Ebbs and flows: the Oxford underground music scene
The story of electronic music in the UK is like a long river, with a hundred junctures of genre, and a thousand tributaries of subculture and style. There’s little to prove that the water running through 1988 Acid House is anything like the water running through 1993 Jungle, or 1995 Garage.
Berlin, open city
In military terms, an open city is a city that has abandoned all fortifying efforts. Once a city has declared itself open, the opposing military will be obliged to peacefully occupy the city, rather than destroy it, under international law. As it happens Berlin is an open city,
Icon of the week: Becks Morgan
Many prolific artists are more multifaceted than we might first think. Joni Mitchell thinks of herself as a painter first; Andy Warhol thought he’d be remembered for his cinema. All the most interesting people split their time between many different pursuits. I was reminded of this erstwhil
Prodigies for sale
Sports fans are obsessed with child prodigies. It’s not enough for us to witness feats of athletic greatness; we want our heroes baby-faced. Unsurprisingly, fans see a talented young player and imagine that it portends future success for their team. They think of titles won, records
Fellas, is it gay to read a book?
The Saturday before last was a particularly sunny one. Although I didn’t have much time in my day to spend outside, I decided to take a break and spend half an hour or so reading an actual, physical book. I grabbed my book (On The Road by Jack Kerouac) and opened my window. My […]
Icon of the week: Americans (visiting students)
Hilary is the August of Oxford. In many ways it is the strangest term. It is the summer of the Oxford year, starting in the midst of winter. A liminal road trip that seems to last forever. The turbulence of Michaelmas seems to be over. The doom of Prelims feels far in the distance. […]
One Direction’s capital and community
I was one of the little girls that loved One Direction. Me, my best friends, and the supposedly billions of fans across the world. One Direction was etched into our brains, tethered to our cosmos, and the red string of fate across our pinkies were eternal—or so we thought. When I turned 17,
‘I think of you when I shag my boyfriend’: Are we too attached to celebrities?
The above quotation is not a drunken confession to an ex, but a sign I spotted when I was at a Harry Styles concert. At the time, I was still deep in an overwhelming obsession with ‘Hazza’ and thought the sign was hilarious. It is only now that I have emerged from the depths of […
Everyone misunderstood the For Women Scotland case
I greatly admire trans people. The process of realising one is trans involves a journey of profound self-knowledge and actualisation. It is an example of the highest level of consciousness and self-love a human being can reach. We owe so much of queer and gender liberation to trans people. I