l FROM POP BITCH TO PUNK QUEEN
SAVAGES OF THE EAST
Re: Food and drink (488) Your ‘Jammy dough nuts' article implies that only so called trendy. arty. West Enders could appreciate an organic bakery!
Well. you may be surprised to learn that some of us uncreative savages native to the East End might just want a slice of the organic action.
And yes. I have got a chip on my shoulder. It comes from West End snobs trying to push me into a box labelled uneducated and ‘unorganic'! Lesley O’Brien Glasgow
PURPLE DAZE
If anyone is still mourning the demise of Purple Haze with its promise of bringing a slice of Dutch life to Edinburgh (I'm fond of Edam myself and was severely disappointed) might I suggest a trip to the centre of Edinburgh?
If you want to get stoned in public. without being busted. walk up and down the Royal Mile for half an hour and breathe deeply. I did this morning and it seemed that every second smoker was taking a hit.
And was it coincidence that the Starbucks was sold out of muffins?
A very passive Steve Gaythorpe Edinburgh
GLASGOW FATUOUS
Re: Charity Fabulous (489) I‘m sure charity is a noble cause but what is the gash in the back of the club listings? I think I'd rather spend my time perusing photographs of local DJs than the recent ‘Charity Fabulous‘. and that's saying something cos I used to go out with a local DJ. There is clearly no punchline whatsoever. unless I really can't remember my clubbing days. and it would seem to serve only already inflated egos. Bring back the guys who usually do it and get the local celebrities to collect
2 THE LIST 18 Mar—t Apr 2004
Letters
The List,
14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE
or The List,
at the CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD
or email editorOlist.co.uk
money in buckets on Sauchiehall Street. l‘ll certainly drop in my tuppencewonh. Menstrual T
Glasgow
WE LOVE PORTOBELLO
Re: We X Glasgow/ We X Edinburgh (486)
Not essential to the Glasgow v Edinburgh debate. but I think someone has to clarify things (and increase awareness) about the Portobello poster campaign you mention in the article: maybe you should have done more than drive through Ponobello and see one (out of several dozens) fluorescent yellow poster in a shop window and. without investigating further (or even entering said shop and asking what it's about). use it as part of your argument. misinterpreting it as “shop with us. we're friendly. don't support the proximate retailopolis of Kinnaird Park'. Maybe you should have noticed the same poster was in virtually every shop window from Joppa to Kings Road. and maybe you should have realised it wasn't about not supporting an existing superstore. but actively saying NO to the planning application for another superstore in POrtobello itself. at the old Scottish Power site. The main points behind this campaign are that Portobello doesn't need a superstore as it already has a great variety of shops in the high street. as well as the Scotmid supermarket. and several other superstores within five minutes' drive. and that the presence of this new superstore would precisely become a threat to the existence of Portobello's local shops. and would also create an influx of traffic to the Kings Road roundabout. which is already known as a congested and dangerous area. I'd like to direct curious readers to the dedicated ‘Portobello Campaign Against the Superstore“ website at
http://www.pcats.org.uk for more details of what is being proposed. what the effects would be on Portobello. and how you can get involved. Claire Forty-Four Musselburgh
DISGUSTED OF EDINBURGH
On 5/3/04 I attended the book launch for Christopher Barnes' Love Bites at Newcastle‘s Morden Tower. To my horror. the poems he read were stomach-churningly grotesque. The worst poem was about Dracula and a homosexual lover buggering a field of war dead and dying with lots of blood and Sperm imagery. l was disgusted. Why does modern poetry always have to aim for the gutter? What Barnes knows about poetry wouldn't fill one tile in a public lavatory. Nothing rhymed. so is it poetry anyway? Another of the poems was about alcoholics and voyeurism. There must be plenty of nice
things in the world to write about without being so Wilfully perverse. If you agree that this subject matter is revolting. write to the publisher. Richard Livermore at Chanticleer Press. 6/1 Jamaica Mews. Edinburgh. EH3 6HN.
Brian Baty
Edinburgh
F RANKLY MR MCAVEETY
Re: Dwight Slade (489)
So you are now giving a platform to Frank McAveety to express his views on comedians. Fine. but given the power his words may carry. is it not irresponsible to let him say that Dwight Slade's talents 'tower over many more highly paid comics touring the circuit”? As far as I‘m aware. Dwight Slade is not touring the circuit in Britain. so it's an unfair comparison. And is Frank implying that British comics are overpaid. or undertalented? Daniel Dunning
Edinburgh
people like me can go? Katie
Edinburgh
We feel for you. Katie. It 's a common problem for people new to cities of this size. So here ’3 a challenge to Our readers: whoever comes up with the best solution for you will receive four love/y bottles of wine. not to mention a nice warm feeling.
MEETING, NOT GREETING
How do you meet people in Edinburgh? If you are a thirtysomething single person who doesn't fancy standing in a crowded pub shouting inane comments at people who can't hear you and who have had too much to drink to understand you anyway. and if you're someone who cringes at the thought of going to a club and inevitably dancing like your dad. where do you go? It seems like everyone you meet has gone to university here. already has long standing groups of friends and has a social life that is just full enough thank you very much. The common advice is to ‘join a club‘ — what. like evening classes for the perpetually sad and single. and end up being full of thirtysomething women anyway? Where are the places that
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THE LETTER OF THE ISSUE WILL RECEIVE
FOUR BOTTLES OF WOLF BLASS WINE
nu svmscllli CONTRIBUTORS
Publisher & General Editor Robin Hodge
EDITORIAL
Editor Nick Barley Deputy Editor
Brian Donaldson Assistant Editors
Mark Robertson. Paul Dale Research
Helen Monaghan (Art). Rachael Street Comedy & Sportz. Henry Northmore lFilm 8. RCCK', Anna Millar City Life. Dance 8 Theatre). Ruth Hedges (CiaSSical. Folk. Jazz & Kidsi
SALES AND MARKETING
Sales & Sponsorship Director Amanda Mungall Media Sales 8. Marketing Assistant Barbara Cricnton
Senior Media Sales Executives
CarOI Ferguson.
Rachei Shields
Media Sales Executive Brigid Kennedy Promotions and Circulation Manager Sheri Friers
Circulation Executive Keith Benzie
PRODUCTION
Art Director
Krista Kegel-Dixon Production Manager Simon Armin
Designer Luci; Reeves Subeditor Ashley Davies Production Assistant Russel! Steedman
ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Ge0rgette Renwick Accounts Assistant Manager Donna Taylor Recepfion
Rachael Street Edinburgh Office Susannah McMicking Glasgow Office
Jane Hamilton.
Elaine Graham
New Projects Director Mhairi Mackenzie Robinson lT Andy Bowles
SECTION EDITORS Art Helen Monaghan Books Brian Donaldson City Life Anna Millar Clubs Henry NOrthmore (with Kenny Hodgart) Comedy Brian Donaldson Comics Paul Dale Dance Kelly Apter
Film Miles Fielder (acting) Food Barry Shelby Games lain Davidson Gay Jane Hamilton
Kids Ruth Hedges
Music Mark Robertson (with Norman Chalmers. Carol Main. Kenny Mathieson. Fiona Shepherd) News Ruth Hedges Records Mark Robertson Shopping Nick Barley Sport Nick Barley Television Brian Donaldson Theatre Steve Cramer Travel Anna Millar Video/DVD Paul Dale