Struycken), sitting with blank expressions in the Black Lodge, a spirit realm of red velvet curtains, dusty armchairs and disorientating zebra-patterned flooring. It seems they have been sitting there for the whole twenty-five years

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since we left them. Then, in that uncanny Lynchian reversed speech, the Giant asks Cooper to “listen to the sounds.” A soft scratching whispers out from a gramophone, as if it’s a cry for help from a far-away place, lost in translation. The Giant gives us three things that we should remember, without anything connecting them: ‘430’, ‘Richard and Linda’ and ‘two birds with one stone.’ As if in a subtle taunt to the audience, who cannot yet make sense of what is happening, Cooper replies, “I understand.” The game is set. Social media will be lighting up for weeks to come, pouring over tiny details, wondering whether the chocolate bunny is a vital piece of evidence, scouring the credits for character clues, quoting lines (like Cooper’s ‘Hello-oo-oo’, three syllables, already a meme), and having long discussions about what the hell everything means, and how the absurd and sometimes mundane pieces fit together. So far, the basic story is that there is another murder. The decapitated head of Ruth Davenport is found with someone else’s body, with the fingerprints of a local principal Bill Hastings all over it. Yet we suspect the evil spirit BOB (as a doppelganger of

Cooper) is behind it somehow. From the Black Lodge the real Cooper goes through a portal and swaps places with a second Cooper Doppelganger, Dougie Jones. ‘Dougie Cooper,’ as I call him, is essentially a blank slate who can only interact with people by basic imitation of phrases he’s heard such as ‘call for help’ and ‘home.’ The absurdist drama of Dougie’s interactions is where the series’ humour lies so far. Apart from that there are many extra loose threads and digressions. There is a glass box that an anonymous billionaire is paying someone to watch, and Dr Jacoby is broadcasting an Alex Jones-like conspiracy show from a remote shed in the woods. He advertises his gold shovels which will “dig you out of the shit and into the truth,” only $29.99. Perhaps this is another ironic nod to the audience. What makes

people love the show also makes other people hate it. The details we are given have an obscure meaning, and perhaps they will never mean anything. The act of digging only draws us further down into the ‘shit’, into the darkness behind the veneer of cheerful Americana. David Lynch is good at leading us astray, and having real meaning pop up in the most unexpected places, or not at all. If we want an easy path to the truth, then we will have little chance of finding it. In fact, even in the original series Lynch never intended the identity of Laura Palmer’s killer to be found. He intended the truth to keep receding over the horizon the deeper we dig. It was ABC that pressured Lynch to reveal the killer, thinking that audiences would be frustrated otherwise. It’s wrong to simply say that Twin

SOFT SCRATCHING WHISPERS OUT FROM A GRAMOPHONE, AS IF IT’S A CRY FOR HELP FROM A FAR-AWAY PLACE

Peaks doesn’t make sense, or it’s just weirdness for its own sake. It does make sense. It has its own internal sense which is consistently ‘Twin Peaks’, and anyone with the time can become absorbed in its world, where the strange becomes familiar, and the familiar becomes strange. Lynch always tries to achieve a sense of realism within his own dreamlike world. Our rules no longer apply. We have to seek out the rules by which this new world operates, and so become aware again of the rules we have come to take for granted and the absurdity behind the things which we think are real. In seeking the rules of Twin Peaks, we begin to take notice of any and every little detail; is this, we wonder, significant? For all its obscurity, Lynch still has a coherent voice and worldview.

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TWIN PEAKS

His films have always been pre-occupied with the nature and formation of identity, and the superficial form these identities can take. From what can be gathered from the episodes so far, this is perhaps the key artistic frame with which to view Twin Peaks: The Return. It is also a major theme in Mulholland Drive. Doppelgangers abound in this new series, and Kyle MacLauchlan skilfully navigates acting the three separate identities within the bodily shell of Dale Cooper. Identity is shown to be malleable and fragile. The idea of the doppelganger shifts us

away from the notion that there is any central self, and says that we are merely split into many performances of the self. There is an uneasy feeling that many of the characters in Twin Peaks are not in full possession of themselves, as if they are simulating human behaviour, but not quite pulling it off. We sense it with Lucy and Andy, and see it clearly with Evil Cooper and Dougie Cooper. The latter, in our eyes, is hopeless at appearing human. In fact, he is the tiniest possible approximation of a human being. Yet there is an

HUMAN SOCIETY AS DEPICTED IN TWIN PEAKS IS LIKE A SURREAL SIMULATION IN ITSELF, THAT SATIRIZES THE REAL THING

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absurdist humour in how nobody around him thinks twice about his odd behaviour. Despite being a kind of adult idiot who can only repeat a few phrases, he blends in to Dougie’s previous life without a problem. Even his wife (played by Naomi Watts) doesn’t catch on. And this is because human society as depicted in Twin Peaks is like a surreal simulation in itself, that satirizes the real thing. It reminds me of American Psycho, where Patrick Bateman’s crimes as a serial killer are overlooked, because the characters, who all act and look the same, constantly mistake each other’s identities in a world that is only concerned with material gain and superficial appearances. Twin Peaks, as well as American Psycho, are set in a postmodern world in which the surface reigns supreme. The people that surround Dougie are a menagerie of media and Hollyood clichés. Naomi Watts is the typical suburban housewife, making pancakes and coffee for her husband while ‘Take Five’ by Dave Brubeck plays in the background, a tune that Lynch surely knows is over-played. Their son is called Sonny-Jim, which is not a name, but a colloquial way of saying ‘young boy.’ Michael Cera, playing Lucy and Andy’s son Wally, even turns up dressed like Marlon Brando in one particularly strange and funny scene. All this play-acting asks the question: Are we ourselves, or a collection of outside influences that we trick ourselves into thinking is a coherent person? David Lynch never provides answers, but I’ve decided I don’t want answers. The mystery, that which happens inside our own heads when we watch, is much more fun.

DAVID LYNCH: THE ART LIFE (REVIEW)

WORDS: PAULA OSA

veryone walks into a screening room with certain expectations. Mine wasn’t so much attached to the genre of documentary but rather to the eccentric topic that was David Lynch. Not too long ago I wrote a review on Mulholland Drive, and unsurprisingly concluded that the film cannot be ultimately defined, which to me appears as a reflection of Lynch’s authorship. Lynch’s identity is too slippery. Do not let yourself be disillusioned by the conventional notion of a documentary; just like his films, The Art Life is not linear, and relishes in mystical vagueness created not by the author of the documentary, but by the star David Lynch.

We get an image of young David moving from one nice suburban house to another because of his father’s job as a research scientist; an image which is still mysteriously framed by odd anecdotes that have ingrained themselves in his brain, and eventually in his work. Growing up, all he wanted to do was paint, and eventually, with some help, he realised it was a possibility’. Painting was precisely what led him to film – one day when he was sat in his corner in art school, he hallucinated that his painting moved. A moving painting. That was an idea worth trying out which eventually led to the creation of The Alphabet. Which led to a huge film grant. Which led to The Elephant Man (1980). And the rest is history.

“I HAD THIS IDEA THAT YOU DRINK COFFEE, YOU SMOKE CIGARETTES, AND YOU PAINT. AND THAT’S IT.”

Jon Nguyen’s documentary presents us with an intimate and masterfully made, study of Lynch, and is focused surprisingly little on his filmography. Rather, the past becomes a central topic as Lynch tells stories from his childhood, ponders over the meanings of things, reflects on how his career started, speculates over how his outlook on life has been formed, and how it echoes in his art. All this while smoking one cigarette after another, splashing paint over canvas, and playing with his toddler daughter in his Hollywood Hills studio. It reminded me more of a private conversation with the audience, than a documentary. The viewer is presented with more than just footage of Lynch drifting around his studio – we get a good collection of photographs from his childhood and adolescence, and images of many of his paintings, sculptures, and other artworks. You can expect unusual openness from a director that so far has been secretive about the meaning of his work – despite the aforementioned vagueness in the plot line, there will be some light shed to the darkest corners of Lynch’s imagination.

“I had this idea that you drink coffee, you smoke cigarettes, and you paint. And that’s it,” Lynch said when explaining what the “Art Life” was to him. Of course, life wasn’t always all that perfect. The enigmatic director traces the cornerstones in his life, such as the initial dropping out of art school, and the two week paralysis when he first began his independent life in university, to somehow give account for why he is the way he is. There is always an idea that has inspired his art, no matter how abstract they are. His paintings are what made him before he grew his roots deep into cinema’s darkest corners. The documentary is a tribute to his fans, really, but above all he still manages to not be fully transparent. The man and the artist will still partly remain in a cloud of (cigarette) smoke. I believe it’s better that way.

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KAMIKAZE GIRLS WORDS + POLAROIDS: BEN ADSETT | POSED PHOTOS: KATIE MCMILLAN | LIVE PHOTOS: HELEN MESSENGER

“THERE’S A LOT OF

GUITAR SORCERY TO MAKE EVERYTHING SOUND AS BIG AS IT POSSIBLY CAN”

: W E I V R INTE

E Z A K I M KA S L R GI

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“W

e are called Kamikaze Girls, there’s two of us and we do big fuzzy rock noise”, a very concise Lucinda Livingstone tells us. “We brought an album out and now we are here talking to you”. That album, Seafoam, featured as one of our favourite albums of 2017 (so far) in last month’s issue of VultureHound Magazine. A mix of fuzz pop and the heavier end of the indie spectrum, it was a record that resonated for many reasons; one of them being the lyrical moments that managed to deftly paint a picture of the everyday struggles with mental health. Lucinda (guitar and vocals) and Conor Dawson (Drums) sat down with Ben Adsett at this year’s 2000trees Festival, to talk Seafoam and the band’s signing to Big Scary Monsters. Oh, and their struggle to name their favourite albums of all time...

Good morning, how are you feeling after two days of music and multiple secret sets?

L: We’re feeling great. We have just washed an entire campsite. We poured bottles of water on each other and we’re now feeling pretty fresh. C: It was great. Very sensual. L: Platonic bathing! C: That’s a great band name.

As a twopiece you sound like there are more than two of you on stage and in recordings, how do you make that happen? L: Loads of stuff - Connor drums like the incredible Hulk. Today might be the only time this year you don’t get told to not hit the drums so hard because the stage is massive. C: That sounds like a challenge L: There’s a lot of guitar sorcery to make everything sound as big as it possibly can. As a two-piece it’s almost like you put extra pressure on yourself to compensate for the lack of personnel by making the sound as full as possible.

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KAMIKAZE GIRLS Scary Monsters? C: They came to some shows, and we were pretty lucky they came to a couple of really good shows.

The debut LP Seafoam came out earlier this year, how has it gone down so far? L: Really well, no-one has slated it yet. C: I’m still waiting for the really bad one, where someone says something horrible. L: I think now that it’s actually out we are getting a lot more interest in it. We have only released a single and an EP previously, so it’s really nice to have something bigger out. It’s awesome people can get really stuck into it and see more depth than in an EP.

The album covers some strong lyrical themes, is there a level of catharsis to the way you write? L: Yeah I guess so - song writing is very therapeutic. People write songs for lots of different reasons and for me it is curative. That’s why I do it. It’s good to have a platform for lots of venting and getting things out. Then by the time it comes to playing songs live it’s almost like closure. Then when the lyrics are there we make loads of racket and let off a load of steam.

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“PEOPLE WRITE SONGS FOR LOTS OF DIFFERENT REASONS AND FOR ME IT IS CURATIVE” If I think I feel in a certain way there is probably a load of other people that are feeling the same. I suppose when you have a bit of a platform to talk about mental health and other issues it is beneficial. We come from a very welcoming supportive community with DIY punk and there is a space to vent and discuss issues. It’s really nice that people can take things away, or find things thought provoking. I get that a lot from watching people perform and listening to music. There are certain phrases and certain lyrics that really hit a nerve and make me think, “Hey, that’s me”. That’s what I get out of music and that’s why I make music.

You have a strong DIY ethos. Was that part of your choice to sign with Big

L: We sent Big Scary Monsters our first EP we put out and they passed on it. That led us to Belgian and US labels which worked perfectly for us at the time because they were labels we already loved. Then BSM got back in touch to tell us they had been listening to the track ‘Stitches’ on repeat and from that point they came to some shows and asked about an album. They told us if the album was good they would sign us up for it - the only problem was there wasn’t an album yet. C: That put some extra pressure on us. L: We wrote the record in a month, recorded it in a week and sent it through to them on the Monday of that week. C: No, it was the Friday. We had to wait the whole weekend to hear back and it was a very nervy weekend. L: We already knew BSM as people and have always loved every band they have on the roster, I think we have been part of them starting to diversify slightly - we are not a stereotypical BSM band but it’s great to be part of the change. They signed us and The Winter Passing around the same time and they have also just signed Nervus and it’s nice to be part of that. They are a great label - they are slightly bigger but let us do things exactly as we want. They are a great label - they are slightly

PHOTO: ANDREW COOPER, SMPSP

FILM

“THEY HAVE A DOG CALLED RON AND THAT SOLD IT FOR US” bigger but let us do things exactly as we want. They also have a dog called Ron and that sold it for us.

In High Fidelity style what are your top five albums of all time? L: What a horrible question! That is so hard!! C: Disintegration by the Cure is there for sure. L: Maybe just five Michael Jackson albums? Julien Baker’s

70MM

WORDS: COLIN LOMAS |

Any bands you’ve come across recently that you would recommend checking out? C: We saw a band from Belgium called Brutus and they were so good. The singer plays drums and sings like Bjork at the same time. I don’t know how you can crack out blast beats and sing with so much power, I don’t know how you can get so much power from sitting down. L: I enjoy watching The Dirty Nil. We just did a tour with Nervus and they were greattheir new album is going to be phenomenal when it comes out.

first album blew my mind - I think that is one of my favourite albums of all time. Bad and Dangerous by Michael Jackson I grew up completely in love with those records. Pretty much any Sonic Youth album because they are all bangers! C: The first White Stripes record, or any White Stripes record really. I don’t know if that’s even five, my mind has gone completely blank. I don’t know if there have even been any albums I like. The others will come to us whilst we are on stage and we will yell them at you... __ Seafoam is out now on Big Scary Monsters.

hristopher Nolan has never been coy about his love of film, specifically, 70mm. In fact, most of his films contain at least some stock filmed in this format. With Dunkirk he takes this one step further and films the entire movie in it. Given the vast expense of filming this way and the limited number of theatres able to show it, what are the advantages? 70mm allows super widescreen viewing and a higher resolution than traditional 35mm (the ‘resolution’ of 70mm offering the equivalent of 18k pixels) - giving DOPs the ability to fully showcase sweeping vistas on a large scale. See the opening of Lawrence of Arabia as an example. Tarantino used the exact lenses from Arabia to film The Hateful Eight, although strangely, most of his film was shot indoors. Most 70mm films end up being shown in 35mm due to the rarity of capable projectors, but even at that stock size, the resolution will be much crisper. So is this a genius move or a stubborn academic exercise? Try and catch it in 70mm and make up your own mind.

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Community

WORDS: RUBY PARSONS

COMMUNITY FESTIVAL

eld in Finsbury Park on July 1st, Community Festival played host to an impressive line-up of some major names. Taking over the massive park with two separate stages, there were incredible bands playing throughout the day, I didn’t manage to catch them all, but here are some of my highlights. Wild Front were the first band I saw. They played their whole collection of work and absolutely wowed the crowd with their creative and atmospheric performance. The Hunna were the first group I saw on the main stage and they set a high standard. Their energy on the stage was catching, they were born to be there. Anteros killed it, as a group on stage they radiated cool. Front woman Laura was captivating, a powerhouse of confidence and talent. Slaves’ politically opinionated set was excessively rock ‘n’ roll, the true British lads made for one of my favourite shows of the day. Second to last headliners The Wombats filled the crowd with nostalgia, playing throwbacks to many punters’ teenage years. Catfish and the Bottlemen ended the day with an explosive performance of their biggest hits. We’ve got high hopes Community Festival will return to London next year.

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WRESTLING

S R E L T S E R W IN MOVIES : ED WEBSTER WORDS: LEE HAZELL | PHOTO

ince Vince McMahon’s success with WWF in the 80s, his brand of Sports Entertainment has dictated the direction of mainstream wrestling for the last three and a half decades. His insistence that viewers wanted to be told stories, often at the expense of matches, increased the medium’s emphasis on narrative. Naturally, this increased the focus on acting and emoting, which allowed wrestling and wrestlers to slowly gravitate towards Hollywood like moths with Oscar ambitions. The results of these ambitions would be like amateur night at the demolition derby. Sometimes spectacular, often catastrophic. Here are ten of the most memorable movie roles that professional wrestlers made their own.

HULK HOGAN RANDOLPH SPENCER IN ‘THUNDER IN PARADISE’

Of all the movies Hulk Hogan starred in, which one belongs on this list? No Holds Barred? Suburban Commando? Mr Nanny? Don’t give me Rocky III or Gremlins 2. His combined lines in those films, you couldn’t make a haiku with. Thunder in Paradise was the sole Hogan acting role that placed him in a film with as much machismo

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as his onscreen persona without an overly kiddy aesthetic. It’s terrible, sure, but it’s the one Hogan movie that you can tolerate today as a camp classic without praying for the sweet relief of nuclear winter.

JOHN CENA MATTHEWS IN ‘THE WALL’

Cena is a born movie star. He’s a relatable everyman with piercing blue eyes, the body of a bronze god, and a jawbone you could hold up a bank with. So why isn’t he dominating the box office like his Massachusetts brethren Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon? Well, along with a dedication to his day job that makes him uninsurable to a studio, he also chooses roles that protect his good guy, role-model image, some of which are so bland they make his WWE character look like Heath Ledger’s Joker. When Cena wrestles and has a bad guy to take down, he brings the righteous thunder and furious anger, so why he can’t do the same on the silver screen? His latest, with the topically unfortunate title, sees him play a soldier taken down by a sniper, whose partner is pinned down behind a flimsy wall, while the sharpshooter taunts them both over the radio. Cena remains likeable, if as bland as ever, but at least the concept is intriguing.

JESSE VENTURA BLAIN IN ‘PREDATOR’

The first genuinely good film on this list, Jesse Ventura chews the scenery like so much cheap tobacco. Remember when horror films cared about making their supporting characters likeable, so that when they ultimately became Scooby Snacks for the monster of the week, you cared? Predator did just that, with the Vietnam vet wearing the Aussie Slouch hat who doesn’t have time to bleed. A goddamned, sexual Tyrannosaurus who makes bolognese out of insurgents with a Minigun he calls ‘Ol’ Painless’. Just try to write a paragraph like this for any of the characters from the last Godzilla movie.

THE ROCK ELLIOT WILHELM IN ‘BE COOL’

Why does this get ahead of Predator? Because while Jesse was everything you wanted him to be in a bad ass film about aliens picking off soldiers, he’s also everything he’s ever been. In Be Cool, The Rock showed us a side of himself that nobody who watched WWE’s Attitude Era could have possibly predicted. Still his most interesting performance 12 years later, his depiction of a homosexual bodyguard pleading with his boss

WORDS: TIM BIRKBECK | PHOTO: NETFLIX

to help him become a triple-threat (no pun intended) Hollywood actor remians his funniest, most endearing character. Since then, he’s meandered in serviceable action roles, but this glimpse at Dwayne Johnson’s true talent shows he’s capable of so much more.

DAVE BAUTISTA DRAX IN ‘GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY’

Big Dave was rescued from his future as a straight-to-video crime flick star by James Gunn’s bold gambit on adapting one of the more obscure and strange Marvel properties to the big screen. But where the first film used him as a green, hulking brute (no, not that one) with a personality that could just barely peek beyond bloody murder, in Guardians Vol. 2 he has blossomed into a full-blown character actor with a sense of humour, deft comic timing and a mean right hook. It shows Dave has something precious few performers have on this list. Range.

ANDRE THE GIANT FEZZIK IN ‘THE PRINCESS BRIDE’

One of the most wonderful films ever made with one of the most wonderful personalities in all of wrestling. It is simply impossible to do anything but be instantaneously charmed by the lovable lunk. Fezzik is so ginormous and so strong, yet so gentle and so caring, you forget his first act in the film is to menacingly approach a terrified woman and knock her unconscious. He redeems himself, of course, with a mix of sportsmanship, compassion and modesty. He’s everything you want the world’s most famous giant to be in real life and an endlessly endearing presence in the film.

NETFLIX’S GLOW n the surface, new Netflix series GLOW’ - Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling - is a dramatisation of an 80s TV show, when big hair and spandex where all the rage, and it is about wrestling.

But if you go into this show saying “But I don’t like wrestling,” you will instantly miss out on the genius of it all. From the makers of Orange is the New Black and Nurse Jackie, GLOW focuses on 14 struggling Hollywood actresses of every shape and walk of life taking a shot in the dark at something completely new. What unfolds is a sisterhood, each woman given their chance to shine, given their chance to show their character and develop a wrestling persona. Even though the pilot does set up the typical hero (Babyface) defeats the villain (Heel) story wrestling fans may be familiar with, the next nine episodes show the real life struggles of these women, as well as the down-and-out director of the show Sam Sylvia - played superbly by Marc Maron. A lot of the main narrative of the series focuses on the friendship of Ruth (Alison Brie) and Debbie (Betty Gilpin) and how it is on tenterhooks the whole time. But to say they are the only focuses would be an injustice to the show.

There are so many magnificent women in this cast, all of whom had to learn the wrestling moves for real to make the fake look “real-fake” - except for professional wrestler Kia Stevens, who plays Tammé Dawson. Sydelle Noel as ex-film star Cherry Bang has quiet power and a nice line in putdowns. When spoilt rich kid Melrose (Jackie Tohn) winds her up, she chokes her with a “sleeper hold” until she passes out. “That’s lunch,” she deadpans and leaves the ring. And personal favourite Rhonda, the quirky British girl with the familiar face - played by former VultureHound cover star Kate Nash. At the start, Ruth is a whinging try hard actress, but by the end she is a newly determined woman who will do whatever it takes to get this passion project off the ground. Likewise Sam is a drug-taking misogynistic male, but at the end these woman become his family, in more ways than one. In the days of binge-worthy TV, GLOW is certainly that, ten 30 minute episodes, which can be blasted through in quick succession will leave you wanting more, and eagerly waiting to see who the next competitor to wear the GLOW crown will be.

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CHESTER BENNINGTON

A TRIBUTE TO

CHESTER

N O T G N I N N BE

pon hearing the recent tragic news, I remembered the first time I heard Linkin Park’s ‘One Step Closer’; that insistent, menacing riff and the brooding dual vocal / rap of Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington. Not to put too fine a point on it, the track completely changed my perspective on music. It was brutal and angry, yet melodic and honest; three and a bit minutes of infectious emotion. I absolutely loved it. Follow up singles ‘Crawling’, ‘Papercut’ and ‘In The End’ cemented in my mind that this was a band who commanded my attention and sure enough, as soon as I was able I grabbed a copy of the band’s debut LP ‘Hybrid Theory’. Albums I can listen to without reaching for the skip button are, to this day, few and far between but ‘Hybrid Theory’ was one. Same goes for follow up ‘Meteora’; I still listen to both on a regular basis. ‘Minutes to Midnight’, album number three and the first tangible sign of Linkin Park’s evolving sound, was less immediate – yet upon repeated listens it lost absolutely

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none of the band’s earlier immediacy. At the centre of what makes Linkin Park so utterly compelling was vocalist Chester Bennington. His emotive style ran the gamut from outright feral throat shredding to impassioned, heartfelt croon and all points between the two. Whichever style he adopted for a particular track he was sincere in the utmost; raw, honest and direct in both delivery and lyrics. He was a fearless lyricist, never resorting to unnecessary hyperbole or metaphor, whether insisting that “I won’t be ignored!” (the defiant ‘Faint’) or the need to escape his own demons and drug addiction on the impassioned ‘Breaking The Habit’. Growing up with Linkin Park, one thing was always clear. Chester wore his heart on his sleeve and put himself out there; music was, as it is for so many of us, his catharsis. Whether consciously or otherwise, he helped countless people (myself included) realise that they weren’t alone, no matter how much they felt like they were or whatever their battles may be.

WORDS: CHRIS HUGHES | PHOTO: KRISTINA SERVANT

CHESTER BENNINGTON 1976 - 2017 AUGUST 2017 VULTUREHOUND 17

CHESTER BENNINGTON

’ … Y R O E H T D I ‘DEAR HYBR E V I T C E P S O R T E R A FAN

Hybrid Theory is the ultimate belter machine, and we can prove it. For example: ‘So I know that when it’s time to sink or swim, That the face inside is here in me, Right underneath my skin’ – in moments, you’ll be tearing into that chorus on sheer impulse alone, you animals! That is the vice grip that this album still has on those who’ve grown with it over the past 17 years.

At the time of release back in 2000, the 90s ‘nu metal’ phenomenon was in a downward

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spiral. Still a controversial subject matter within the metal community today, many loyal to the bullet belt resisted the non-traditional shift heavy music was taking at the time. Divided and unclear, though the genre had pushed itself more creatively than ever before, the handful of bands that survived this era wasn’t nearly enough to keep metal pertinent in the eyes of the majority. Then, ‘Shut up, when I’m talking to you!’… Shit got very real, very quickly! The fuck was this? Where the fuck

did it come from? Who the hell were Linkin Park? Whatever it was, it stuck! Hybrid Theory was born. Challenging yet digestible; heavy but catchy – this album could’ve taken on the world with its gallery of brain traumatising riffs alone. But what really grabbed people’s attention was the duality of Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington’s back and forth chemistry between rap, melodic and screamed vocals. Not necessarily trying to oneup each other, but as the album progresses, the dynamic overflows as the two become symbiotic.

WORDS: HYWEL DAVIES | PHOTO: JAMES MINCHIN

A TRIBUTE TO

CHESTER

BENNINGTON

Shinoda would always throw it down only for Bennington to hammer it home in the rawest possible way. Embracing its vulnerability, Hybrid Theory never beat around the bush when confronting its subject matter. Depression, isolation, child abuse; getting these issues played on the radio in the light of day is nothing short

of miraculous. Even by today’s standards, mainstream outlets wouldn’t even touch these subjects with a twenty-foot pole, but somehow there Linkin Park were, demanding your attention. Delivered with undeniable conviction, this record cut deep, reopening the scars that society insists aren’t really there. This pain and anger all came from an all too real place. Crawling, Runaway, One Step Closer; these were all taken from Bennington’s own personal cycle of abuse and addiction growing up. It should be said that uncomfortable art comes from an uncomfortable place; Hybrid Theory was just that. Bennington helped bring these demons to the surface, reassuring the world of their existence. Millions resonated and still look to this album for comfort as a reminder that they are not alone. It’s difficult to confirm, but you can bet that this album has saved countless lives. After shifting 27 million copies, it remains the biggest selling debut record in the 21st century. No matter if it’s your first or your millionth time you’ve blasted this album, it remains nothing short of perfect.

AUGUST 2017 VULTUREHOUND 19

arcade fire

WORDS: ROBB SHEPPARD | PHOTO: GUY AROCH

EVERYTHING, NOW: AN

ARCADE FIRE A

rmed with a fistful of discorock anthems and an excessive corporate merchandise gimmick, Arcade Fire are staging an allout audio assault with Everything Now, their first of two albums for Columbia Records.

That they chose to open their recent Manchester Castlefield Bowl gig with ‘Everything Now’, the first release from the yet to be released album, shows just how much confidence they have in their new material. The audience sang along to every word as well as the piano hook. You can’t blame them: it’s part ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ and part ‘Dancing Queen’ with a smattering of Shakira, Shakira’s pan pipes. Two further songs, ‘Creature Comfort’ (a more industrial stomper and former VultureHound Track of the Day) and ‘Signs of Life’ (a driving disco groove) have been released in quick-fire succession, suggesting the eagerness for their new material to be heard as their devoted audience are to hear it. Does that sound hyperbolic? Not for those to whom Arcade Fire are close to a religious experience. In anticipation of Everything Now, let’s run with this theme and look back at the genesis of Arcade Fire.

20 VULTUREHOUND AUGUST 2017

DISCOGRAPHY

FUNERAL

(2004, Merge Records) Arguably a concept album, Funeral addresses the themes of death and childhood nostalgia throughout. The opener ‘Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)’ tip toes up on you with playful piano tinkerings before quickly immersing you in musings of snow days and climbing through bedroom windows. Before you know it, you’re nostalgic for childhood memories that don’t belong to you.

The wistfulness doesn’t last however, as discordant harmonics introduce ‘Neighbourhood #2 (Laika)’ where Win Butler’s distorted vocals intertwine with those of Régine Chassagne to astounding effect. The album similarly ebbs and flows from track to track, with the listener soothed and shaken as it progresses. A track that manages to simultaneously achieve both is ‘Wake Up’. It’s nothing short of a hymn: a joyous, celebratory anthem about the trappings of adulthood where “We’re just a million little god’s causing rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.” In our house, the choral opening has long been an audio metaphor for conquering the insurmountable. Finished work for the holiday? ‘Wake Up’. Managed to finally kick the in-laws out? Wake Up. ‘Lies’ was many people’s gateway to the band, complete with slow build, sing-along call and response chorus and arbitrary hand claps. ‘In the Backseat’ sees strings stir over fuzzy guitars whilst Regine’s sole vocal creeps from a lullaby to a primal scream. It’s an album closer that lingers long after it tip toes back away from you. Funeral would be difficult to top.

ingredients: orchestral overtones, an arms-in-the-air chorus and marching drums (see also album closer ‘My Body is a Cage’). But instead of looking backwards, it is wary of the future; Instead of dealing with family, it calls out the government and organised religion. And instead of being life-affirming, in places it’s almost arduous. “Let’s stick Neon Bible on.” Said no one, ever.

NEON BIBLE

(2007, Merge Records) Without wishing to use clichés such as the sophomore or ‘difficult second album’, Neon Bible could be considered a minor misstep (although possibly the titular inspiration for the TV series of the same name). Whereas Funeral was uplifting even in its melancholy, this was largely lumbering, lethargic and preachy. Heavily influenced by the long-felt after effects of 9/11 and aggressive American foreign policy, it’s a tough old listen in places and a noticeable shift in tone from their debut. ‘Black Mirror’ is a solid enough opener with all the right

Stand-alone songs is where it’s at. ‘Keep the Car Running’ channels an individual longing to escape, into a song that unites unconditionally. Hanging isolated vocals, sing along musical hooks and a whole band vocal refrain. These are the moments that have become Arcade Fire’s calling card and made their live shows an incomparable experience. ‘Ocean of Noise’ and ‘Windowsill’ provide some lift, but ‘No Cars Go’ is the one. With hands down the finest crescendo ever committed to record, it promotes mixed feelings about hearing it live as you know it will forever be unparalleled. With Neon Bible tinged with moments of glory but also disappointment, they needed something special to follow.

THE SUBURBS

(2010, Merge Records)

Welcome home. With the opening hammering piano chords, we’re pulled back towards the personal. Dissatisfaction with modernity and a longing to waste your youth all over again propels the listener through the album, none more so than in the title track which doubles as the opener and closer. ‘Ready to Start’ and ‘We Used to Wait’ are the album’s heavy hitters in a similar vein to ‘No Cars Go’: all driving verses and manifesto choruses with Butler still on thoughtful form. During ‘We Used to Wait’, he muses; “now our lives are changing fast. Hope that something pure can last.” Relatable, emotive and affecting. Neon what, now?

AUGUST 2017 VULTUREHOUND 21

arcade fire The Suburbs’ several two-part tracks and reprisals hark back to Funeral’s ‘Neighbourhood’ #1-4 and return the listener to familiar ground throughout the sixteen track haul. Cleverly juxtaposed, ‘Sprawl 1 (Flatland)’ is a morose affair which morphs into ‘Sprawl 2 (Mountains Beyond Mountains)’, an upbeat groove which tricks you into toe-tapping along to lyrics about commercialisation trouncing nature. Now that’s how you address the big issues. ‘Modern Man’ and ‘Rococo’ are like old friends with whom once you meet up, you wonder why you don’t hang out more often, while ‘Half Light I’ and ‘Half Light II (No Celebration)’ are especially vivid and cinematic. With The Suburbs a triumphant return to form with grand ambitions apparent, where would they go from here?

REFLEKTOR (2013, Merge Records)

With the title track also the lead single, ‘Reflektor’ initially baffled. The warmth and intimate nature of acoustic guitars, live drums and stringed instruments was replaced by synths, drum machines and electronic bass whilst the marketing was all about disco balls and glitter. It’s coproduced by LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy and it’s easy to hear his influence throughout in the indie/electro/dance stylings. This time around saw the sextet tackling the media’s cult of celebrity, the obsession with the digital self and good old teen(middle)age angst. ‘Reflektor’ was a real departure and its experimental nature was endorsed by friend of the band David Bowie, who hauntingly echoed the main vocal as a pay off at the end of the song. All transitory refrains and layers, it moves your feet, but unfortunately never your heart. Alongside the electro, there’s a substantial serving of straight up Indie rock. ‘We Exist’ is built on (dare I say) a funky bass line and ‘Normal Person’ is punctuated by piercing guitar riffs and jazz piano chords, both dialling into the alienation of being that little bit different from other people. ‘Here Comes the Night Time’ flips back and forth from something you would have once heard from Friendly Fires, to something you’d expect to hear on the streets of New Orleans, before again being reprised for its more sedate sequel which would fit snuggly within The Suburbs. Elsewhere, the bands’ Prog Rock leanings are also on display via the sublime ‘It’s Never Over (Hey Orpheus)’ and ‘Porno’ and therein lies a minor problem. What Reflektor does lack is a sense of cohesion. It feels more like a collection of (pre-dominantly) great songs like Neon Bible rather than a great album a la Funeral and The Suburbs. Everything Now, is out now via Columbia Records.

22 VULTUREHOUND AUGUST 2017

EVERYTHING NOW 2017, Columbia Records) With a shorter album runtime, Arcade Fire’s Everything Now should be music to the ears of those who baulked at The Suburbs’ and Reflektor’s overbearing track listing. Bookended by single ‘Everything Now’ and its sombre reprisal, it’s their danciest album to date. Solid disco and funk grooves front load the album with the title track, stomper ‘Creature Comfort’ and 70’s soundtrack ‘Signs of Life’. Sadly, next to such strong singles, ‘Peter Pan’ and the Ska-esque ‘Chemistry’ smack of all filler, no killer, whilst ‘Infinite Content’ merely exists to tenuously link to the title and squeeze in a pun. Side B bounces back with the understated ‘Electric Blue’ (although it does sound better if you’re in the next room) and ‘Put Your Money On Me’ which has a beautiful electrobassline that could have featured on the Drive soundtrack. ‘Good God, Damn’ gives up the funk with near-Nile Rodgers guitars, until ‘We Don’t Deserve Love’ takes the listener somewhere slightly more pensive. Before we know it, we’re back full circle to ‘Everything Now’ which sounds richer as a result of the journey. And it’s a journey that despite its flaws, is well worth taking. Everything Now is out now through Columbia Records.

// Order in print at steelchair.co.uk //

Read the latest issue at SteelCHairmag.com

U H

THE 24 VULTUREHOUND AUGUST 2017

WORDS: RUBY PARSONS

the hunna

” ! k c i S e r a s r o t p a r i c o l e V “

A N N U

T A A N N U H E H T H T I W Y L L I S T WE GE L A V I T S E F Y T I N U M M O C S ’ N O D LON AUGUST 2017 VULTUREHOUND 25 05

the hunna

his has been one of the biggest years yet for four piece Indie group, The Hunna. Still riding high from their first album, 100, this year has seen them smash their biggest tour yet. Having recently announced a headline show at Brixton’s o2 Academy in January 2018, the boys are still on the rise. We caught up with singer Ryan Potter, bassist Dan Dorney, lead guitar Jermaine Angin and drummer Jack Metcalfe just before their set on the main stage at London’s Community Festival for some irreverent wanderings about beans, Dinosaurs, and their collective love of a ‘Meal Deal’...

Ryan: Ooh, very soon! We’ve actually just been in the studio recording some new stuff. Jack: It sounds big. Ryan: The plan is for the first song from the new album to come out in September.

100 HAS BEEN OUT FOR A GOOD WHILE NOW, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO HEAR SOME NEW STUFF FROM YOU?

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOUR GOAL FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR IS? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE ACHIEVED BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

26 VULTUREHOUND AUGUST 2017

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF 2017 HAS BEEN SO FAR? Dan: There’s been so many! Probably the last tour. The last tour we did was out biggest tour. Jack: London Roundhouse was unbelievable we had a sick show there. Glasgow and Manchester were big arse shows too.

Jack: Nail the festivals. Jermaine: A great album recorded! Ryan: A great album and lots of touring. Jack: And a nice little Christmas to round it all off!

HOW DO YOU GUYS PREPARE TO GO ON STAGE, YOU HEAR A LOT OF STORIES OF CHANTING AND GATHERING AROUND HUGGING, HOW DO YOU FOUR GET READY? Jermaine We uh, actually chant for like half an hour, we get in a circle and do our prayers and stuff... (laughs) Dan: Nah, we all do the traditional old school hands in the circle raising them like “wooah!” Jack: We do squad handshakes as well, everyone has their own handshake. Ryan: We usually have some music on but we don’t have a music dock

Jack: Oh! I’d say Queen... Ryan: I’d go Kings of Leon I think. Jack: They’d all be pretty good shows!

THEY WOULD ALL BE INSANE SHOWS, GOOD PICKS! WHO ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT SEEING TODAY?

here today... Jack: We have a smoke too, except for Ryan resting his voice! We basically just jam really... Dan: And stretches!

SO YOU ALL JUST LUNGE AROUND BACK STAGE? Dan: (Laughing) we go pretty hard on stage so you feel it the next day if you don’t. Jack: You can feel it for the next week to be honest!

IF YOU COULD TOUR WITH ANY ARTIST EVER, WE’RE TALKING THE WHOLE RANGE FROM NIRVANA TO KATY PERRY. ANY ARTIST THAT’S EVER EXISTED, WHO WOULD YOU PICK? Jermaine: I’d say MJ. Dan: Tough question! Good Question! Thin Lizzy, personally.

Dan: Catfish [and the Bottlemen]. Jack: We haven’t properly seen them, the one time we’ve been together was in America the first time we were there and they played the exact same time as us! So we couldn’t watch them. Dan: We met them; they were really nice - we were trying to look up dates to see them. Jack: But we’ll see them, and maybe they’ll see us today! Jermaine: Anteros will be pretty good! Jack: Slaves as well, they’re pretty dope. Ryan: We saw them recently! Jack: We’ve never seen The Wombats, so that’ll be interesting!

IF YOU COULD PLAY ANY VENUE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? Dan: Brixton Academy has been a dream, I’d never really thought about it but now

it’s a reality. Ryan took me there when we were probably 16...? After we first met he had a spare ticket to see You Me at Six. So we went there, fucking loved it and now we’re playing it! (All cheering) Yeah man! You know with the floor! It’s crazy, it’s so cool! Jack: Madison Square Garden would be a big boy! We’ve always joked about the Superbowl too. Imagine Ryan flying in and we bash out three songs! That’s a big dream though...

I ASKED SOME PEOPLE ON MY WAY INTO THE FESTIVAL TODAY WHICH QUESTIONS THEY WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU: A GUY WANTED TO KNOW WHETHER YOU PREFER OWN BRAND BEANS OR HEINZ BEANS? All: Heinz! Jack: (Laughs) they’re the classic! You can’t go wrong! Jermaine: I don’t think I’ve ever had anything other than Heinz...

WHO WOULD BE THE FIRST TO PASS OUT ON A NIGHT OUT? AND WHO

IMAG INE R FLYIN Y G I N AN AN BA S H D WE OUT 3 SO NGS! AUGUST 2017 VULTUREHOUND 27

the hunna

I’D MARRY THE QUEEN!

Jack: I like a Stegosaurus and a Triceratops too... What are the ones with the really long necks?

DIPLODOCUS? THE ONES THAT ARE LIKE DINOSAUR GIRAFFES... Jack: Yeah! They’re sick too like in the films (Starts humming the Jurassic Park theme tune). Dan: Do you know what though... Velociraptors are sick! Jack: I’d quite like to be a

WOULD BE THE FIRST TO THEN DRAW ON HIM? Jack: Jermaine would be the drawer! Jermaine: We don’t really do drawing or passing out... Dan: Yeah, I’m getting better now! Ryan: You don’t pass out you just take out, and then carry on... Dan: A fact about me is I’m always sick! Every time we party I’m sick once (laughs)...

IF SOMEONE GAVE YOU A MALE PET CAT, RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU NAME IT? Dan: Lil Kim! Jermaine: Freddie comes first for me. Jack: I’d call it Russell Crowe. Dan: Russell Crowe! Yes! That’s it the Crowe man! Jack: I’d just shorten it Russell probably.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE DINOSAUR? Jack: Got to be a Velociraptor for me! Jermaine: I’d go T-Rex. Ryan: Yeah, T-Rex for me too.

28 VULTUREHOUND AUGUST 2017

raptor.

WHO IS THE MUM OF THE GROUP? ALWAYS HAS THE TISSUES AND WET WIPES READY? (All Look at Dan) Dan: Me, they call me soccer Dan because I pick them up from football practice. Ryan: He looks after us a lot.

TOUGH ONE THIS, SNOG, MARRY OR AVOID: THE QUEEN, THERESA MAY AND SUSAN BOYLE All: Oh my god! Ryan: I’d avoid them all! Dan: I’d marry The Queen! Jack: I’d snog Theresa and palm off Susan. Dan: Yeah I’m bang on with that too! Jermaine: Nah I’d snog Susan! I wouldn’t give Theresa the time of day. Dan: I’d still kiss her over Susan man. Jack: Marry the Queen though, you’d be the King man!

Dan: No, you know what, Marry Theresa and then get on the Queen, then you could be like ‘I pulled the Queen’... Jack: That is hard core man. Ryan: Yeah that’s pretty punk rock. Jack: But if you married the Queen you would be higher up and in charge... Dan: True! That was a good question I like that one!

IF YOU WOULD LET ANYONE PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE, WHO WOULD IT BE? Jermaine: Any one of these guys. Jack: Yeah I don’t really have anyone in mind!

IF IT WAS ME I’D SAY DAVE GROHL, BECAUSE IMAGINE TELLING THAT STORY... Dan: Ooh yeah! That would be such a cool story. Jack: Yeah I man I would let Rihanna slap me. Ryan: Yeah I’d let Megan Fox slap the shit out of me...

IF I GAVE YOU A FIVER TO GET LUNCH WOULD IT BE A TESCO’S MEAL DEAL, SUBWAY OR MCDONALDS? Jermaine, Ryan and Dan: Tesco’s Meal Deal Ryan: We love a meal deal. Jack: I do like a Subway, but I like a Fillet of Fish so I’d say McDonalds... The Hunna will be appearing at Leeds and Reading Festival this summer. Tickets for their Brixton Academy show in January are on sale now.

WORDS: TONY QUANT

WRESTLING

INTERVIEW:

LOW-KI

GET VULTUREHOUND'S WRESTLING SPINOFF MAGAZINE AT STEELCHAIR.CO.UK

ow-Ki has been one of the most recognisable names across the independent wrestling scene for many years and after shining during his early ROH run, has bounced between several top promotions across the World including New Japan, PWG, Impact Wrestling and the WWE. He is currently back working with Global Force Wrestling and has had a string of highly entertaining matches with Sonjay Dutt in the promotions X Division. During a recent tour of the UK, We had the opportunity to speak to Low-Ki about the change in the business since when he started, the current UK scene, his career highlights and much more…..

YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE WRESTLING INDUSTRY SINCE 1998. CAN YOU TELL US FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE HOW DIFFERENT THE INDUSTRY IS NOW COMPARED TO WHEN YOU STARTED OUT? The business model that used to

exist no longer exists. Meaning that the grooming stage for wrestlers to advance no longer exists because patience no longer exists. The motivation now is financial gain or egocentric behaviour. The grooming stage is no longer the same, what I mean by that is that there is not as much guidance from older generation but it’s beginning to come back. In the past you was paired with a more experienced performer. This is craft that takes time to mature within and the way it is now they don’t focus on quality of performances, it’s much more focused on ratings and numbers. This is an art which needs to be practised but people are much more impatient now. If you are getting into this your goals should be to become a World Champion but you can tell from many of the current performers that this isn’t what they are looking for.

AS A PERFORMER FOR GETTING CLOSE TO TWENTY YEARS, HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO REINVENT YOURSELF THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT

WRESTLERS LOOK TO REINVENT THEMSELVES? If you’re going to develop longevity you need to find out what works, my success has never been mine it’s been my mentors both in and out of the ring. All I did was take info shared with me and apply it. Based off my work ethic is how I would develop what outcome there would be. It’s a necessity to reinvent yourself if you are going to survive in a creative realm. For example, John Cena used to be a rapper, now he is a super hero. He has been pulling that company for over 10 years. As far as his work ethic and changing that’s a good example. How you are today is not how you are 10 years ago. Creativity makes you competitive.

TALKING OF BEING COMPETITIVE, YOU HAVE AN OUTSTANDING LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR. IS THERE A MOMENT THAT STANDS OUT TO YOU WHICH MAKES YOU THE PROUDEST? My return to New Japan Pro

AUGUST 2017 VULTUREHOUND 29

WRESTLING TNA back in Nashville. With Jeff Jarrett at helm he isn’t micromanaging anybody. He has more insight into the performers, more awareness about nature of environment for television. It’s a new testing ground for advancing forward. As far as family atmosphere it is way friendlier than it has been in past. There is definitely not as much walking on egg shells/back stabbing and it doesn’t seem to be a toxic environment. Everyone is eager to match up with each other and it’s much more of a friendly and welcoming environment.

I WOULD GO TOE TO TOE WITH BROCK IN

A HEARTBEAT. Wrestling in 2012 where I had to dethrone Prince Devitt which become my 2nd reign as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. It was much more of an intense accomplishment because it was post WWE. I realised over a year and a halves worth of toxicity and when I went into New Japan I was more ferocious and I was fully prepared as a fighter. Conquering all the negative stuff that could of destroyed me as a performer.

YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN YOUR FOURTH STINT WITH GLOBAL FORCE WRESTLING. WHAT IS THE CURRENT CULTURE BACKSTAGE AND HOW DIFFERENT DO THINGS SEEM BACKSTAGE THIS TIME ROUND? It’s quite similar to early days of

30 VULTUREHOUND AUGUST 2017

YOUR STYLE HAS BEEN HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY MMA, HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT CROSSING OVER AND COMPETING IN MMA? I began martial arts training at the age of 16, the same time I began training in professional wrestling so it’s been a constant cross over throughout my career. The beautiful part is that the disciplines I practised in MMA, I have been able to work in my pro wrestling career. As it’s a business for the individual you have to have

level of discipline and control that doesn’t prohibit that for another person. As a professional wrestler I am not allowed to injure or hurt an individual. With martial arts it was a healthy Segway into pro wrestling, I am able to apply technics and display skill in a controlled atmosphere. I knew I would never be able to get taller or put on weight so I needed to have different things to set me apart in wrestling. I only ever done MMA for the discipline, I have no interest in fighting unless it’s with Conor McGregor. I’ll fight him, I have no problem with that.

MOVING BACK TO WRESTLING, ARE THERE ANY OPPONENTS WHO YOU HAVEN’T HAD THE CHANCE TO WRESTLE THAT YOU WOULD OF LOVED TO HAVE SHARED THE RING WITH? Originally it was Benoit because when I was bought into WWF in early 2000’s I wrestled Eddie, Dean and Perry and looked up to them. Benoit was the last one I wanted to work with, we were quite friendly in WWF at that time. He saw my style was not the typical Junior Style and had an aggressive nature behind it. Unfortunately it didn’t work out, but he would be high on that list. I’ve been in ring with legends of our craft, including most of the people that the WWE regard as stars. I’ve gone through all of them already. I would go toe to toe with Brock in a heartbeat. If anything there is going to be newer guys coming up. I have accomplished everything I wanted to do, my goal now is to take what I know and share it. Watch IMPACT Wrestling on Spike UK Friday at 9pm

THE SPIDER-MAN MOVIES (FROM WORST TO BEST) WORDS: RYAN POLLARD | PHOTOS: CHUCK ZLOTNICK

ith the currently acclaimed release of Spider-Man: Homecoming being felt around the world, it’s clear that the franchise has been reinvigorated in a brand new way. But where do these movies rank from worst to best? Well, look no further. Here are VultureHound’s top 6 Spider-Man movies to date.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 (MARC WEBB, 2014)

Not only the worst Spider-Man film, but also one of the worst comic book movies ever made. Inept and horribly structured, it was as if a drooling child hammer-

cobbled this sorry excuse of a script together, and the tone was all over the place, from one nonsensical scene to the next. It didn’t know whether it wanted to be a romantic dramedy, a corporate thriller, or just a modern remake of Joel Schumacher’s infamous Batman & Robin. Even Jamie Foxx’s Electro started out like Jim Carrey’s Riddler from Batman Forever before turning into Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr Freeze. Oh, and don’t get me started on Paul Giamatti’s Rhino. You have to feel sorry for the talent involved seeing as this film just made them look silly - particularly Dane DeHaan’s Green Goblin who looks like a meth addict with face herpes! Thank God Sony scrapped their plans for future movies and spin-offs

(including two sequels, as well as a Sinister Six movie), in favour of partnering with Marvel.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (MARC WEBB, 2012)

Instead of trying to reenergise Sam Raimi’s trilogy and attempt to make up for the mistakes of Spider-Man 3, Sony instead opted to go with a reboot that was essentially a remake, and a pretty bad one at that. Granted, this movie has its fair share of fans, yet it’s baffling to see why considering that this was just a poorly directed, poorly edited, poorly made movie with an ugly visual aesthetic - dull and drab colours instead of the traditional

AUGUST 2017 VULTUREHOUND 31

SPIDER-MAN

bright, primary colours that SpiderMan is recognised for having. This felt like a cash-grab film in order for Sony to hang onto the rights, and the story was particularly lazy with its average attempt at redoing the origin story, and for having a poor villain in the Lizard, who was one of the worst developed villains in the franchise. Even though he has his fans, Andrew Garfield’s take on Peter Parker felt too much like an emo punk, while Emma Stone was at least a likeable presence. In the end, both Marc Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man films felt like processed entities designed by committee to target specific demographics. Sounds very familiar to what Sony did with the recent Ghostbusters movie doesn’t it?

SPIDER-MAN 3 (SAM RAIMI, 2007)

Yeah, pretty hard not to include what is considered by many to be one of the most disappointing movies of all time. Hell, it’s considered by some to be one of the worst comic book movies, as well as overall movies, of all time, which in retrospect is a tad too extreme. Sure, there are a lot of incredibly stupid elements thrown into what was already an overcrowded blender of plots and

32 VULTUREHOUND AUGUST 2017

subplots - whether it’s emo Peter Parker dancing, having Topher Grace play Spidey’s ultimate archnemesis in Venom, or making Sandman the actual killer of Uncle Ben. However, it still has a lot of great scenes that are hard to ignore, like the birth of Sandman, the church tower sequence, Harry’s death and so on. But even then, this is ultimately a film that had too much to work with, and having Venom and the black suit storyline forced in by Avi Arad and the studio execs against Sam Raimi’s wishes didn’t help matters. In the end, this should’ve been a twoparter, or perhaps, Sam Raimi should’ve left the movie altogether and have someone come in with fresh eyes and ideas to boost this film and potential future installments. However, that’s not what happened...

SPIDER-MAN (SAM RAIMI, 2002)

The first Spider-Man movie was an important milestone in cinema history since it was the film to kickstart what’s referred to now as “the superhero boom”. Granted Blade and X-Men both opened the doors a little bit, but Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man blew them wide open, and it’s still not hard to see why.

Even though this was released in 2002, it still holds up extremely well by having elements that paid off spectacularly; from Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst’s great chemistry, Willem Dafoe’s insane performance as the Green Goblin (a well-told story that drew heavy inspiration from timeless Spidey stories), and having memorable iconic moments that stayed with you - Mary Jane kissing Spider-Man upside down in the pouring rain is one of the most beautiful and weirdest sequences in superhero movie history. Sure, the Green Goblin’s outfit ended up being a huge missed opportunity, but even that wasn’t enough to spoil this corker of a film. This film demonstrated how cool superhero/ comic-book movies can be and we probably wouldn’t have what’s referred to now as “the Golden Age of superhero movies” if not for this film.

SPIDER-MAN 2 (SAM RAIMI, 2004)

Once again, Sam Raimi knocked it out of the park, by taking the risk of trying to expand the story set up in the first film and taking the characters forward, while also doing what most sequels fail to do, by outdoing the first movie instead of just copying it beat for beat. The relationship between Peter and Mary Jane is taken to emotional peaks, you have Peter torn between the man and the hero, and being pushed to the limits while choosing. He is put into conflict with his best friend Harry, and a new villain enters the fray with Doc Ock himself - Doctor Octopus, played with manic glee by Alfred Molina. Even the action sequences are

TOP FILMS THIS MONTH

DUNKIRK taken to a whole new level, especially in the iconic train sequence that results in one of the best moments in superhero movie history when the train bystanders showcase their gratitude to the wall-crawler by promising to keep his identity a secret and defending him from Doc Ock after he had just saved their lives. This film perfectly shows the morals and benefits of being a hero, as well as showing how there is a hero deep down in all of us, and that is true storytelling.

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (JON WATTS, 2017)

This was the riskiest SpiderMan movie to have been made to date. After the critical and commercial embarrassment of the two Amazing SpiderMan movies, Sony had to make up big time, and after the leaks in 2014, it did just that by partnering up with Marvel Studios to make the most faithful Spider-Man movie it can. This didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel epic in scale, nor did it have a huge imposing force threatening the city (or bother to try and set up future movies and spin-

offs). Instead, this tried to be a good movie that focused on what makes Spider-Man so beloved a character to begin with. We get to see the trials and tribulations of a young and inexperienced Peter Parker thrown into the deep end after his big introduction in Captain America: Civil War, by trying to stop his first major villain in the Vulture, while also juggling his personal life in high school. It starts off spectacularly and by the halfway point, it kicks into high-gear, resulting in a thoroughly enjoyable and hugely spectacular movie. Jon Watts nailed the tone and feel, drawing heavy influence from the works of John Hughes. Meanwhile, Tom Holland is the best actor to have played the wall-crawler to date, capturing both aspects of the character perfectly. Michael Keaton also proved to be the perfect foil as the slightly-unhinged Vulture. Having proved to be a popular hit, Spider-Man: Homecoming is my favourite Spider-Man movie to date; granted, Sam Raimiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first two Spider-Man movies are the better films, but this proved to be the perfect adaptation that we have all been waiting for.

SPIDER-MAN: HC

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES

WAKEFIELD

SCARRED HEARTS

DAVID LYNCH: THE ART LIFE

FULL REVIEWS AT VULTUREHOUND.COM

AUGUST 2017 VULTUREHOUND 33 17

SPIDER-MAN

SPIDER-MAN:HOMECOMING (FILM REVIEW) WORDS: RYAN POLLARD | PHOTO: CHUCK ZLOTNICK

ut of all the countless superheroes in history, the one superhero that always resonated with me and was always my personal favourite was SpiderMan. For the past two decades, the Spider-Man film franchise has had something of a turbulent history. First starting in 2002, the first Spider-Man movie directed by Sam Raimi was a groundbreaking phenomenon which launched the superhero genre to cinematic peaks and heights. It was a truly awesome film that ended up getting usurped by the outstanding 2004 sequel, which took the character development even further, in addition to having a

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great villain. However, it all went down the drain afterwards; 2007’s Spider-Man 3 ended up being a disappointingly average movie with great moments but bogged down by haphazard storytelling, botched character arcs, and portraying too many villains with some being better served than others. With Raimi quitting the franchise shortly after Sony drafted in Marc Webb to helm a reboot that was essentially a remake, resulting in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man - a lifeless, empty corporate shell of a movie, and it only got worse with 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Both films didn’t reap the critical and commercial rewards Sony was hoping for (I wonder why!?), which resulted in them forming a deal with Marvel Studios to bring the

wall-crawling hero into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The results were extremely promising at first, thanks to last year’s Captain America: Civil War, which saw the introduction of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man - and it was a great introduction at that. Now, with Homecoming, the question was whether or not a solo outing would do him justice and reinvigorate the character after thirteen years of rapid decline. Well, the answer is yes, and so much more. If you adored his introduction in Civil War, then this movie is for you. It is the best Spider-Man movie since 2004’s Spider-Man 2, revitalising the character for a whole new generation. Director Jon Watts wanted this movie to have a John Hughes vibe to it in terms of its

style and tone, and it definitely shows throughout, particularly with its humour, which works extremely well. The film feels particularly reminiscent of The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (there’s even a scene from that movie played in the background), right down to the fact that some of the classmates and one of the teachers at Peter’s school look as if they had just walked out of one of those movies. What makes this movie feel so fresh and exciting is that this is essentially a high school movie that just so happens to feature a comic-book superhero, whilst also mixing the excellent humour with real genuine emotion and character development. It all works perfectly. The version of Peter Parker/SpiderMan presented here is portrayed, for the first time, like an actual high-school kid; he’s not mopey or annoying at all, but genuine and believable. He has typical teenage problems and makes real mistakes, but that doesn’t bog down or interfere with the narrative like the previous three Spidey films did. There’s a particular standout moment during the film’s climax where our hero is placed in a terrifying moment (which harkens back to an iconic moment in Spidey’s comic-book history) and you get the sense that this is a kid that’s genuinely afraid and scared for his life. The pacing is perfect, with the film finding an even balance between fast and slow, and never once having a moment that is either dull or boring. As for the action sequences, they are exciting and visually spectacular to behold, even if they do somewhat lack the visceral edge of Raimi’s first two films. The same could also be said of the web-

slinging, which is competent, yet feels a tad too digital and lacking the style and flair seen in Raimi’s trilogy, but it’s infinitely superior to the over-the-top, overdramatic aerial ballet of Marc Webb’s films, which looked as if Spider-Man was flying rather than swinging. The visual aesthetic is gorgeous and Salvatore Totino’s cinematography captures the aesthetic of the original comics by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, whilst Michael Giacchino’s score proves to be one of the most memorable scores seen in a Marvel movie yet. As he does in Civil War, Tom Holland knocks it out of the park as Peter Parker, proving that he truly is the most definitive Spider-Man yet seen on screen. He perfectly captures both sides of the character beautifully, nailing every single emotional beat. You can sense that Holland is genuinely passionate about the character and wants to do it justice, which he does in spades. He is to Spider-Man what Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Pratt are to both Iron Man and Star Lord, and it’ll be interesting to see where his story goes in future movies. Michael Keaton was excellent as the Vulture, and proves to be one of Marvel’s best villains, even if Marvel doesn’t tend to have that many great villains in their films. However, it’s great to see Marvel listening to the audience and turning that around this year, first with Kurt Russell’s Ego the Living Planet in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and now with Keaton’s Vulture; he’s truly menacing, yet you can understand what’s driving him, where he comes from, and what he wants. The rest of the supporting cast are all terrific, from Marisa Tomei’s grounded take on Aunt May to Jacob Batalon’s fumbling comic relief Ned, plus Zendaya proves to be a real surprise as the quirky Michelle. For those complaining

TOM HOLLAND KNOCKS IT OUT OF THE PARK AS PETER PARKER, PROVING THAT HE TRULY IS THE MOST DEFINITIVE about Tony Stark’s presence in the movie, he’s only in it for roughly ten minutes to just keep things going while his presence as a mentor to Peter is felt throughout. In the end, Spider-Man: Homecoming is the movie hardcore fans like me have been waiting for, and its greatest achievement is remembering what a great Spider-Man movie should be: fun, heartfelt, and exciting in equal measure. It hugely improves on the previous three outings that got weighed down by heavy themes or overblown melodrama, plus it manages to juggle multiple villains without becoming an out-of-control mess. Not only is it one of the best superhero movies to have been made, but it’s also the best SpiderMan movie ever made. Granted, the first two Sam Raimi movies are better films, but in terms of which film adapted the web-slinger perfectly, it’s this film all the way. Welcome back home, Spider-Man. Spider-Man: Homecoming is out now in cinemas

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DUNKIRK

DUNKIRK (FILM REVIEW)

WORDS: KAMBOLE CAMPBELL | PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES

hristopher Nolan’s latest blockbuster / art film hybrid is the director working at maximum efficiency and effect. Mixing experimental sensibilities with thrilling, mainstream filmmaking, Dunkirk is a unique and exciting work that doesn’t ever let up for its unexpectedly brief running time. Told in an elegantly constructed triptych of stories unfolding on land, air and sea at different times that later converge, Dunkirk plays with time and perspective to often terrifying effect – after all, this is a war film in which we never really see the enemy soldiers.

For most of the film the German

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army appears as a faceless and ethereal entity, nothing to identify them other than incoming bombs and bullets which land with deafening and startling noise. Mostly shot on gargantuan IMAX cameras and 65mm film, cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema combines the large scale format with tense close ups and narrow focus to amplify the air of intense claustrophobia – one shot earlier in the film focuses on a young soldier as he lies on the sand, head down as bombs drop closer and closer on the beach at Dunkirk. Not to say that this represents all of the cinematography however Nolan’s obsession with drowning leads us to a lot of haunting

images of water, and occasionally views over a strangely serene English Channel. The film is astonishing to look at – even more so in 70mm (hate to break it to you, but by Nolan’s design the best way to see the film is in IMAX). Combined with a tricky timeline and an abstract, jagged soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, Dunkirk recreates the disorientation and fear inherent in war – ever present danger highlighted by a near constant ticking noise that often (synonym) chills the blood. - Zimmer’s score contains sounds familiar to those who have watched any other collaboration between him and Nolan, but this is Zimmer at his most experimental.

A MONUMENTAL ACCOMPLISHMENT OF FILM MAKING

The soundtrack is noisy, disconcerting and completely stress inducing – and carries a lot of importance in maintaining the tension of the narrative. The film almost has a silent era sensibility in this sense, as there’s not much in the way of dialogue and most of the storytelling is done through the filmmaking. Long stretches of the film will feature action without dialogue, as soldiers flee from one disaster to the next, the very elements of the earth seeming to work against them. The action itself is relentless, with each narrow escape seeming to only buy a small amount of time - as we’re reminded by the constant ticking of the soundtrack.

We’re introduced to each set of (mostly nameless) characters with minimal exposition, discovering what kind of people they are mostly though their actions. While the film’s very nature could mean that the performances could feel somewhat secondary, there’s not a single weak link in the film’s ensemble cast. Fionn Whitehead and even Harry Styles do a great job as young soldiers frantically trying to escape the beach by any means. Tom Hardy mostly acts with his eyes - but it works anyway. Mark Rylance and Kenneth Branagh have slightly more to sink their teeth into, bringing sentiment to the proceedings without feeling cloying, and while the film certainly manages tension with a more sure hand than it does emotion, it never feels overly sweet – even in triumph. The film is ultimately about a military failure, and doesn’t lose sight of that, even in its final moments. Dunkirk itself however, feels like a victory for film – the format – and the perfect film to represent the general works of Christopher Nolan; a monumental accomplishment of film making that combining his obsession with time, water and narrative tricks and seemingly responding to criticism (with its humble running time and lack of expository dialogue) to make a film of astonishing scale, elegance, and constant thrills. Dunkirk is out now in cinemas

DUNKIRK: UNLIKELY INFLUENCES

arlier this year, Christopher Nolan curated a season of films at the British Film Institute, which influenced his war epic Dunkirk. Alongside expected classic war films like All Quiet on the Western Front and La Bataille d’Algier were more surprising choices - like Alien, Unstoppable, and Speed. Nolan’s film has more in common with films like Speed than you might think; instead of the epic speeches and thundering bravery of All Quiet on the Western Front you’re treated to a claustrophobic, personal tale told in disparate, overlapping segments. The relentless pace of Dunkirk, as well as the invisible Nazi menace, will have you feeling more like Keanu Reeves trapped on a bus than Saving Private Ryan’s heroic John H. Miller storming the beaches at Normandy. Dunkirk is a survival movie, and his choice of influences demonstrates the importance of tension, ambiguity, and pacing to the structure of the film. The clock is ticking on the British and French soldiers, and the passing of time is the real enemy; every second the noose gets tighter. In Alien, the crew are hemmed in by the walls of the Nostromo; the wide beaches of Dunkirk might offer more freedom, but the screeching of German planes does just as good a job as constricting the characters, and the throat. WORDS: JOHN MCLOUGHLIN | PHOTO: MELINDA SUE GORDON

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FINAL WORD

FINAL WORD WORDS: CALLUM COOMBE

hat does one say to honour the passing of such an underrated titan of genre filmmaking as George Andrew Romero? It’s hard to even do justice to him in such a short piece but there are ways we can remember the work and messages of some of the most interesting and divergent horror pictures of the 1960s-70s, all directed by this remarkable man; For instance, how did Romero change not only the genre he worked within, but also the way in which it was interpreted or received?

Romero, unlike a lot of past and contemporary horror and genre directors at the time, was a thinker and a watcher, not simply a showman. His films, as fans will immediately attest, contain messages and interpretations of the society that he functioned in, mostly just below the surface so one has to dig to find it, but once unearthed, it sticks in the mind even after countless viewings. His Dead films for example, follow particular main themes that highlight each instalment’s goal: Night of the Living Dead (1968) deals mainly with race relations and

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A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE A. ROMERO

the numbness to violence brought about by America’s controversial incursions into Vietnam during the decade; Dawn of the Dead (1978) has perhaps the easiest metaphor to decipher in its depiction of survivors inhabiting a shopping mall to escape the shambling horde outside. Indeed, it is a stringent anti-capitalist picture; and Romero’s final instalment of the first trilogy Day of the Dead (1985) deals apparently with the corruption and obsession with control of the military/science debate, with newer scholars devoting time to issues such as vivisection and the rights of science to interfere in the lives of creatures who cannot communicate their pain with us. Romero changed horror forever with the simplest, most revolutionary type of monster: the zombie. It’s hard to even go anywhere in the pop culture world without encountering its shambling (or running), slavering, rotting figure. Since the ‘new’ zombie appeared in 1968 (zombies used to be related solely to voodoo, or embody some form of slavery, rendering them the victim rather than the aggressor, as in White Zombie (1932) or Hammer’s Plague of the

Zombies (1966)) we have had our most recognizable form: the flesh eater. Install what metaphor you will into these ghouls, as their multiplicity of form and function invites so many wild and varied interpretations of the complaints that ail the society they belong to. This is the most important thing Romero did with the zombie: he made them blank slates upon which any author or creator could effectively impress their own views and worries. In conclusion, it can be said that Romero single-handedly amended a tired and waterlogged genre, one in which the currency of fear was mainly hoary old clichés like witches and vampires, ghosts and demons, and that he revolutionized the genre to be snappier, more modern, confrontational and equal with other, so-called ‘higher’ art forms, and ultimately, not just horror, but cinema itself owes a debt to him. For all you Walking Dead (2010-) fans out there, heed these words: it, and so many others like it, wouldn’t have existed without George Romero. We have lost a great and influential auteur, and a genial and intensely clever human being in his passing. Goodbye George, you will be missed.