Scott Linn - New Artist Profile

“You've just got to get out there and play to whoever is listening.” In the midst of the acoustic storm, an artist from the North Devon coastal village of Braunton, has strummed his way through his teens to his twenties. Scott Linn, who manages independent record store in Barnstaple called Solo Music by day, cites many old school artists as his influences. ”I like songwriters like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan as well as modern songwriters like Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst and Brian Fallon.” His music combines husky vocals with harmonicas, self styled folk-punk-rock-n-soul. “I have just started playing with a backing band called The Broken Bottles so at the moment we are working on a set with the intention of playing some shows in early 2013.”

Although Linn has been mainly a solo artist, he has been in bands since his early teens. “When I was about about 14 or 15 just messing around at my friends houses. We sounded awful but we had fun. That's what it's all about. Especially when you are just starting out playing music.” Coming under a few names, his solo project has ranged from punk to acoustic. Going by his influences, his eclectic taste is reflected in his music. He is certainly an all rounder in terms of music. He also names writers as influences. “I read a lot by writers like Jack Kerouac and Charles Bukowski.”

He favours venues with a close knit atmosphere such as The Agricultural Inn located in Braunton, fondly named “The Aggi”, or The Factory in Barnstaple’s old Brannam Pottery site. Growing up in Braunton, he is a proper local “bey” and strongly believes in keeping music local. “North Devon has a really fantastic acoustic scene.” Many artists such as Ben Howard and Seth Lakeman have found success in Devon and broke in to the mainstream.  “Music trends come and go and there has definitely been a decline in guitar bands in the area over the last few years. With a younger generation more interesting in electronic and dance music but there are some great singer-songwriters in the area.”

He has recorded many EP’s and promo albums as an independent artist, most recently songs such as Mexican Candles in which blends harmonica and acoustic in one folk filled melting pot. He’s also recorded a demo called Natalie “I wrote it about one of my favourite Hollywood actresses Natalie Wood. I'm terrible at home demoing songs and rarely do it but I thought I'd give it a go with this track.” Despite being an independent artist, his devoted fans help promote his music through sheer word of mouth, Twitter and Facebook. 

Abe's Adventure - A step forward for Spastic Diplegia

Abe Astur, a two year old toddler from Winchester, suffers from a rare form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia.

Spastic diplegia causes the sufferer to have tight and stiff muscles, particularly in the limbs.

Therefore, this makes walking for Abe very difficult so he has the help of a walker. Not all spastic diplegia sufferers exhibit the same symptoms.

The family is raising money for a pioneering treatment in America called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy. The aim of SDR is to relieve muscle spasticity.

The operation costs around £40,000 but physiotherapy, travel expenses and accommodation will cost an extra £10,000 so they are raising a total of £50,000.

The operation will be at St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri.

A sponsored walk was held at Abby Gardens in Winchester, which gave his parents, Leigh and Gavin, a chance to raise awareness of the condition.

Abe and his family, followed by many friends and supporters of the campaign, joined in too and walked a lap around the park. A stall with cakes and coffee was also there to help raise extra money.

Gavin, his father, said: “Despite the illness, we are a normal happy family. There isn’t much impact on our daily life.”

They have created their own website for the cause which features a blog, a donation page and a gallery. So far they have raised over £25,000.

Good luck Abe!

http://abes-adventure.co.uk/about

Update: Since the sponsored walk last year, Abe has raised just under £40,000.

Update: Abe has had his operation and is recovering.

Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg - Album Review

Picture the lovechild of Bob Dylan and Eric Burdon.  Horrible right? Surprisingly, no.  It is unusual to find a modern folk album by such a young artist, untouched, out of reach, from the rut of the British music scene. Sure, Ben Howard and Ed Sheeran picked up a guitar and ashamedly sang about love but there was something missing. A teen with a guitar and the naivety that ‘everything really is going to be ok’ is nothing new but there is something special about Jake Bugg.

Barely in to manhood, Jake, 18, originating from Nottingham, has proved himself to be a real diamond in the rough. Don’t be fooled by his doe eyes, it’s obvious that this lad has seen more than your average middle class teen. His self-titled debut is sure to entice those begging for fresh meat, those craving some country. The crackling vocals and the influence of Dylan is plentiful; it’s almost too good to be true. A throwback to 60s Britain, Jake has managed to bring country-folk forward for a brand new audience to appreciate.

Bugg will have young misfits relating to the angsty album. ‘Two Fingers’ is essentially Bugg’s trophy. Laced with references to drinking and drugs, this track is his literal rendition of life in Clifton, Notts. It speaks to the troubled youth, in a hey-kid-it’ll-be-ok way. ‘Trouble Town’ recounts his feeling of being trapped in his dodgy town, reminiscent of ‘We Gotta Get Out Of This Place’ by The Animals. “The only thing that’s pretty is the thought of getting out”. Simple lyrics but straight from the heart. Although the album lacks a diverse sound, if you are a folk fan, this is a winner.

From the bloodcurdling estates to the private schools, he’s encountered a potentially wide fan base in a sea of X Factor puppets. Let’s not forget the baby boomers that grew up during the Dylan era. There is a danger of the mature listener questioning the validity of this perfectly produced package but he is certainly a grower.

University Weight Gain - How I'm Losing The "Fresher 14"

My first year at University has been great. New friends, independence and new experiences but unfortunately these have come at a price for me. I've put on the dreaded "Fresher 14" - for those unsure, this is 14 pounds or a stone in weight. High carb, high fat and cheap foods just seem like the easy quick choice when you don't have much time or money.

When my size 10's stopped fitting and my 12's started feeling way too snug, I thought it was time to face the facts - I have just put on too much weight. I spent much of the summer thinking I'd shift weight in uni due to always being busy and not wanting to cook much but it turns out that my body can't take eating badly without bloating up. My BMI was looking pretty rubbish. I was just embarrassed. It's taken enough courage to admit I hate my body so I thought a little guide on losing the extra few pounds would be a helpful thing for prospective Uni students or people struggling with weight.

I've had advice from people before "Eat less, move more" but in my case, that hasn't really helped. It's more what you eat rather than the portions. Of course, everything in moderation is absolutely fine but if you're eating the wrong foods then the pounds will start piling on. Some people are lucky. They can eat as much processed crap and drink as much alcohol as they like and still stay slim and healthy looking but being petite makes weight much more noticeable. As a result, my dress size changes at the snap of my fingers.

My mum has been on the Slimming World diet (which I found out was not for me) and although I hated doing it, the logic of it stuck in my head. Bread is possibly the biggest of my foes and 2 slices of bread a day is the absolute maximum anyone should eat if they struggle with weight. Also, fat content. If the fat content is too high, then forget about it. Start reading labels if you don't believe it. When there is a red colour on the little food labels on the front of packaging, pay attention to it. Do you really need to eat it? I sound like a bore but there's no point complaining about my weight if I just ignore stuff like that. Easter has been torture for me with all the chocolate about but as long as you don't gorge, it's absolutely fine. A creme egg a day is chocolate in moderation.

An interesting subject is the Quorn debate. It is indeed fake meat, made from fusarium venenatum (Basically, a high protein fungus) but it is so low in fat, it's too good to be true. If you REALLY need a cheeseburger (I sure crave them), then whack a Quorn burger in the grill, grab a wholemeal roll, stick some relish or tomato sauce in it and bam, a slightly better-for-you burger! I also tend to use quorn chicken pieces if I can but the mince just tastes plain weird so it is best to use real meat mince and drain the fat out of it.

Fruit and veg - most teenagers groan at the thought of eating it but it's so important. Not only does it lower your blood pressure, it has a heap of vitamins in that we're just not getting from cheeseburgers and ready meals. Even just a few pieces of broccoli on the side of the plate, a portion of sweetcorn mixed in with your pasta and rather than munching on a chocolate bar, pick up an orange. Lots of energy and to be honest, they taste pretty darn nice. A tasty snack to make is a fruit salad (just chuck some grapes, pieces of apple, pineapple and whatever you like in a bowl). My all time favourite diet snack is fat free strawberry yogurt mixed with fruit salad. Definitely try it if you're craving some sweetness.

Another issue is exercise. Exercise is such a boring thing to me. The thought of putting my body through sweaty workouts just to feel tired just bothers me. I worked out I was walking over a mile every day in Southampton which is probably why I didn't put on any more than a stone. Walking is an incredibly easy way to exercise and if you're eating healthily, you should see benefits. It tones your calves and makes you feel pretty good without being sweaty. I have been dabbling in some aerobics for 20 minutes a day which is just enough to feel pumped but not too much so you feel gross.

This has probably felt like a naggy lecture from your parents or doctor but it's just so if you have felt yourself put on weight and you don't feel comfortable with yourself, you shouldn't feel bad. It's so easy to put on weight when you're not living at home with your parent's cooking and when you just don't have the time/money to make delicious healthy meals. Just incorporating little bits in to your diet and reading labels can really benefit your health. If you've read this far, good luck on a new healthy you for the summer!

Will British rail ever be prepared for winter chaos?

It is that time of year again. Worrying reports of snow fall in the North of Britain are creeping on to headlines and causing us to start questioning our travel plans for the winter with threats of another “Big Freeze”. 

Last year, snow was already falling all over the UK by late November, causing chaos to the nation.

Retailers suffered during the cold snap due to reduced transport links, students were stuck in university over a portion of the holidays and families could not travel to see their loved ones due to the snow affecting the infrastructure of the UK.

Met Office forecaster Barry Gromett said the mean temperature for the first fortnight of December 2010 was -0.7c. These conditions caused disruptions on transport around the country, particularly rail links.

Arguably, ScotRail see the worst cases of weather with Scotland facing moderate to heavy snow fall every year, particularly in the Highlands and Northern Scotland.

ScotRail recently announced a £2million investment in to winter equipment which could be retaliation to the criticism of the way the government handled the extreme weather conditions of the last few years.

ScotRail improvements at a glance:

• A new £1million engineering train which can be used to defrost the tracks and transport engineers and equipment when other transport links are not possible.

• A thermal imaging helicopter to discover spots where severe weather could cause major disruptions.
• Insulating heater strips which will keep the infrastructure from failing.

• NASA-grade insulation to insulate the inside of points machines to prevent freezing.

• Staff will receive smartphones to aid with communication and updates on the train.

• “Power Showers” to defrost the tracks and prevent ice from forming on the locomotives.

Despite the improvements in ScotRail engineering, will the rest of the UK fare well if another Big Freeze hits?

 Jo Coverly, the Customer Relations Senior Officer for First Great Western, insist they are prepared for future chaos on the routes they serve. “We work closely with the Department for Transport who expect to see robust plans in place.

“We believe we have achieved this in previous years and have every intention of doing so in future.”

The introduction of social networking and better technology in the past few years has helped to improve communication regarding travel in the UK.

Twitter has proved a hub for frustrated travellers, with many Twitter accounts specifically made for disruption announcements. Until May 2011, an unofficial account named @uktrains which was run by Ben Smith who felt frustrated by the limited and pricey ways rail travellers could receive travel alerts.

Mr Smith received content from the BBC Backstage Project and regular Twitter users who would message the account and have their tweets retweeted on the feed.

National Rail created official Twitter accounts after the closure of uktrains tailoring to the specific needs of the user. First Great Western also have a twitter account which is primarily run by Ms. Coverly of First Great Western: “We very much value the immediacy of Twitter and Facebook and we will use it alongside our website to keep our passengers informed about changes to their services.”

Even the smartphone industry cash in on chaos with apps specifically made for ease of communication. UK Train Times By Agant Ltd costs £4.99 on the app store and shows train times, service bulletins and ticket purchasing.

So, is Britain really ready for potential winter chaos this year?

The investment in rail infrastructure as mentioned in the Autumn Statement could mean a brighter future for rail in times of chaos.

David Higgins, CEO of Network Rail, said: “The news of further rail investment is great news for passengers and for our supply chain, with tangible benefits for rail users.”

If the government invest in infrastructure as promised, it could be a giant step forward for rail travel in Britain which faces criticism for delays, extreme weather or no extreme weather.

The promises of NASA level technology on our railways should hopefully mean we are prepared for the next big freeze and the end of Britain grinding to a halt every winter we see snow.

Dramality – Stupid or just plain fun?

Dramality. This is possibly one of the most frustrating yet entertaining aspects of television today. I’m sure you’re all familiar with dramality.

The Only Way Is Essex (more fondly known as TOWIE) pioneered dramality right in to the mainstream of British television around October 2010.

One description I’ve seen said: “Real people in modified situations, saying unscripted lines but in a structured way”. This seems fairly unnatural to me yet I still continue to tune in and gormlessly watch.

Why do I watch it? Junk food for the brain perhaps? Empty calories?



On Sunday my family all sat down in front of the television after dinner and my mother switched TOWIE on. Most people complained, including me and especially my grandparents.

Alas, we still paid attention to the TV, we still discussed Arg and Lydia’s break up. It pains me to reveal that we even shed a tear for Arg.

Watching the characters carefully preened and discussing their lives in their perfectly decorated lounge made me wonder if this is one of those structured modified situations people talk about.

 Having to act out my love life and having it splashed all over ITV2 and only being paid £50 a day doesn’t seem worth the humiliation.

I think my dignity is worth much more than borderline minimum wage.

Essentially, why should we care about their lives? The answer is fairly simple. We’re a load of nosy old idiots. We love the escapism. We love watching them humiliate themselves for our pleasure.

It seems quite sick really but it’s just a condensed, slightly more down to earth Hollywood. Lower middle class girls wearing Louboutins. Red carpet access at the Brits. At least the Kardashians have a claim to fame, albeit a fairly weak one.

The copycat programmes released in the UK were an absolute disaster.

Desperate Scousewives flopped after one season yet TOWIE still gets the high viewing figures. The characters on TOWIE are loveable bickering airheads.

The Scousewives are hard faced and nasty. You rarely see characters from Desperate Scousewives or Geordie Shore splashed over the tabloids yet every day we hear of one of the TOWIE clan’s gaffs.

That is where they got it right. I watch TOWIE simply because it makes me laugh, at them not with them of course. The humour makes up for the ridiculousness of the programme, which is why it is my ultimate guilty pleasure.

The Leveson Inquiry - Journalist's Kryptonite

After researching the Leveson Inquiry today, I started to think about the impact this will have on my future career.

After the phone hacking scandal, David Cameron insisted on an investigation in to the ethics and practice of the British press. Essentially, News International have given journalists a bad name but I'm guessing a very small minority of journalists would actually engage in such unethical practice.

Should I be worried about political correctness getting in the way of my writing or see this as a chance of clearing our name? No. Politicians and journalists are a melting pot of disaster.



An interesting video to watch is Hugh Grant delivering his speech on the phone hacking scandal during the Inquiry. He described everything wrong with the press to a tee.

The world would be pretty boring without journalism but the nasty pirahnas of the industry need a good hiding. As a journalist, it is very difficult to stay on the fence but in this case, I have to agree with Mr Grant as he makes a very valid point.



Although it is well known journalism is a "struggling" industry, this bad exposure seems to be the shiny glacé cherry on the top. We must win back the public's trust but this could come at a cost.

This was shown on the Leveson Inquiry FAQ on their website: "The Inquiry aims to draw recommendations, if any, for the future, with particular regards to press regulation, governance and other systems of oversight."



Yes. So really, there is a fair chance we will have full blown press regulation in comparison to the good old PCC code.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with how the press is regulated at this moment in time as long as journalists stick to it (which a very small minority don't).

 I don't condone phone hacking and general unethical practice but should genuine and honest journalists really have to be regulated to the point of complete political control?

 I hope the Leveson Inquiry will see offending journalists punished but I do not wish for our writing to be sanitised to the point of lifelessness and pointless journalism.