Dear Reader, Our cover picture shows Shovell, the Drum warrior formerly of M People. He not only plays drums but also helps youngsters in difficulties. Learn more in Music Link, pages 9,10,11. The wife and I went to Bulgaria. A rush hour bus to Sofia centre carried more than a 100 people. As the doors closed they squeezed people standing tightly into the bus. Nobody worried, just laughed and all made it to town ok. Could we in the UK learn lessons here? Are we sometimes overly concerned with unimportant matters? The sharing and strength shown by Bulgarians brought a new feel to life. More below in ‘Views from Bulgaria.’ Continuing we again broach the vital subject of Climate Change. We see ‘A taste of the third world in Leeds!’ And, in the BMS pages 6,7, a special approach to the Bigger Picture. Hoping you may read and enjoy Link. A happy autumn to all our readers, The Editor. BACK
Stop climate chaos" 25th Sept. Oxford Place, Leeds. A Report
The purpose was to publicise the crucial message about climate change and its threat to poorer parts of the world. I took the chance to bring up LINK's bio mass/ bio diesel scheme and it created a lot of interest. Panelist Greg Mulholland's reply was in essence, this. 'Yes, this came up before and they fined some people for not paying the duty on this fuel.'* Of course those who live on the revenue from fossil fuels will not be pleased and their high power lobby will filter down to many levels to stop the use of biomass. The meeting suggested we all pledge to buy low energy bulbs: Use a green energy supplier; and walk or cycle whenever a car is not necessary. Useful pledges but the last is difficult when a car or van is essential for work. LINK would therefore add a fourth pledge to this list, That we all campaign for bio fuels to be easily available at garages and for use in industry. BACK
THE BIOMASS SCHEME ‘A POWERFUL YET SIMPLE TOOL TO STOP CLIMATE CHAOS.’ Remember The use of bio- mass fuel means CO2, the greenhouse gas, will be recycled by vegetation and not gather in the clouds above. Bio Mass can be grown in the fields and converted to fuels. Doing this would give huge benefits worldwide and a chance for our children and grandchildren to have a future. Join us, LOBBY FOR THE BIOMASS SCHEME
YELLOW OIL SEED RAPE, often seen in the fields, is suitable and biodiesel can be made from its seeds. This will replace fossil diesel and reduce the Co2 output from diesel engines to almost zero. SUGAR BEET can be used to make bioethanol for petrol engines; this is less well known. Local farmers, hit by the closure of BSC’s sugarfactory in York have an opportunity here to use their crops - prompt action is needed to set up bioethanol plants before the crops are terminated. Note In the manufacturing process WASTE plant residues create energy and effectively there are zero greenhouse gas emissions. here are ways to help hard pressed farming, PROVIDE new jobs & stop climate chaos Producing biofuels will help our hard pressed farming industry; clean up the atmosphere and will provide many new jobs. Biomass fuels can be used domestically, industrially and in power stations. The technology is there. With intelligent and wide application many of the world's energy needs can be covered. This way the world will remain habitable, especially for those in poor countries. Climate Chaos will be slowed and hopefully reversed. John Broadhead
BACKChris Nriapia asks ‘Can I now ask Mr Blair, Bush and all other influential leaders across the world to --- investigate the benefits of using BioDiesel to help save the planet?’ I received a monthly newsletter from my employer the other day and it has spurred me to write this piece. Among other interesting facts and notices one jumped out at me it read: "Save that power - Can we make a real effort to 'power down' the newsroom at the end of a shift or session at a desk if we know it wont be used after we've gone. Then a colleague said, "...Did you know that turning your monitor off overnight can save enough energy to print 800 pages - at the Environment Agency I was in charge of getting people to switch off! " If the whole department did that it must be say 150 monitors, times that by 365 days…that would be about 290,000 prints a year! This got me thinking about other ways, simple ways, we could all do our bit and try to save energy. We could walk rather than use the car. We could use the clothes rack or hang our washing on a line rather than use a tumble dryer, we could even recycle our waste to the corect bins. Mmm? Lots to think about here. One arguement is that ‘I'm only me. Small me on his own. Does my monitor being on or off really make a difference? Perhaps if I was George Bush, Tony Blair, or any other policy making person in the world then it would really count.’ In the late 80's the Kyoto agreement was a pledge from 141 countries to cut carbon emissions by 5.2% by 2012. But the world's top polluter - the US - did not sign up to the treaty because it would be too costly to introduce and thought that the agreement was flawed. This, the US, is the country that has had natural disaster after natural disaster over the last 5 years and doesn't understand why? Carbon emissions are produced mainly by burning fossil fuels that we use everyday in our cars and on planes (these do by far the greatest damage as they release pollution high in the clouds)…so that's petrol and diesel. The mind boggling thing about this is that there are alternatives to petrol and diesel which, for reasons surrounded by taxation and governments making money, we do not use. For those who have read previous articles online and in LINK, of course I'm talking about Bio Diesel. Wikipedia says:- ' Biodiesel refers to a diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources. It is a processed fuel that can be readily used in diesel-engined vehicles, which distinguishes biodiesel from the straight vegetable oils (SVO) or waste vegetable oils (WVO) used as fuels in some modified diesels.’ BACK
MOSES MASINDE Writes from Kenya on the effect of climate change ‘asking God to intervene in a special way.’
During the dry spell, the communities living in this N.E.Kenya who depend on livestock as their source of livelihood, face all sorts of frustrations as they look for food, water and pasture--. The region will continue to suffer drought caused --- by environmental degradation and climate change. ‘And as for us in World Vision, not much to report about except the ever increasing insecurity in some of the areas we are working in. We are dedicating our efforts and prayer asking God to intervene in a special way.’
BACKAn American who does care is Al Gore. Make sure you see his film at www.aninconvenienttruth.co.uk/
A Taste of Third World in Leeds! (a little humour) The joke in Kenya is that you have seen a drunk driver if you notice a car that maintains a straight line on a straight road! Drivers cannot drive in straight lines in order to avoid the many potholes on the roads in most developing countries such as Kenya. As a matter of fact a driver worth that name must develop special manoeuvring skills to enable him/her avoid the potholes without ramming into oncoming traffic. This is a skill drivers on many of Leeds' roads quickly have to develop, thanks to Leeds City Council which does not always seem to have its priorities right. Remember the tram project? I wonder whether the DVLA have plans of testing this special skill in the practical driving test! Evans Gallo BACK
Views from Bulgaria 'There's an old legend that God summoned all the peoples on earth to give each a piece of nature's beauty. Every people had its share of God's creation. It happened that Bulgarians turned up late and there was no earthly beauty left for God to give them. So God presented them with a piece of Heaven .....' In central Bulgaria, just under the Stara Plena Mountains is the little town Kazanlac and here we met Englishman, Paul. It was good to speak with him rather than struggle with our phrase book. He has been out about 3 years. 'I will never go back to England' he said and told us why. 'I had a Bulgarian girl friend here. When you meet Bulgarians you are among friends. By the end of the evening you are dancing and happy -----' I've brought my son here too, took him away from his engineering course, works for me now on my house and those of friends. I saved him from the system; you can get locked in, miserable. Too much competition and stress - there has to be more in life. Here there is more. We took a little villa and were introduced to Genko and his family. There was no water so he came and spent several hours fixing the pump that drew up good spring water. At first we had no bed so after one night on the floor we wrote, from our phrasebook, ' we must get a bed today' Our new neighbour took us in his Lada to the nearest town and helped us to find a bed and other necessaries. He made no charge. We found old people in the village would come up and try to make friends even though we could speak no Bulgarian. We were given grapes, tomatoes and peppers. We realised why they could not lend us a bed. These are poor people; when invited in you sit on benches that must serve also as beds.'Tuka magazini' was a phrase we picked up. It meant 'here is the shop' The village, Yulievo, had two shops and at one men gathered outside to sit and chat and drink into the night. But we walked there after night and had no trouble. There is much more to write but no more space. I will end by saying I hope the more in life' of Bulgaria is not lost as it enters the European Union in January 2007. BACK
THE BIGGER PICTURE So we 'battle' through life --- In this struggle we can go it alone, or work together. BMS is for those who want to share experiences and MAKE THE TRIP AS PLEASANT AS POSSIBLE! The starting point is to get body, mind and spirit, our basics, in harmony. How to go further with this? We print relevant articles, receive and share ideas. As we move on we'll check out and establish what we have discovered It came to me just how important it is to take this body, mind, spirit plan forward together. We are here; we must survive, make it through. Why is it so hard then to work together? Anyway this new abstract for our website got some approvals: "look out 4 others and access new energy embedded in life". Generally what you put in is what you get out - this “method” gives a lot more - the results can be amazing.” BRAND NEW METHOD It's all about accessing this energy - a model on how to do it was set up. It's hard work and it's a bit like trying to modify the files on a website if you forget the password. But amazingly we each have a password and once you find it access is a lot easier. Once you’ve found it the energy will come to you. Sure we talk of a Method or Philosophy here. But it's how you approach it that's important. It works for all people and is much wider than narrow religion or ritual. The Bigger Picture ‘unfolds and enfolds’
REMEMBER To make the trip as pleasant as possible we print relevant articles, receive and share ideas. We need your contributions. Send to info@newsviewslink.co.uk or by any means indicated on our NOTICEBOARD (P2) john b.editor BACK
WORLDWIDE MUSIC REVIEWS
Huddersfield based, Chocolate Fireguard records, are not afraid to represent out of the ordinary music groups and La Cedille are no exception to this rule. This seven piece, French hip hop outfit's latest album 'Vu Du Large' is comparable to The Roots and Guru due to jazzy undertones and a funky little brass section that can be heard throughout. Plus, as opposed to the mainstream Rap generation, I have been told that this groups' lyrics are conscious with less guns, violence, scantily clad women and bling! Although you really need a good command of french to understand exactly what these guys are talking about - it doesn't take a genius to grasp that their tracks are tight. So, if you want to impress your mates with your diverse knowledge of underground European Hip Hop, Cedille's Vu Du Large, is the way to go! Check chocolatefireguard.co.uk to buy this album now or go to myspace.com/chocolatefireguardmusic to find out more! BACK
On my recent trip to Bulgaria, it was my pleasure to meet up with Bourian and Iasmin from ambient house group, Mind Trips. Their debut album, entitled, Sin is a musical work of art and like all good ambient music, has the sensitivity to take you on a mind expanding journey! My main problem with this album is that the title track sounds too good to be called Sin. Plus, on a more serious note, certain tunes need a more experienced vocalist with greater song writing skills that would better complement a group of this calibre. All the same, if you fancy something a little different, from a Bulgarian perspective, then you can buy the album at theorchard.com. To find out more go to myspace.com/mindtripsmusic and for all the Bulgarian speakers out there check vitalitymusic.com BACK
SHOVELL. The Drum Warrior By Ann Marie Broadhead
Judging from LINK's front cover, few will recognise this crazy looking young man from one of the UKs most successful bands of the 90's. Famed for songs such as 'One Night in Heaven' and 'Movin' on Up', M People were the hit making Super Group that could do no wrong. Heather Small was the band's striking lead vocalist, whose big voice and even bigger hair made her an unforgettable force to be reckoned with. However, there was another charismatic character in the group - one who never failed to stand out! Affectionately known as 'Shovell' to his friends and 'The Drum Warrior' to fans, I caught up with the fun loving drummer and percussionist to learn a little more…... You have a very interesting look. What's your cultural background and how did you get your name, Shovell? I'm half English, half Jamaican and from South London - Del Boy Country! My surname is Lovell. In cockney slang a 'Lord Lovell' is a Shovel. I just added an extra L. To the mainstream, you are known predominantly as the drummer in M People. Do you have any favourite stories about your time in the band and any lessons learnt? I had a fantastic time in M people. Before this, I had been a plumber for nine years, unblocking many a toilet pan but dreaming of being in a band! Being in M People with my closest mates, travelling all over the world and making music really was a dream come true. I look back on that time with love and affection and learnt that a person should always strive to be the best they can be. No matter where you're from or your circumstances. If you have ambitions, do all that you can to achieve them You are well known on the club scene for live percussion alongside the DJ.Where have you been touring most recently and with which DJs? I've spent the last four months in Ibiza playing at Pacha for Defected in The House and have played alongside the World's best House DJs - Bob Sinclair, Martin Solveig, Masters at Work, DJ Spen, Junior Jack and Kid Crème to name just a few. I have also just returned from touring with 'Nightmares on Wax'. Our bus drove all over Europe and we found ourselves stopping off at some great spots. This year I've also performed in Brazil, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cuba, Jamaica, Malaysia and hopefully should be in Australia this winter. When it comes to some of your most recent photos, especially the one on our front cover, you're looking pretty angry and militant. Was this the idea? Yeh! This is a character I'm able to step into when I play my gigs. I wear what you can see in the photos and am known as the 'Drum Warrior.' He's the yin to my yang - the side I'd rarely let be seen unless performing. There are many out there who probably don't know that you have diverse musical influences. Who are your favourite artists at the moment? Is there anyone that you feel we should be looking out for? Yeh man, I'm a musician, therefore I love all music. Rock, Reggae, Blues, Pop, Dance, Country, Hip Hop, World, Dub and 100's of different artists. Currently, I like the band 'Gossip'. Also MC 'B Live' who has his first album out soon which should be cooking. There's also a rock, Hip Hop outfit called 'British Intelligence' that should be doing some live dates soon plus, I'm also liking the band 'Kasabian.' - so keep your ears open! You've worked with some well respected artists including Primal Scream, Jamiroquai, the Chemical Brothers and one of my all time favourites, Jocelyn Brown. What was she like? Jocelyn is a real powerful and special energy - a real legend who has been blessed, not only with a wonderful voice, but also with a big heart. She's another very special talent that it has been my pleasure to work with. On your website, your blog briefly comments on your tumultuous school days and that you now believe that young people should be helped and encouraged to reach their goals by raising self esteem. How do your child hood experiences make you a motivational force for troubled kids? School and I never got on and I was asked to leave just before I reached sixteen. I left with no qualifications and a belief that I was stupid as I'd been told this so often by my teachers. I was really angry and on top of that, was a half black, half white kid who had also been adopted. All of this affected me deeply in my youth and I know for a certainty that if it had not been for music being a positive distraction, I would be a very different person now. For these reasons, I know that it's massively important that some of my experiences should be shared with young people who may also feel lost right now. It was through pure persistence and hard work that I achieved my dreams proving that anything is possible. Centre point' is a Charity for the Homeless which you support and have raised money for as well conducting drum workshops. Describe a typical day for a homeless person and explain how you feel drumming can help? We all have bad days but can you imagine having a really bad day and having no support from anyone? Add to that the fact that you have no place to stay, no roof above your head. Now that is really sh*t. Centre point mainly deals with the young homeless, aged 16-25, so in my mind there's more chance of a positive outcome. Again, I use the drums and my life experience to share some positive creative energy. Hopefully, we all learn from each other. You are also known for your work with the well known charity 'Kick Racism out of Football'. Explain a little of what you do and why you support this cause. It is very important that creativity and positivity are available when ever possible. Why? I believe that to fight against hate, fear and ignorance, we all have to open our minds and experience things and people we wouldn't normally. Through doing these positive things, whether it is sport, music, acting, writing, painting, travelling, cookery, whatever - we use our minds and bodies in a positive way. Therefore, we are thinking good things about ourselves rather than bad things about others. Put another way - hit a drum - not the different person next door! Any Other charity work? I am also, along with Jazzy B, a patron to the Midi Music Company. A community Music Charity based in Deptford, South East London. It's where I began 26 years ago. So as you can see, life has come full circle!
For more information on Shovell go to www.myspace.com/shovellperc or www.shovell.co.uk Drum Warrior photos Gavin Mills BACK
Body, Mind, Spirit; Views from Bulgaria; The Bigger Picture
