Ronaldo: Here Today, Galactico Tomorrow?

Ask most Manchester United fans and they will probably tell you that they're favourite player is Cristiano Ronaldo. It's inevitable. The 23-year old Midfielder has blossomed into one of the most talented footballers on the planet, along with Lionel Messi, Kaka and Ronaldinho (even though the latter has more or less disappeared off of the footballing radar).



However, no matter how well our No. 7 plays, during the closing months of the season we can already smell the paella and hear the marchas over the horizon as Real Madrid make their periodic transfer market bid for the Portguese Winger. I'm can't speak for all fans but I just can't see Ronaldo sticking around in the drery Salford area when he could be making a bid for the La Liga title in sunny Madrid.



I believe that the temptation of becoming a Galactico will be too much for Ronaldo to resist. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if he packed up his boots and headed for the Bernabeau, since he has won every trophy possible in England and done everything he can in a Man Utd Shirt. Ferguson has pulled out a diamond in the rough to replace Beckham, and now it is time for Ronaldo to spread his wings. Don't get me wrong, I want Ronaldo to sign a contract for life and become the new George Best (Bar the domestic violence and drinking).


In short, I believe that the Manchester United era of Cristiano Ronaldo's career will be coming to a close in the near future. The bright lights of the Bernabeau will soon be the home to the Portugese Hotstepper and Old Trafford will be a mere memory, with the chants of Ronaldo's name echoing through the tunnels, changing rooms....and the oh so full up Trophy Cabinet.

Talking TV - 01

...A satyrical sidesweep,
...A pedantic powerpunch,
...A misanthropic mish-mash

(right...that's enough)

• So the last few days have showed us that the NEWS GODS* are experts in the trade of scare mongering, and for what it's worth I think they just like saying it...mongering.

BLUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!

This week there was a heafty mishap involving the US presidential plane Air Force One flying over New Jersey and New York City so that some burke in a US military fighter jet could pocket some snaps of the plane looking glamourous and shaking it's money maker around the sights of New York state. No doubt the photos will be used in some AWESOME posters campaign, but the question on everyone's lips is when will Air Force One, or AF1 as she'll later be known, be releasing her own compilation book of saucy flying-mobile pin-ups and subsequent debut single...well maybe it's not on everyone's lips...probably just mine?


The best part about this story is the total over-reaction from the news stations, the BBC went with "Video captures NY jet terror"! dropping the "T" word is a surefire way to scare some ignorant news-fearing folk here across the pond into thinking something serious has actually happened when in reality the majority of us really couldn't care less if some special plane flies over some place in the US, get it off my tele! To be fair to the people featured in the video (availiable on the BBC news website) the idiots who planned this outing decided not to tell anyone their intentions, not even the mayor or New York. Another hilarious over-reaction to a ridiculous event by Britian's news coverage boffins who love broadcasting American news as if it's our own, we know nothing exciting happens that often in the UK, please just cut to the weather so I can plan my day! Rawrgh!

President Barack Obama was reported as being "FURIOUS!"

...oh the evidence is clear.

Until the next time I can find something of worth to shout about, goodbye, possibly Swine Flu, Hollyoaks, Jeremy Kyle or GMTV on the whole, who knows, not me.

*Hugh Edwards anyone? what a guy...

The Mae Shi

If anyone's in need of a new music fix then look no further than these guys...

The Mae Shi are a four piece experimental punk band hailing from sunny California, whose mix of Indie, Punk and anthemic tunes combine to make one intriguing band, and one only look on their Myspace profile playlist to see why.


Run to Your Grave is that song you heard on the radio a while back but have never been able to find since. With a shouty, upbeat chorus and simple arrangement, it's a definite contender for Song of the Year (so far).


The Lamb and the Lion, which you might recognise as the song from a Skins advert, is also one to listen out for. The Tetris like guitar riff at the start hypnotises, before the very Yeah Yeah Yeahs-esque bridge entices with it's psychedelic charm, making this track very groovy indeed.


If you're into the heavier stuff however, then Vampire Beats is bound to be more your cup of tea. With an altogether more edgy vibe, the short but not so sweet track demonstrates just how intense 90 seconds can be. And if you're really up for chillaxing to something ambient, there's a rather epic extended version of The Lion and the Lamb. At 11 minutes, Kingdom Come is a very mellow synth track that drifts in and out of a slightly surreal James Bond theme.


Tetris? Skins? James Bond?
Told you they were intriguing.


It may only be April but, seeing as the sun's made it's debut appearance in the South this year, I think it's not too early to say that this band will be definite summer BBQ/festival material.


www.myspace.com/themaeshi

Wembley Has No Heart

After years of anticipation, hope and £798 million pounds, the new Wembley Stadium was built. The new 'Home of Football'. The new Wembley opened in 2007 and you could sense the overwhelming pride this structure had reinstalled into the nation, no longer would the England team have to 'borrow' the Millenium Stadium for their home matches. However, it is missing something. Despite the innovative structural design and the 90,000 capacity, it lacks heart.

The original Wembley truly was 'The Home of Football', it had passion, it had pride. It was a stadium that every young lad dreamed of playing, whether you were English, Chinese, Jamaican. Everyone wanted to tell their grandchildren 'I played at Wembley'. However, for some reason I don't get the feeling that the new Wembley has the same world wide status.

Wembley's problems are of vast quantity. The pitch is of a terrible standard, the prices are massively over priced and the sting of playing at Wembley has been taken out by scheduling the FA Cup semi-finals there for the next 30 years.
Most stadiums are built around the pitch, but Wembley have done it the other way around. It's almost as if they built the stadium and the day before it being unveiled then realised, 'Wait, aren't we supposed to have a pitch in the middle of all these seats?' It is simply not good enough.

The FA have simply built a stadium that could be confused with any other high capacity around Europe and they are trying to squeeze every penny out of the fans who travel all the way to watch a match that is ruined by a pitch that cuts up under-foot and £10 Cheese Burgers.

Easter Break

We are taking a short break to eat our body weight in chocolate, but we shall soon be back to pump articles into every orifice of your body!

'Shear' nonsense!

It has finally happened! The 3rd messiah has arrived at Newcastle United, Alan Shearer. This appointment was speculated not too long ago when Kevin Keegan left after his second, unsuccessful, stint at St James' Park and Alan Shearer was tipped as one of the favourites to take the job. In spite of the speculation the 'toon' hero was not hired, instead they appointed ex-Wimbledon manager Joe Kinnear.

However, after requiring heart surgery in February, Joe Kinnear has been forced to step down as manager. This tragic turn of events has resulted in Alan Shearer answering Mike Ashley's distress call and accept the temporary job at Newcastle United.

As a player, Alan Shearer is regarded as one of the Newcastle greats. In 1996 he was bought for a world record fee of £15 million and went on to make 404 appearances, scoring 206 goals. His career with Newcastle was a constant struggle for success, the closest he came to the Premier League title was 2nd place in the 1996-97 season. He also has two FA Cup runners up medals, one in 1998 and the other coming from the 1999 final.

Despite his legendary status at Newcastle United, his appointment comes across as 'wishful thinking' and the hopeful creations of a fairy tale story. His side had a tough first game against Chelsea where they were never expected to gain a result, but i feel that result will become a repeated pattern for Alan's reign as 'gaffer'. He has acquired the services of Ian Dowie who has a record as an unsuccessful manager with a lot of teams and I feel Newcastle will not break this record.

The club are currently sitting in the relegation zone at 18th place and I can only see this position deteriorating with an inexperienced local boy at the helm.

Disclaimer

It has been brought to our attention that recent articles have been deemed offensive and all of us here at The New Wave would like to apologise.

This is a student blog written and edited by students only; no staff or teachers are responsible for the content published.
The New Wave does not write to offend. If for any reason you are offended by any of our material then we, the student editors, will be happy to handle your complaints.

brendansblog@hotmail.co.uk

The Talent Is Out There ...

I don't know about you but I gain no greater satisfaction than when I discover new talent that has never been heard of before. It's like a drug running through my veins and I just can't get enough of it!

Recently, my addiction was was quenched as three groups caught my eye, "groove rock" band 'Ascari', diverse comedy group 'The Plastic Seat Company' and metal band 'Oceans Between Us'. All three packed with raw talent and destined for the big time!

www.myspace.com/plasticseatcompany

I will admit now that I had a slight advantage in discovering The Plastic Seat Company, as one of the members is my older brother. So it would have been hard for me not to have taken notice of them but, by my own choice, I am a huge fan and have followed them from their first ever gig, right through to their successful, nationwide 'Orgasmic Thrust Tour'. However, you may think I have a biased opinion but they are truly ones to look out for in the future. The welsh based comedy group combine parody skits, slapstick performances and individual moments of exuberance to send their audience into a state of heart warming obedience!

www.myspace.com/ascariband

Ascari and Oceans Between Us were also brought to my attention through another close connection and I am already a huge fan of the two bands. Ascari supply a 'feel good factor' to my, heavy metal based, iTunes library and would be best described as the love child spawned from a one night stand between Rock and Funk creating, what they call, "Groove Rock". Their main hit, 'Just Try It Sunshine', has become my soundtrack to 2009 along with some of their other tracks such as, "Not a Care In The World" and "Don't Change".

www.myspace.com/oceansbetweenusuk

Finally we have Oceans Between Us, a band for the true fans of Metal, currently with only one song but what a song! "The Tempest" will have you head-banging and mosh-pitting all night long as it has done for me ever since it made sweet love to my ears just a few weeks ago. I would recommend Oceans Between us to anyone with a vague interest in Rock or Metal as it will blow your mind! I advice those who do not fit into this category to stay clear of the band as they are not for the faint-hearted!

this has to be the coolest site..

scanwiches.com

grab a scanner. throw your lunch inside= scanwiches

it'll make you want to scan all kinds of crap..

and raid your fridge.

simultaneously.

the new wave has a new look

the blog has had an image overhaul..

this of it as that makeover montage scene from your typical blockbuster

some sweating and pumping at the gym.

the reading of self help books.

quitting smoking.

a new haircut and a new wardrobe.

well, it deserved it.

let us know what you think!

New Music Sucks

Is it just me, or does the music that spawns from the mouths and instruments of artists today lack quality? I may be generalising hugely but I think that I do make I good point. Personally, I find the sound of the "Lady Ga Ga" and "The Ting Tings" the equivilant of gerkins in McDonalds burgers - NO ONE LIKES THEM!

For starters, the lyrics are not the most sincere or deepest words I've heard. Songs about underwear, local offlicences or their boyfriends hair is not something I would give valuable seconds of my life to listen to. I could be doing much more useful things like picking up chicks or learning to drive (which would help immensley with my chick picking). These "artists" could write songs about anything if they put their mind to it, but that would mean working hard, practicing and not using the very first thing you think of. That will not happen.

Then we move on to the number one enemy on my music list - Dance music. I find it hard to even consider an ominous beat with one sentence repeated every 30 seconds music. The DJs themselves are considered artists, which I dispise. Some Swedish DJ mixs up some crap in his bedroom and then considers himself a musical genius because he has 10 hits on YouTube. Go have an orgy you blonde bastard.

Then we come to a genre which I don't really like but I wish no harm - Rap. At least the words involved are (or at least used to be) of some degree about the struggle of young black men in the Ghetto. And Eminem. Although now, I find the stylings of 50 Cent and his G-Unit very angry about how they can afford everything and their Bitches and Hos need a lesson in respect. I also find the rap wars between people like Jay-Z, Ja "Jeffery" Rule and T-Pain rather pathetic.

I find Rock/Rock 'n' Roll and Jimi Hendrix the best categories of music since they play their own instruments, sing well and put some passion and feeling into their work and its not just about the money. Sex, Drugs and Rock'n'Roll. Awwwwwwww Yeah.

Exclusive Games - What's The Point?

The latest exclusive game for Xbox 360

2005 and 2006 saw the release of two consoles that would change the gaming world for ever! I am, of course, talking about the 7th generation era of consoles, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. With high definition graphics, advanced AI systems and world wide online functions, these two consoles have changed the face of gaming as we know it. However there is one problem to be resolved, exclusive games.

Both Xbox 360 and PS3 have released several exclusive games, such as Gears of War 1 and 2 for Xbox and Resistance 1, 2 and Killzone 2 for PS3. Now the announcement that the Grand Theft Auto IV spin off game, “Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned”, is going to be exclusive to Xbox 360 has made me wonder, what is the point in exclusive games? Considering that Grand Theft Auto IV was an open game, available to PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles, I feel cheated as a PS3 owner that the spin off game is an exclusive one! I know that I am not the only one who feels that this decision is a big slap in the face to all PS3 owners.

I can see that certain companies may want to build up a rapport with a certain section of gamers e.g. Gears of War and Xbox 360, but on the business side of producing games on a mass scale, it only makes sense to sell your game to as many customers as possible, thus making more money. You don’t have to be an expert in business to work that one out!

The whole idea of exclusive games stems from an apparent “war” between PS3 and Xbox owners. Arguments about which one is better and why have given companies the idea to form allegiances with a particular company, Microsoft or Sony. However these arguments are ridiculous, the differences between them are minute. PS3 has higher defined graphics and the ability to play Blu-ray discs but Xbox 360 has a better online system. There shouldn’t be arguments arising because of something as trivial as games consoles.

In closing this article I can only reiterate what I have already said. However, as you can tell, I am not a fan of exclusive games, but I can respect the creators of Gears of War and Resistance as they have brought out exclusive games and stuck with them, unlike Rockstar, who have decided to jump on the band wagon and disregard the millions of people who bought Grand Theft Auto IV on PS3.

Protect your children! That teen is wearing a hoody!

I am stood at the bus stop, waiting for the 36 to take me down education lane and in the distance I see a mother walking her child to school. They were laughing and enjoying their time together before the two parted ways for the day, however, all that stopped as they see me stood there with my flat-peak, hoody and lip piercing. The site of me forces the mother to stop laughing and draw a look of concern across her face, for thought of what cynical plans she believes I am devising in my head. As she gets closer she steps the other side of her daughter, putting the mother in the middle of me and the small child, she then pulls the child closer. Fearing that this may be their last moments together. As they pass me, their faces clenched with fear, I pull out my smile, wish them a nice day and get on the bus.

On the bus to college I cant help but feel offended that the mother was so intimidated by my appearances that she felt the need to protect her child. I may not look extremely approachable with my hair covering one eye and my ipod playing Escape The Fate at full volume, but in no way do I appear dangerous or aggressive. I mean what did she really think I was going to do to her and her daughter? Did she expect me to pull out a knife?

Then I begin to notice that she isn't the only one.

On the very same bus journey, an elderly woman stepped onto the bus and choose to stand rather than sit by me! I didn't put my bag on the seat, I was just sat down reading the metro, I looked up and gave her a smile but she still felt too threatened to sit by me. I was left confused to what it was about me that made her feel that she couldn't trust me enough to sit within a 1 meter radius of me!

Then I realised that i shouldn't let it bother me. If someone is intimidated by an item of clothing that has a hood attached to it, then they have to start thinking carefully about there attitudes and prejudice state of mind.

Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe

This is not a misprint! Two of the greatest forces ever to be welcomed to our planet are at war via the world of 3rd generation consoles!

2008 was a big year for games, it saw the release of Call Of Duty 5, Pro Evolution 2009, GTA 4 and many more. However, on a personal note it was THE biggest year for gaming! It was a year when i saw the return of some of my childhood heroes, Liu Kang, Raiden, Sub-Zero amongst others made Mortal Kombat the iconic game it was, and when i heard that they were returning to rage war against DC Universe i only had one response......Awesome!!

After i bought this game i rushed home with anticipation that this game could emulate Mortal Kombat games of the past and the minute i opened my door i threw the game into my PS3 without a moment to loose! As the opening credits rolled in front of my eyes i could only dream of what i had in store for me, in a matter of minutes i would be reunited with Scorpion and Sub-Zero as they fight the likes of Superman, Batman and Captain Marvel. Then, suddenly, the main menu loaded up and i was faced with the options of Story Mode, Arkade Mode and Player vs Co.

I don't want to get into every single aspect of my experience playing the game as i would be here all day, so i will cut to the really important info. This game has been updated with new features to add to the Mortal Kombat experience such as 3D fighting modes, enhanced graphics and rare characters like Jax and Deathstroke. The Story Mode is packed with gripping plots and twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. The classic Arkade Mode has not changed one bit from the original game and has a certain vintage quality to it.

However, Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe is far from flawless, the Story Mode is filled with far too many cut scenes used to link fights together as the only time you have control is whilst fighting. Its like Metal Gear Solid 4 gone mad! Another problem is how frustrating it is to gain Trophies. After completing the story mode i collected grand total of 1 trophy! After a while you will find yourself banging your head against the floor!

Despite these flaws this is still a brilliant game and any hardcore Mortal Kombat fan will not be disappointed. So remember......FIGHT!

Street Fighter IV - Return of a Classic

What's all this? Street Fighter? On a 3rd Generation Console? In 3D?



Yes, your eyes do not deceive you. Ryu, Ken, Guile, Blanka and that speedy bastard Bison are back to kick your joypad all over the place. New characters, new game modes, unique character moves and Xbox LIVE and Playstation Network battles allow you to challenge people all over the world and allow them to get better acquainted with your combos.



I haven't played the game that long, but I am big Street Fighter fan and I loved the previous titles on the old -school consoles like the Super Nintendo and was quite excited when I heard that Street Fighter IV was winging its way to my Xbox 360. Although, I found that no hype was made in any way, shape or form about the revival of the fighting game. Oh well, I have it now.



Good news for all: Capcom have changed no aspects of the gameplay. All the punch, kick, combos and the like haven't been tinkered with, they just feel a lot smoother when performing them. Strangely, I can still remember most of Ryu's combos thanks to hours of button bashing in the past and those skills haven't been wasted thanks to this lack of change. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Someone should tell that to a certain design developer at Epic Games...



Admittedly, fighting games do seem to be mostly the same which ever one you buy and have probably run their course by now, however, SF IV is a damn good way to prove skeptics wrong. Thanks to the added element of Super and Ultra Combos, you can release some truly damaging moves. And they look pretty cool.



Ultra and Super Combos are unique to each character and are visually stunning. There are many new characters that allow newcomers and veterans alike to start learning new kick ass moves to lay down and taunt their opponents online with. Like Japanese student Sakura, Lucha Libre El Fuerte and martial arts master Gen. All of which make up a pretty diverse bunch.

All in all, this shit is happening!

You, Buy Now!

Beckham still has a lot Moore to give

David Beckham's football career has been decorated with success over the years. He has won the Champions League, the Premier League, FA Cup, Copa Del Rey, La Liga, the list goes on. He has played for the biggest teams in the world, Manchester United, Real Madrid and now AC Milan, and last night he achieved something that no one thought was possible. By making his 108^th England appearance he has equaled the great Bobby Moore and is only 17 appearances behind the current record holder, Peter Shilton. However, based on the evidence shown last night, it seems that Beckham's England career is far from over as he still has a lot to offer to an under-achieving side.

Beckham started last night's match on the bench and had to watch on as England went 1-0 down due to a brilliant finish from the Valencia striker David Villa. Spain moved the ball about quickly and dominated possession throughout the whole match and Fabio Capello's side just couldn't cope. Half time brought the moment everyone was waiting for, David Beckham. He came on to replace Downing and a huge cheer went up as he stepped onto the field to reach this famous milestone. Beckham struggled to get into the game at first, rarely getting a touch on the ball and not making an immediate impact. However, it wasn't long until he hit one of his trademark, 60 yard, cross field passes, directly to the feet of Shaun Wright-Phillips, creating a great chance that Wright-Phillips should have done better with.

Beckham showed great determination and the 'never-say-never' attitude he brings into every England game, even when Spain made it 2-0 through an excellently delivered ball into the box by Xavi and a bullet header from Llorente, Beckham was the one getting the lads' morale up and getting them going. He then created the best chance of the game when Carlton Cole's effort was cleared off the line by Marchena after he got on the end of Beckham's perfectly delivered through ball.

It seems that our modern day 'Roy of the Rovers' still has a lot to offer Fabio Capello's England team and if he continues to progress at AC Milan as he has done then there is no reason why Beckham can't beat Peter Shilton's, long standing, record.

Guitar Hero or Guitar Zero

Back in the very long summer holiday that we had after doing our GCSEs, I purchased Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. I thoroughly enjoyed playing it and eventually became quite good at it, managing to play on Hard and Expert. My friends then joined me in my rock star fantasy and we had good fun rocking out to some classic tracks such as Sweet Child O' Mine, Freebird, Are You Gonna Go My Way, Welcome to the Jungle and Do It Again. However, I find that whenever I mention to anyone who plays an instrument that I have played Guitar Hero, they immediately verbally abuse me and say things like "You can't really do it!", "Stop living a fantasy!" and "You have no idea how hard it really is!". I never said I could play real guitar, although I have bought one and I am learning so ha.

This is a very short article, but leave a comment or two and let me know how you guys feel. Guitar Hero is there for fun, not so people can say "Yeah I play Guitar................Hero".

Liverpool - A Ticking Time Bomb

The moment it all fell apart

Liverpool Football Club, one of the most famous teams in the world and currently still the most successful team in English history. Premier League champions 09-10? They wish....

Before reading this article, you must know that I am a Manchester United fan and have been so since 1995, so I obviously have some bias views on this topic but I will try to keep my words as in perspective as possible.

Every year in the Premiership, the usual winners names are tossed around, Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool as an outside chance. Although it has been proven many times that Liverpool are a powerful team to be reckoned with, I personally just can't ever see them grasping the title and spraying champagne everywhere, while Rafael Benitez sits calmly on the bench showing no emotion as usual. Even Arsenal are now a fading light of a team, with their young talent unable to get leadership and sometimes losing their heads on the pitch causing them to fall behind in the title race. Granted Liverpool are currently second in the table with only two points behind Manchester United, I think everyone is just waiting for the clock to hit 12 on their Cinderella season.

I can easily see them lifting many of the other silverware on offer to them, such as the Champions League or FA Cup and at the same time giving us neutrals incredibly close and tense matches to watch as they score with -10 minutes to go. However, I think Rafa, the players and the fans want to win the league, seeing as it is the last trophy they have yet to win since the Premier League's formation back in 1992.

I also probably wouldn't have written this article had Robbie Keane not spoken out in earlier in the month about telling Benitez to "Stick" his medal. He doesn't even have a medal to stick you Irish failure! Then the beanpole bad boy Peter Crouch sticks his oar in and agrees with Keane. Crouch doesn't deserve Meals on Wheels!

All in all, I don't think Liverpool will win the league, at least not with their current manager who unnecessarily changes the team for no reason and lack of depth they have within the squad. Gerrard gets injured and Lukas replaces him. Not very reassuring is it? Feel free to comment and tell me how right or wrong I am.

Aston Villa Are a Breath of Fresh Air

For years now, the Premier League’s top four positions have been dominated by the same teams every year. Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have been setting the standard for the rest of the league for what seems an age and no-one has even come close to knocking them off of their pedestal. However, it seems that there is a ‘David’ to stand toe-to-toe with the ‘Goliaths’ of the Premiership, that team is Aston Villa.

When Martin O’Neill was appointed Aston Villa manager, back in 2006, he said ‘Trying to restore it to its days of former glory seems a long way away - but why not try?’, and it seems that they have done a lot more than just try. With English youngsters such as Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor and James Milner all playing key roles in the team, he has brought Aston Villa into the eyes of the public again by breaking into the, elusive, top four.

Aston Villa are currently sitting in 3rd place with 47 points from their 23 games and they are undefeated in their last 8 games. In spite of their fantastic league form this season, the Villa boss still feels that his youngsters have much to learn if they are to break into the top four and claim a place in Europe.

If Aston Villa manage to uphold their strong league form then they look odds on to finish in the top four, but who will miss out? Well, I’m sorry to say, but Arsenal look the weakest out of the four, they are not scoring enough goals and they are lacking a real leader in defence. If any one is to loose out then it can only be Arsenal to have to make do with a 5th place finish.

This attack on the top four by Aston Villa can only mean good news for the Premiership as it may inspire other lower teams to press forward and challenge the top guns for their throne as “the top four”.

The Cheating World

Finally, the misery comes to an end. You come out of college; it’s been a very hard day, English coursework, ICT coursework and an extra ton of homework in you bag, just waiting to suck up hours of attention tonight. It’s raining; you are saturated to the skin, and now the waters seeping into your bag. The cleverly mapped out ink on the first page of your English coursework is now dripping, like oil from a car, into the bottom of the unknown. Your feet feel frozen solid, numb, and your head feels heavy, as you struggle to keep it up. You finally near the point of where painful walking needn’t happen any more. Suddenly, it strikes; like a 20 ton train hitting you. Your heart sinks, making you feel empty, worthless and alone. Your lungs contract, it’s hard to breathe, and loss of all energy makes you feel unstable. The tears build up, but won’t expose their selves to the coldness of what has just happened. As the sweat streams from your forehead, you focus on the only thing left in front of you. The lock that needs no key.

Being a victim of crime twice now, just in the last month, has made me come to the disappointing realisation that we can’t have anything nice nowadays, without others wanting it, and in soul destroying situations, getting it. Even more soul destroying than this, is that fact that everybody reading this knows exactly what I am talking about. Whether they know it as stealing, thieving, nicking, jacking, mugging or bag snatching, everybody, either being a victim themselves, or knowing someone else who is has to live in the unsafe world of today. Isn’t it sad that we live in a world like this, insecure, not being able to have what we want.

"We are being made the mugs"

My experience has been a garage broken into and a bike stolen, only minor crime to some, yet a major obstacle to me, and they don’t stop there. 392 people got mugged in 2007 alone, 135 of those poor victims were re-mugged again. It’s not little old grannies anymore; they still carry around phones with a credit card sized sim. No, it is us; we are the prey to the scavenging vultures. Are they that desperate? Do they really need our goods that much? Most of our stolen items, through mugging, theft and burglary are used to fund drug abuse. The scale is so big, that the UK pays out £15 billion a year in health and crime bills. They don’t necessarily take our stuff because they want it, but because they need it. They are the ones getting pleasure, whilst we are being made the mugs, picking up the tab.

Theft and crime has been going on for centuries, back in the days where farmers would steal each other’s crops, to inventors taking each other’s ideas. The world runs in an unfair manner. There are the workers, the people who get jobs, earn money and buy things. Then there are the rest, who are jealous of them, and want to take it away from them, who are the thieves and criminals. You could say, there are the honest, and the unworthy.

Crime is an unbeatable villain who just keeps attacking, and finding new ways to break the chains of law. Security doesn’t exist anymore, there is no such thing as secure. We cannot be secure in this world of a food chain, and unfortunately, we are at the bottom. Teenage crime is bigger than most, and around half of teenagers aged from 11 to 16 are victims of crime each year. This is one of the most shocking facts of our country, and applies all around the world. We are the easy prey, and we are getting bullied.

We all have to face it. The world is a cheat. But, the main question is who to blame? We, the hard working, poor, wounded honest citizens? Or them, the low life, drug taking villains? Of course there’s always hindsight, but we shouldn’t blame ourselves. If the world was rid of criminals and thieves, the problem would not exist. If they only put a bit of effort into life, get an honest job they can become one of us, instead of a parasite, depending on us. We would be able to sleep more soundly at night, knowing tomorrow will be another hassle free day to be free, fearless and forget our troubles. Fear is the control factor here, they want us to live in it constantly and to be frank, I’ve had enough of it.

One Step Forward, Six Months Back!

Harry Redknapp has been in charge of Tottenham for just over three months now and things started off well for the ex-Portsmouth manager. He took them out of the relegation zone within two weeks, picking up wins against the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City and even managing a draw with North London rivals Arsenal. However, it seems now that the honeymoon period is over and things don’t seem all that perfect at White Hart Lane.

With no wins coming from their last four games Harry had to bring in some fresh faces to strengthen his Spurs side and that’s exactly what he has done. He brought in ex-Tottenham man Jermain Defoe from Portsmouth, paying £7 million more than he paid for him a year earlier at Pompy. This was seen as positive move as Jermain is a proven goal scorer and he was reluctant to leave Spurs in the first place. However, it seems that Harry is taking it too far with his latest signing, another former Tottenham player, Pascal Chimbonda.

The French international left Tottenham and joined Sunderland in July 2008 and now he has returned, six months later, to have another go around with Spurs. Chimbonda originally left due to a fall out with, former manager, Juande Ramos, as he was seen as a negative influence in the changing room. In spite of this Harry as seen fit to re-sign Pascal to build up his, short numbered, squad. This transfer has not been well perceived as Chimbonda was deemed a negative influence six months ago, and now he is walking into an, already, ‘shaky’ changing room.

The Tottenham manager has also expressed an interest in signing Tottenham’s ‘old faithful’, Robbie Keane. It’s only been six months since the Republic of Ireland striker left White Hart Lane and it seems that he is unhappy with life in Merseyside. Harry was reported to have said “I wouldn't sit here and say I wouldn't like to have Robbie Keane at my football club, I'd be a liar”; although he has explained that a deal would be unlikely.

It seems that Harry is stuck in reverse and needs to start looking into the future of Tottenham Hotspur, if not then it wont be long until Glen Hoddle finds himself wearing a Spurs shirt again.

To Lose My Life

In case you've been living in a cave for the past couple of weeks, you'll no doubt have heard that White Lies have been tipped as one of the bands set to cause a storm in the Indie circuit. Following on from the Goth chic of Glasvegas, White Lies are the latest band to get miserable. And it sounds great.



Take equal measures of Interpol and Editors, mix in the morose baritone of Robert Smith and add an album full of desolate lyrics about love, loss and death and you've got White Lies' debut, To Lose My Life. As well as producing uneasy tracks with a sense of foreboding equal to that of pressing play on a Britney Spears album, there's also a few riffs in there that are Radio 1 Playlist worthy; E.S.T's rocking chorus and the Franz Ferdinand-esque Farewell to the Fairground to name but a few. At times it seems that the band are trying a little too hard to vie for our attention and I have to admit, a couple of tracks, (Death and Unfinished Business) left me somewhat bored. The title track, whilst failing in the mainstream charts entering at only #35, is the least gloom ridden of the lot of them and is impossibly catchy, definitely one to download if you haven't already.

All in all, they may be one of the finest bands to emerge this year so far, but they have a bit of work to do before they surpass The Cure.
7/10
To Lose My Life is out now.
www.myspace.com/whitelies

Strauss Has It All To Do

After days of speculation Peter Moores has been sacked as England coach, Kevin Pieterson has resigned as England captain and Andrew Strauss has already been named as KP's successor. All of this because of a disagreement over Micheal Vaughan's, correct, exclusion from the test squad to tour West Indies next month. With all of this "chaos" over the past week, it leaves Andrew Strauss with a tough job of reuniting a divided changing before the West Indies tour and, most importantly, the Ashes series next summer.

I do not doubt the new skipper's ability to piece together the puzzle that is the England camp but he needs the backing of his senior members. Players such as Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison and Paul Collingwood need to get behind Strauss and give him the backing he needs and deserves. This situation will have a big impact on some of the younger, less experienced players and the seniors need to show strong character to put this ugly mess behind them and start planning for the Ashes.

Believe it or not but this situation could have a positive affect on the team in the long run. Star players have rarely made great captains for England and I do not believe that Pieterson would have been an exception. England need to get the best out of KP and for them to do that he needs to be focused on his own game.

Ian Botham's form dropped, dramatically, when he was made captain of the England side in the 1980s and his reign as captain didn't last for long as a result of this poor form. It wasn't until he was relieved of his duty that he started to score runs galore.
As long as KP still wants to play then we have nothing to worry about on that front.

However, I would like to bring attention to selection. I would like to think that the new skipper would want to put his own stamp on the team and the players playing. Promising young batsmen such as Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara have been waiting for a chance to cement a permanent place in the team and after their impressive displays in the ODI series against India, I believe they deserve a run out.

Another selection issue is the current, "lack-lustre", bowling attack, consisting of Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar, James Anderson, Andrew Flintoff and Stuart Broad. The only member of that line up that has earned an unchallenged place in the team is "Freddie" Flintoff, other than that, they are all walking on a tight rope.

Steve Harmison is hit and miss but you accept that as his "hit" moments can change a game completely but Monty, "Jimmy" Anderson and Staurt Broad all performed below par in the India test series and they should be lucky to keep their places in the team.

These are exciting times for English Cricket, with the Ashes series looming, England need to show unity in the West Indies and start building towards the summer to retain the Ashes.

Hello 2009

The New Wave is currently warming up t0 begin a shiny new year of bringing you as much witty banter, wave reviews and journo-cynic satisfaction as you can handle, so bear with us. In the meantime, we trust you all had fun saying goodbye, farewell, auf wiedersehn 2008, and welcomed the new year with open arms and positive thoughts and, (in my case) enough booze to knock out an elephant. We also hope that the festive season has left you as frostbitten, bloated and penniless as most of us are feeling right now... Peace.

Seasons greetings

All of us here at The New Wave would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and an alcohol filled New Year!

The Mandatory 2008 Post Continued

I know, the suspense must be killing you, just who will obtain that oh so glorious accolade of my favourite album of the year?

5.The Last Shadow Puppets-The Age of the Understatement
It was obvious from the moment the new side project of Alex Turner's came into public awareness that it was going to be a hit. He seems to have the midas touch, what with the Arctics going from strength to strength; the band picked up 2 Brit awards in February of this year, one of which for their album Favourite Worst Nightmare. And then there's this bloke called Miles from some Northern Indie band. The music industry seemed to hold a collective breath when news of an album was uncovered: would this be as good as some of what the Arctic Monkeys did? Did this mean that they were splitting up? And who the hell is this guy called Miles? Whilst we still don't really know the answer to the latter (ok so he's the guy from The Rascals, but does anybody care?) we do now know that whilst venturing into a thoroughly different terrain, it seems the boys still know how to make just as exciting an album. If you're a fan of the vintage James Bond films then you'll love the lush orchestral backing, and for those who actually enjoy a song with meaning (I mean really, are we human or are we dancer? Please) there's plenty of Alex's ever-so-clever wit to keep you entertained for the duration of the record. If you like this, then also check out some of Scott Walker's stuff, it runs along a similar vein and is where the inspiration for this LP.






















4. The Ting Tings- We Started Nothing
I think we can safely say everybody on the face of the little dot that is our world is aware of this pop duo. No doubt you've seen the iPod ads, hummed along to it on the radio and probably seen them being interviewed countless times on the tellybox. So, I hear you ask, why the hell do you have them here when they've become largely annoying? Well, for one this album is the perfect example of how music should be played. Tracks like We Started Nothing have a definite groove to them, you feel as if you're a fly on the wall of Katie and Jules' garage having a jamming session. Others, like Fruit Machine and Great DJ are cheeky slices of pop, completely inoffensive and, more importantly, infectious. I challenge you to hear this album in its entirety without once smiling or bobbing your head. I can testify that this is, infact, impossible. Yes they've been a constant presence in 2008, but for damn good reason; Jules and Katie really love the music, you can tell from the this record and, when listening to them, it's hard not to agree with them.























3.Lightspeed Champion-Falling Off the Lavender Bridge
So, your band Test Icicles has just fallen apart and you're left with nothing to do, what now? Well, you create a whole new alter ego and create an album full of truly magical folk. Duh. I could only compare this album to After Eights: Rich and indulgent, yet at the same time bitter, and as much as you try you can't eat just one. A similar experience is listening to Falling Off the Lavender Bridge. Dev utilises the mass of instruments he has at his disposal, from flutes to fiddles, and features the fantabulous Emmy the Great on a number of tracks. All of these combine to make a warm and welcoming sound, traditional of Western folk, but still retaining a hint of darkness. I don't know what Dev had to go through to think of lyrics like "Guzzle down, my neck will burn as we kiss and I'm sick in your mouth" and frankly, neither do I want to, but still, there's a sense of acidity and purpose. Equally interesting is song Midnight Surprise. Although at first glance the 10 minute song seems daunting and ostentatious, you soon forget it's one song but rather 3, the movements seem to interweave effortlessly and upon its ending you still find yourself yearning. This deserves to be placed higher on my list than #3, and would have been if it weren't for those pesky Americans..






















2.MGMT-Oracular Spectacular Alright, hands up if this is a shock. I thought so. Funnily enough this little known band (I jest of course) have made quite a stir both sides of the Atlantic. I vaguely remember reading an article in the NME near the beginning of this year, something about bands to watch out for in 2008, and these guys were featured quite highly. Described as fresh and psychedelic, a kind of new Flaming Lips for all the indie kids to drool over, if you will. It wasn't until I'd heard their now infamous Time to Pretend featured on the last episode of Series 2 of Skins that I actually had any inclination to agree. Then, after much googling and downloading of their album, I regretlessly joined the growing cohort of MGMT fans. My only sulk about this band was that they played two sets at Glastonbury at awkward slots, in between nap time and wandering around the Green fields. Damn them. Anyway, this album is the perfect soundtrack to lazing about in a field somewhere, prancing about the flowerbeds and hugging trees. Or what the 70's would have been like if it were ever so slightly more edgy. This album contains more than a few hooks, prompting many a shout-a-long at their gigs and the skill of the guitarist is incredible. Some bands like to coyly shuffle onto the scene with a little ditty about some girl that left them. Not these guys though. They exploded onto the indie/rock airwaves with an astonishingly magnificent first album. Let's hope they don't fall in the trap that is the second album curse.






















1. Vampire Weekend-Vampire Weekend
And so we reach the climax of my top ten album rundown with the lovely Vampire Weekend. The main reason this band's album is my favourite of the year is because it contains the blueprint for success in the indie industry, both in terms of appearance and music. This group of preppie types certainly know how to dress well whilst also in keeping with the afro-influenced style of their music. Now I'm not a huge fan of African music, purely because although it sounds ok there's nothing that catches me, it just sort of ambles along. Vampire Weekend's afro-indie however does anything but. The influence of Afro syncopation adds a rather exciting pace to the track, thoroughly different from the boring 4/4 rock we've been enduring for some time. Plus the harmonised vocals on this are truly a delight, particularly on tracks like Oxford Comma. Each song also has a distinctive vibe to it that sets it apart from the next, from the hyper bouncing A-Punk to the lazy Sunday afternoon The Kids Don't Stand a Chance, every track is treated as a potential single rather than a bunch of tracks thrown together carelessly. As well as using African influences, the group have also included a seemingly odd orchestral backing that, surprisingly, actually works quite well. Although some may deem this band too preppy for their liking, I adore this record as it is truly one of the most original things to have come out of this decade so far, not just the year, makes a lovely change from the mockney masses, don't you think?

So that was my very long album chart, but here's some more albums you may want to try:

• Glasvegas-Glasvegas- Miserable music at its best.
  
• The Cure-4.13 Dream- It's like they've never been away-hurrah!
• Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes- Another interesting take on the typical American rock album.
• Sigur Ros- With a Buzz in Our Ears we Play Endlessly- Truly awe inspiring ambiance from the band with the unpronounceable song titles.
  

What have been your favourites of the year?

"I pledge allegiance, to the shoe......"

Or shoes, even, that were hurled at George 'I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully' Bush, one after the other, by iraqi cameraman Muntadar al-Zaidi during a conference in Baghdad on Sunday.....



At the time of the incident;
(a rather flustered)Bush: "it's a sign of free society"
Zaidi: "it is the farewell kiss, you dog".

When probed by the press, the soon-to-be ex-president's response was hilariously ever reflective of his infamously integral intelligence and humour; "All I can report is a size 10".
HA.

Piercings: Or how I stopped worrying and learned to love the holes in my face

my dream..

My sister got a piercing when I was 10, she had got her ear cartilage pierced and made me promise not to tell our mum. When my Mum did eventually found out, she didn’t get angry, she actually wanted to get the same piercing herself and this kind of ruined it for my 15 year old sister. Through out the next couple of years she would get lots of things pierced and my mum would only look at her go ‘Oh dear’ but never seemed to care. My sister was like the black sheep of the family and now and again my grandmother told her that no boy would ever marry her if she looked like that.

It seemed that piercing was something my sister would always be interested in, she’s taken a lot of them out but still has her facial piercing. I was watching her change, and seeing how she became more confident because she had indulged in something she thought looked good. Even though some of her friends hated them, she didn’t seem to care, she said that it was her choice and it didn’t matter. I mean it’s only a bit of metal. So when I was 12 I decided that I was going to get piercing’s and tattoo’s because I thought they looked cool. Now I have only uttered the immortal words of ‘I think they look cool’ but why is that not a valid reason? Do I have to have a spiritual reason to shove a needle through my face, it’s just cool man, you don’t understand okay.

For somebody who is considering getting a piercing that will be on display you will have to have the same love/hate relationship with it that most people have. I have been shouted at in the streets, family and friends say I’m ruining my looks and it’s unlikely you’re going to get a job as easily if you could if you didn’t have piercings. If you’re someone who won’t stand by your principles, save your £20 and the pain and don’t get it done. I have considered taking my piercings out, but I love them, I don’t think I could take them out without feeling like me. Piercing falls under the umbrella of ‘body modification’ which literally means changing your body, this includes fake nails, hair extensions, hair dying, make up, wearing a corset and tanning. I bet most guys wouldn’t be able to leave the house without gel in their hair, like most girls wouldn’t face the world without their make up.

Now I’m nearly 18, I’ve realised that I don’t need to conform to what people want to actually survive in the world. I can go work in bar, a music shop or be one of those awful charity workers on the street and proudly wear my piercings. If I get more done I know that even my sister would have her doubts that it looked good; after all, there’s a lot of piercing hierarchy. Ideally I’d like to get another lip and nose piercings, an industrial bunch of cartilage piercings, cheek piercings, my tongue and some naughty places too. If you see me in 10 years and I’m not covered in tattoos and have all those piercings it means that I lost my principles and I’m working in Tesco.

Teenage Angst

So tonight my friends and I thought it would be nice if we actually went out somewhere instead of locking ourselves in our bedrooms watching the IT Crowd followed by some obscure comedian's warblings all night. So, after many a google search (not really, it was advertised well enough) I found that local folkman Barry Dolan, aka Oxygen Thief was celebrating his 100th gig by playing with a couple of other singer-songwriters at a local pub in Stokes Croft. Lovely. Now usually the people in Stokes Croft are lovely to us young 'uns, well by that I mean we can get into The Croft without hassle, even though we are sixteen, hardly toddlers. However, tonight's escapades have proved to be the exception..

So after having a stressful week of exam revision and coldness we thought a civilised night of folk wouldn't go a-miss. So, after eventually getting there and getting in easily enough, we settled down to watch the first of the acts play, in a state of blissful unawareness of what was about to unfold.



Before I continue I must stress, we're not exactly innocent (there was some hunting for alcohol involved, alas to no avail) but still we had absolutely NO intention of even trying to purchase alcohol in the pub in which we were, I mean that's just poor logic isn't it? Plus we were there, well I was anyway, to see Oxygen Thief play again.



After seeing him support Chris T-T in the pub down the road from The Junction, I definitely jumped at the chance to hear him play live again. Oxygen Thief makes music both interesting and refreshing; almost like when you dip your face in water and, although it stings a bit, wakes you up. Hmm, maybe a poor analogy, but needless to say I like his music. He has a distinct personality that definitely comes across in his songs, and has a genuine enthusiasm for the music that he plays, a trait that is seldom seen these days. So, understandably, I was looking forward to hearing his set and having a quiet night with some friends before the hussle and bustle that is the festive period. However, just after the first act had left the tiny stage (sort of like what Snow Patrol would sound like if they needed a bit of prozac) a barmaid kindly asked us to leave the premises, as another pub had been raided for underage drinkers. Underage DRINKERS.
Why is it that just because we're teenagers in a pub that we would be classed as underage drinkers?



Now normally I wouldn't mind so much, but when it comes to music I have no sense of humour. Why should we be discriminated against due to our age? Why should our junior years restrict us from enjoying good music? I could even understand if there were age restrictions of gigs with explicit content, like, say a German Death Metal troupe (why German? I don't know, but they sound more grr) But really, it's folk.



Folk I tell you.



And this isn't the first time this has been an issue.
You only need to go to the local ticket shop to see that us under 18's have been ostracised in terms of gigs. The list of clubs and bars we can't go to is endless; Louisiana? Nope. Fleece? Uh Uh. Thekla? Don't even bother. Everywhere you go bouncers are quick to push you out the door just because you don't have a valid id or are a few months younger than the rest of the punters. Age doesn't make you more mature. Neither does it mean you should all of a sudden be let into the magical world of good music on your eighteenth birthday. We all deserve the right to enjoy ourselves in a safe environment where we can see genuine talent. Yes there's the Academy, but unless you're fliering it don't come cheap for a night out. And we're only poor students afterall.



Look at the huge response Underage Festival got this year, it's clear to see that teenagers are sick of being alienated from the music we enjoy. So to any venue managers out there, the next time a group of sober, money paying teenagers enter your venue looking to support local talent such as Oxygen Thief, give the kids a chance. Innit.


http://www.myspace.com/oxygenthief