JUST A QUICK PSA: YOU'RE SUPPORTING THE WRONG BANDS

Pictured (from left): Miki Rich, Jonno Panichi, Bonnie Fraser, David Potter / Picture source: Stand Atlantic on Twitter

We all have favourite bands, for sure. I'm not disputing that or stating in any way that your favourites are undeserving of your support. What I mean by my exclamatory title is that while it's cool to have generic favourites, there is a multitude of lesser recognised bands that are equally as worthy of your attention. 

Let me give you an example. We Are The In Crowd are one of my favourite pop-punk bands ever. Ever. But, since their announced hiatus in 2016, I decided to branch out a little to bands that weren't quite as prevalent around the time as my compilation of favourites (Tonight Alive, PVRIS, Paramore...) and was more than pleasantly surprised at my findings.

Asking your friends for artist recommendations is always a pretty solid place to start. I tweeted asking to be directed to some underrated bands and artists a bit over two years ago now and little did I know, that single tweet would be a huge turning point in my life. Shortly after, names were shot at me left, right and centre and Stand Atlantic stuck to me like a glob of really, really, really gross gum. (I'm kidding.) But they did stick to me. To this day, I can't get them off. Remember what I said about them being gross?

When I first heard of them, Stand Atlantic were a tiny Aussie trio, freshly signed to Rude Records, that had just released their second and highly propelling EP, 'Sidewinder'. The five-track effort spun continuously in my household from then on, and if we as a generation still listened to physical copies of records, it probably would've split from the amount of wear it had. Rightfully so, 'Sidewinder' then continued to catalyse Stand Atlantic's career and they have since exploded into popularity. They're even selling out tours now. I love that for them. 

Pictured: Max Dervan of Wolf Culture / Picture credit: Ethan Tomlinson

The fast-tracked development of bands' careers is rewarding for the creators and consumers alike. Catching bands while they're in the early stages simply makes the process of their growth so much more heartwarming. Stand Atlantic's first UK headline tour took place in London mid-2018, less than two years after Sidey's release, and being able to go and witness the glee on their faces because of the turnout firsthand made me kinda soft, man. 

In a venue with a capacity of only a couple hundred, the almost sold-out show was memorable in more ways than one. Seeing the bumbling crowd of fans that had encountered Stand Atlantic at varying points in their budding career was unifying in a way because we were all there for the same reason: to support this group of boisterous weirdos in their expanding ventures. I was also there to come out to my parents with the help of vocalist, Bonnie Fraser, too, but that's beside the point. 

What I'm getting at here is that a band's talent is not reliant on their follower count. In some ways, it's actually more fulfilling to support smaller bands, because you get to experience the sickly sweet pride that comes with them gaining traction, attention, fans...

Pictured (from left): Harry Deller, Hannah Mee, Tom Paton, Jim Shaw of Hot Milk / Picture credit: Samantha Guess

Bands with larger followings clearly deserve support, as they have reached their status for a reason, but smaller bands tend to have much more riding on their craft. Independent bands, in particular, are very unlikely to be able to pursue their music career full time, and often have to carry jobs on their backs alongside their guitars or amps. Regardless of stature, bands make tuppence on streams of their songs alone, thus relying heavily on merch sales and live support, and this is even tougher on less established artists. 

This is merely another reason that you should give smaller bands a go! As I said before, followers are not synonymous with talent so it's not even like buying a few shirts would be out of pity. There's a damn good chance their music absolutely slaps, too, so you'd be getting to rep your potentially new favourite band. Also, it's becoming a sickeningly regular occurrence that unsigned bands are being stolen from, so by supporting them in buying their products and listening to their music, you're able to make a profound, long-lasting, helpful effect on them. 

I've compiled a playlist of kickass songs here, that deserve way more attention than they're getting. Checking out a new band takes only a few moments out of your day, while it could drastically heighten their careers for good. 

Article by: PJ

STARCRAWLER WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND YOU SHOULD LET THEM

Pictured: Dani Miller (left) of Surfbort and Amy Taylor (right) of Amyl and The Sniffers / Photo by: Anthony Mehlhaff

I go to a lot of gigs. At this point, I have lost count of how many I've gone to, and I've seen a lot of bands that were just straight-up insane live. But, I've never seen anything quite like Starcrawler, and I'm saying this in the most positive way possible. I've been listening to them for quite some time and I finally got the chance to see them live last week in Rotterdam. It was genuinely a life-changing experience. The members are barely adults - the guitarist is only nineteen - but their entire act is incredibly professional and worked-out.

I've seen Amyl and The Sniffers live three times and I was convinced that singer, Amy Taylor, was the wildest and craziest person I'd ever seen. She spits on people, jumps on people's shoulders, straight-up punches random people in the audience, and steals drinks. She dances, jumps and screams while running around the stage and her eyes, always covered in eccentric and thick makeup, are wide open while she's performing. Whether you like punk music or not, Amy Taylor is a whole show by herself that you just can't help but watch.

I thought there was no-one like her or at least no-one as crazy as her, but Amy's good friend, Dani Miller from Surfbort, does come close, with her colourful winged eyeliner, a tongue that constantly sticks out, extravagant outfits and unconventional dance moves. These two women have ruled my life for quite some time now; their confidence and originality are extremely inspiring, but the thing is, it was just them, as singers, that blew my mind. Their bands are extremely not made up out of the most regular and conventional boys. Gus, the bassist of Amyl and The Sniffers, definitely blew me away with his playing, but the thing about these boys is that their on-stage presence is overshadowed by the singers of their bands. They aren't boring, hell no, but their singers are just way more interesting.

Pictured: Starcrawler at The Fonda Theatre / Photo by: Jazz Shademan

This is where Starcrawler come in. Arrow de Wilde, vocalist of Starcrawler, is the craziest bitch I've ever seen. Her stage outfits are nearly always covered in blood, whether it is a ripped ballerina dress or an adult diaper. Her dancing can best be described as choreographed seizures and she does not shy away from the crowd. You have to make sure that you do not have loose objects when you are in the first rows because Arrow will steal them. I witnessed her taking a man's glasses and throwing them into the pit; take someone's beer and pour it over him; take someone's beanie, and she also took someone's phone and threw it away.

That's not it. She will grab you by your hair, clothes, anything, and drag you to the ground with her; she will grind on you and if you resist, she will only get more intense. There was a guy in the crowd who clearly had no idea who Starcrawler were or what they were capable of, so when Arrow grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, he resisted, full of shock. She started grinding on him and he tried to push her away, but Arrow, being the character that she is, pretended he pushed too hard and fell on the ground, not getting up for a few seconds. The man tried to get her up, but Arrow pretended to be unconscious. Her act did not faze the band, but at one point, a crew member started getting concerned and when he went into the crowd to check on Arrow, she suddenly jumped up, pushed everyone off of her and went back on stage. The show went on like nothing happened. Starcrawler do say to expect the unexpected at their shows, but even their crew does not seem to know what's happening sometimes.

Tim Franco, bassist of Starcrawler, may seem boring at first sight. He barely moves on stage, he plays the notes to the songs in the exact way that he is supposed to, and only steps forward when he is singing some backing vocals. He was always a complete mystery to me because he has no social media presence, so I was very intrigued by him. Even the pope has a social media presence nowadays. He does not dress unconventionally like Arrow, but just wears a formal shirt and some jeans. At first impression, you might think he's shy, but I think his attitude is a performance.

Pictured: Tim Franco at Rough Trade East / Picture source: PSquared Media

When Arrow is pretending to choke herself with the microphone cable, he doesn't budge and just keeps playing his notes. It doesn't matter what happens, he just keeps staring and playing, completely unfazed. This attitude makes him even more of an intriguing person and creates this mysterious aura around him that I am just completely infatuated with. The contrast between him and the other members on stage is just too interesting. 

Starcrawler's drummer, Austin Smith, looks like the perfect representation of a metalhead. He has long hair and his clothes look a bit too big for him. You'd expect that with the whole show going on in front of him he'd become invisible on stage, but the opposite is the reality. His drumming is so powerful, energetic and intense that you can't help but become obsessed with him. He is the first person on the stage and the audience does not even notice, as he gives off the impression that he is just setting up, but suddenly he starts drumming and a high-tempo, loud beat fills the room.

For an entire minute, it is just him drumming, before Franco joins him and the rest of the band follows a bit later. The audience is forced to watch Smith rock out and it is impossible not to be blown away by his energy and talent. He is pushed to the background by the performances happening in the front, but his energy is very present. The beats are fast and the fills are faster. Smith is the perfect ingredient for the mix that is Starcrawler.

Henri Cash, guitarist, has a real rockstar name and is a real rockstar. Wearing a green customised and extravagantly decorated suit, he looked like one too. His pedalboard is so big and varied that I couldn't even find which pedal was for tuning. He is the only guitarist in the band, but when you listen to Starcrawler's albums you definitely hear more than one guitar. I wondered how he would do this live - because you can't just play both parts - but he did it so well. Sometimes he played riffs that weren't even on the album that did really suit the songs. He played different Telecasters, my favourite guitar, so naturally, I paid close attention to him and I noticed how talented Cash is. 

Pictured: Henri Cash of Starcrawler at The Fonda Theatre / Picture source: Jazz Shademan

His fingerwork is completely rapid and he switches sounds with his pedal multiple times during songs to compensate for the fact that there is only one guitar. You would expect a rock band to sound less full with only one guitar, but the opposite is the reality in Starcrawler. Cash plays his riffs mixed with chords and uses rad effects that create such a full sound, the idea of the band ever expanding seems unrealistic. 

Cash is quite the performer, too. His facial expressions while playing are very entertaining and when he isn't making faces, a big smile is plastered on his face. His dance moves are unconventional, but they seem quite normal compared to Arrow's appalling moves. I was blown away by his guitar playing and his energy, and when I found out he was only nineteen after the show, I was even more impressed. He stands there like he has been doing this all his life and like nobody can take him down, completely fearless.

Starcrawler's albums don't do their live performance any justice. Their studio recorded songs are good garage-rock tracks with punk and metal influences that are definitely enjoyable songs to listen to, but their live performance brings these songs to life in a way you could not imagine when streaming them. The performance completes the songs. Without the performance, these songs are just recordings. Their physical albums and zines do have an aesthetic that gives the songs an autonomous aura, but they don't have the power that their performance has.

Starcrawler are currently playing shows in Japan, but they can be found playing shows with The Struts in the US next year. If they are ever playing near you, I am urging you to go to their show. Tickets aren't expensive and their shows will truly change your life. There is so much happening on stage that the price does not even do the show justice. To get a slight impression (only slight) of what I'm talking about, check out their newest album 'Devour You' that was released recently.  

Article by: Cyan

BOJACK HORSEMAN AND SAVING MY OWN LIFE

Picture source: Bojack Horseman on Netflix

Bojack Horseman is my favourite show of all time. I've watched it from front to back (not counting the new season) around twenty-five times now. It means an incredible amount to me on numerous different levels, but most importantly, the representation of mental health issues, relationships, and substance abuse. As a prewarning, I will be talking quite heavily about mental health and substance abuse in this article. If that's something that may bother you, please sit this one out. Oh, and spoilers for Bojack Horseman, too. 

I'm sure by now that everybody has heard all about this show. Critics gushed about it; its quotes are all over social media. But why? What does Bojack do that sets it apart from every other show? Bojack Horseman is a brilliant combination of bizarre, dry comedy and harrowing, beautiful storytelling. It will make you laugh until you cry, then make you cry until you laugh. It's a true double-edged sword in the most wonderful of ways.

I love comedy - it's my favourite genre of show, especially animated comedies; so a few years ago now, I decided to watch this show about a horse. I think I finished both seasons that were out in two days. It gripped me like something I couldn't shake. The humour was fantastic. I'm personally one for comedy that's either complex with good dryness and a great punchline, or something so bizarre and incredibly stupid that I can't help but laugh - this show had both. Perfect! But what truly gripped me was the narrative and characters. 

I've suffered my whole life with chronic mental illness. I will continue to suffer, quite probably. But for my whole life, I'd only ever seen representations that alienated me, especially with my depression. Every show I'd seen seemingly brushed it off as 'this person is super depressed all of the time', used it as a punchline, or used it to make somebody act shitty and then be excused. I've never had my experiences shown to me until I watched Bojack. And this show - for all of its depictions - is melancholic fuel for those who are lost in themselves. Let me explain.

Picture source: Bojack Horseman on Netflix

Bojack Horseman is a horrible, horrible person. He's washed up, at-risk and taking down everybody around him. He uses up so much of people's time, just to waste it. You are not supposed to like Bojack Horseman. You can sympathise, you can relate to him, but you are not supposed to like how he is. He is a hugely flawed character. Every character on this show is. And that's the beauty and the hope of it.

Bojack is written as a manic depressive alcoholic, who does nothing but lash out and harm people. He had a terrible childhood, rocketed to superstardom at a young age and lost everything not too long after. He tries to fill the void with meaningless sex, drugs, parties, and alcohol but fails. He hurts everybody around him; for the most part, everybody seems to let him. His actions escalate to worse and worse things. But in the wake of his self-destruction, the other characters stop letting him drag them in. People start refusing to let Bojack do whatever they want, and this starts to fuel growth in Bojack. The development of each character is a shining beacon of hope in itself, but personally, I found Bojack more impactful.

I saw a lot of myself in Bojack and I resented that.

I saw him hurt his friends, family, himself and I saw myself. I saw my patterns of nihilism and self-destruction. I saw my dependency on smoking. I saw myself lashing out. I saw my own depressive states; I knew I needed to change. My own chronic depression echoed his massively, and whilst I never did such awful things as him, I still hurt people and had completely incorrect priorities. That's why correct representation is so important. You can inspire yourself to change.

Picture source: Bojack Horseman on Netflix

With the new season of Bojack Horseman here, we see the characters in their most proactive states. Even Bojack himself faces massive self-improvement, going to rehab, showing us that even those in the worst possible states can make positive changes.

So what did Bojack do to me? It left me unsettled, unsatisfied with my life. It made me yearn to change. Change I did. I made more time for my friends. I found myself reaching out first more, forcing myself to send the first message in reconciliation and swallowing my pride. It made me change my destructive habits into more positive ones - I drank less, quit smoking, stopped pushing people away.

I still slip up sometimes, and I still have depressive episodes, but I hurt myself and others way less now. Therapy helped me tonnes too, but I couldn't get better unless I wanted to. Bojack Horseman inspired me to get better; to be less Bojack. I feel as though this show has the power to change so many lives. I know it changed mine.

Article by: Taylor

'ALL LGBTQ+ FOLK ARE INTO THE SAME SHOWS...' EVER STOPPED TO WONDER WHY THAT IS?

Photo source: fanpop.com

If you ever have a movie night with or ask for show recommendations from a friend that just so happens to be queer, there's a pretty high chance they'll pick a media text from a universally known LGBTQ+ inclusive shortlist. And by shortlist, I mean a really, really, really short-list. Now, I can't overcompensate in stating that even in this day and age there are little to no representative shows because, in the past couple of years, the list in question has been evolving for the better. For the better, yes, but are we quite there yet? Eh...

When a new show is announced or a trailer for a new season is released, fans flock around the new content, whipping up a just frenzy of excitement and hyping everything up as much as is humanly possible. Typically, this frenzy is elevated to a churning storm when the new content features LGBTQ+ folk, because nothing is more engaging than feeling represented and portrayed in creative mediums, and the community clutches at such representation with both hands held tight.

Orange Is The New Black (Netflix) for example, is somewhat infamous, often sitting at the top of the aforementioned shortlist of queer shows. Frequently plastered on Netflix's homepage, this seven-season-strong sequence is pretty much entirely fleshed around LGBTQ+ individuals. Hell, it even has the tall, dark, broody lesbian that even straight viewers swoon over (Alex Vause, I'm lookin' at you). Its popularity, however, is not exclusively based on its content. Few shows delve into LGBTQ+ storylines on such a wide basis - Orange is set in an all-female prison, for God's sake. Can anything get much gayer than that? And although this is the case for the majority, the success of Orange is partly based on its lack of competition.

Picture source: Sense8 on Netflix

As these queer shows are so sparsely dispersed, it becomes even more upsetting when they fall victim to early cancellations. Sense8 is a potent example of this. I was gut-wrenchingly shocked at the announcement of its dismissal in the summer of 2017 because this show was and continues to be one of the most intricate, open, representative shows that I have ever encountered.

Sense8 follows the overlapping narratives of eight equally-explored protagonists from every walk of life imaginable. They are diverse in their locations, beliefs, cultural backgrounds, sexualities and experiences. Polyamorous characters, gay characters, bisexual characters, transgender characters, characters of colour, characters from varying family structures, from different childhoods, with different stories and different experiences... Need I go on?

Not only are these depictions diverse in their presentation, they are also accurate. When you curl up on the sofa after a day at work or school and want nothing more than to give your mind sanctuary in the fictional world of a series, feeling represented and understood in these worlds makes the experience all the more comforting. Having a connection with and feeling a relatability to shows is (I cannot speak for all, but this seems to be a common belief) vital to queer folk. This feeling of illustration often draws LGBTQ+ people to shows that represent people like them, and this is why we appear to have an extremely selective compilation of favourite media texts - because there are few shows that provide us with this canopy of accuracy.

With the surge in social influencers and the platforms to do such influencing on comes more independent queer content. While much of the community does, in fact, have similar tastes when it comes to high-end media productions on mediums like Netflix, more candid avenues like YouTube provide a plethora of equally representative shows that often go unrecognised. As they are often written, shot and produced by individuals rather than companies, such projects often fall under the radar within the community due to their subsequent lack of promotion. I don't want to make this article sound too whiny, so I'm going to shed some light on some of these shows now, in case your eyeballs are searching for some fresh LGBTQ+ content...

Picture source: Barbelle Series on YouTube

Barbelle is a stunningly authentic series that follows girlfriends Alice and Veronica as they navigate the balance between their relationship and their success as a pop-duo. The humour in this series is beautifully witty and the characters are both infuriating and relatable. Pretty much the perfect combination of sarcasm, rawness, and women-loving-women, if you ask me.

If you've ever engaged with LGBTQ+ communities on social media, chances are you would have at least heard of Carmilla: the web-series based on the lesbian-vampire-centred novella by Sheridan Le Fanu. The representation in this little web-series that could spans from lesbian relationships to non-binary identities (to name a few), and is filmed from the perspective of protagonist Laura Hollis' webstream. It's a rollercoaster but like, a broody one (Carmilla Karnstein, I'm lookin' at you).

All For One... Ah, this show is sure as hell one of the most charming I've seen. Bisexual protagonist, Dorothy Castlemore, is the flannel-clad embodiment of an angel. Queer sexualities, same-sex relationships, and mental illness are just a handful of the topics explored in this series. Plus - spoiler alert - Dorothy and Connie are really, really, really, cute together.

Project Inferno is one of the lesser-known web-series out of this list, but this status is extremely unjust. Yes, it's a little cringey, and yes, it's a little hard to take seriously sometimes, but it's pretty damn cute. As a result of a science experiment gone wrong, Emily can... shoot fire... from her hand... Hear me out, though. There are accurate, sweet representations of same-sex relationships and it's just a quirky series that deserves more attention than it gets, man.

I only started watching Unfortunately Ashly recently, and boy, was I late to the party. You can get through the entirety of both series in an hour or two, and it's definitely worth bundling up under blankets with a hot drink pressed in your palm. It's an easy, adorable, very gay watch and I cannot recommend it enough.

Picture source: 'Unfortunatly Ashly' on Youtube

I understand that all of the aforementioned YouTube series are centred around female same-sex relationships as opposed to males, but they are unfortunately even harder to source. Sucks, I know. 

On a more informal scale, queer YouTube content creators tend to be relatively more balanced and are entirely accessible. Granted, there are the popular queer YouTubers like Shannon Beveridge and Hannah Hart, but there are so, so many queer avenues for you to venture into. Stevie Boebi, Chella Man, Willow Faith, Alex Bertie, Ally Hills, Rose and Rosie, Sam Collins, Laura (just Laura, kinda like Cher...), Alayna Joy, Breanne Williamson, Nadia Mohebban, and Alex Elmslie are just a few, each reigning from varying plots on the sexuality and gender spectrums. Stevie creates queer, sex-positive content that will teach LGBTQ+ kids more than the classroom ever did, Chella is ballooning gender-queer, deaf, POC representation on the big screen, Rose and Rosie are a happily married, hilarious same-sex couple, Breanne has recently released a short film titled, 'Coming Out' and Laura... Laura likes Skittles. 

Look, queer shows and creators are not all bad. I'm just glad we have some. Sure, there are issues of queerbaiting in the mainstream media, our shows are often prematurely ended, LGBTQ+ content has been censored on a variety of platforms... But, there are series and contents out there catered entirely for us, you just have to know where to look.

Hopefully, amongst my moaning and groaning, I may have introduced you to some creators or shows that you didn't know about before. Broaden your horizons! Watch more gay content! Maybe you could even create something - widen our specialised media texts! Make gay things!

Article by: PJ

LET'S DISCUSS: RIOT GRRRL

Pictured: Lydia Night from The Regrettes / Picture source: Gabrielle Ernst

The other week I saw a headline that made me laugh. It went something like, 'The Regrettes are the new Riot Grrrl band you should listen to!' I was just baffled. When I think of Riot Grrrl I think of punk shows, community, and activism. My first instinct was to criticise the article on Twitter and specifically The Regrettes for embracing that title, but a day passed and I started doubting my words. I started thinking about the main roles of Riot Grrrl and tried to distinguish the difference between them and Riot Grrrl-inspired bands.

According to this idea, The Regrettes would be a Riot Grrrl-inspired band, as they've mentioned that their influences are bands like Hole and Bikini Kill, plus, the lyrics to their song 'Picture Perfect' could be the lyrics to a Riot Grrrl song from the nineties. I don't blame people for associating them as a band with Riot Grrrl, but I don't think it is right to consider them a Riot Grrrl band. They are slightly activist, they encourage their fans to vote and criticise politicians, but I don't feel like their activism is renewing or radical.

Bands in the original movement fought for a safe space at punk shows for women and people of colour. This was radical and shook the scene. I don't think that a band telling their listeners to vote is radical, artists have been doing this from time to time. Besides, I have trouble with considering The Regrettes a punk band, especially since the release of their extremely-poppy-and-absurdly-less-feminist-than-their-first-album second album, 'How Do You Love?' There are definitely punk influences in their music but that does not make them punk.

Another thing I had to think about is that the Riot Grrrl movement was very DIY. Everything was DIY and about changing your local scene. The Regrettes are signed to a major label (Warner Bros.) which makes it impossible to consider them even slightly DIY. But, despite all of this, I'm not the person who gets to decide whether a band is Riot Grrrl or not. 

Pictured: Kelli Mayo from Skating Polly / Picture source: Taylor Nettnin

I wondered if Riot Grrrl even still existed. I mean, yes, Bikini Kill is back and bands like Skating Polly, Dream Wife and Destroy Boys can certainly be considered Riot Grrrl, but it is not the same Riot Grrrl as that movement in the nineties. The things these bands stand for are the same: gender equality, no racism or xenophobia, and no fascism, but the radicality of being a woman in punk has worn off, and if I may add, radicality in punk has decreased quite a lot, too. In the sub-genre, pop-punk bands are rarely even political anymore.

When the movement first started, there were little to no women in punk music and there weren't many in rock music either. That's relative though, but these women in punk and rock were always a very specific type of person: they were 'pretty' and sang their songs, but overall kept their mouths shut. Riot Grrrl completely changed this. Women were openly speaking their minds and they purposely dressed unconventionally or wore their makeup 'ugly'. Nowadays it is not that weird for women to be in bands, and speaking their minds isn't frowned upon at all, so Riot Grrrl definitely made a large impact.

Riot Grrrl was a movement about equality within the punk scene. They achieved this goal if you look at the male-to-female ratio within bands and crowds, but of course, they did not achieve this completely. But isn't striving towards equality inherently punk?

Pictured: Bikini Kill / Picture source: Pitchfork

Riot Grrrl was mainly about equality for women in that specific scene. So I would argue that a band who is political and feminist is not necessarily Riot Grrrl, but rather just punk. I'm not saying Riot Grrrl is dead, but I do think that the movement is. They achieved what they were going for, and now it has become easier for people of any gender to be involved in the music scene. Riot Grrrl nowadays isn't about fighting for change, it is about speaking your mind and being yourself. I think this goes for punk music nowadays in general.

Nearly every band stands for being yourself unapologetically and some of them may talk about hating Trump, but no-one is actively fighting for change. Okay, 'no-one' is an overstatement. Bands like SWMRS actively use their platform to talk about climate change, and bands like IDLES teach their predominantly male audiences about feminism, but even in punk, it is becoming rare.

Punk does still have its sense of community, but there are barely any active Riot Grrrl communities, not even in Olympia or Washington where it all started. The only place where the scene slightly seems to be alive is London. Bands like The Menstrual Cramps, Dream Nails, Peach Club, and The Tuts are the leaders in this scene and it is rapidly growing. Organisations like Loud Women and Girls Rock London actively organise events and keep the community alive. Yes, the bands are political, but not radically, so would it be fair to call them Riot Grrrl? Or should I say that they are Riot Grrrl-inspired? I honestly do not know how to define Riot Grrrl anymore - maybe The Regrettes are a Riot Grrrl band after all. Maybe we need to write a new or an extended Riot Grrrl manifesto.

In conclusion, many things have changed and it is hard to approach the nineties movement in a structuralist manner. Maybe I should just embrace the fact that every band with womxn who are slightly political is going to be called Riot Grrrl. I'd rather live with that than Riot Grrrl becoming extinct. 

Article by: Cyan

STIGMATISING AND SCAPEGOATING ALTERNATIVE CULTURE IS GETTING OLD, SERIOUSLY

Picture source: reddit.com

'Yes, Karen, my jeans are ripped... No, Karen, I'm not going to kill you in your sleep...'

Gah, not to sound like a Monster-drinking, wristband-wearing, head-banging emo here, but I'm pretty much a Monster-drinking, wristband-wearing, head-banging emo (I prefer the term evolved-and-established-emo) and I'm sick to death of the countless side-eyes and snide comments even to this day. Like pretty much everyone my age (let's put it this way, I was born before 'I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love' was released) I had an emo phase: winged eyeliner, blue hair and all, and just never entirely grew out of it. That isn't necessarily even a bad thing, either.

The purpose of this article isn't to whine atop muffled Black Veil Brides blasting in a poster-clad room, crying that you're judging me for being 'unlike the other kids' and pushing past me in school corridors. Again, like most people that peaked in the primetime of emo, I have far outgrown that period of my life and frankly couldn't care less what you think of me. However, I do have an issue with the constant stigmatisation and scapegoating of every realm of thinkable alternative cultures.

Again, I am not referring to trivial matters and I do not intend to moan and groan. I'd like to think I'm slightly more mature than that, even if I do have to flip my fringe out of my eyes sometimes. What I'm actually referring to are the unjust assumptions that people have on individuals with slightly divergent interests or presentations. Alternative-leaning people, whether that means having a favouring for heavier music, liking of macabre media, or dyeing your hair every colour under a Twilight moon and piercing your face, are often the subject of scoffing - and that's really not okay (trust me).

Let's start off with one of my favourite conversational topics - horror movies. Without straying into a territory wherein I gush for an entire article about how much horrors and thrillers fascinate me, I just want to touch upon why fans of creepy movies are probably not as sinister as you perceive them to be. While, yes, there have been circumstances in which people have committed unthinkable acts and used horror films as a guise for their instability (Chucky is an example, read further here), people often approach films in this genre because of their complexity. The motives behind horror movies are usually inexplicable, and it is simply human nature for the mind to be drawn to what it does not understand.

Picture source: consequenceofsound.net

I don't know about you, but I cannot even begin to fathom why serial killers and the like do what they do, regardless of whether I wear dark clothing or dye my hair sometimes. For me, at least, this is a major drawing point of the genre. Horror movies test and warp the mind to realms often unexplored, trying and testing the audience while presenting simultaneous thrills. Being enticed by these types of films does not make you innately violent or dangerous at all, rather curious and inquisitive. Using such media to scapegoat one's butcherous antics is cowardly and threatens the credibility and reputation of an entirely intelligent and mindful community. 

While this is not always the case, horror fans are usually alternative-presenting to one extent or another. Therefore, the stigma that stems from eerie films seeps into alternative cultures - society's bias becomes lost in translation and applies to once unrelated communities as a result. The moral of this segment is ultimately that alternative people are not inherently violent. There is no correlation between an individual's presentation or interests and their actions. Stop assuming as such.

As this is an article with the intention of derailing preconceived stereotypes, I think it's appropriate to touch upon the baseless presumption that heavy music promotes violent behaviour. This is simply not true. In fact, one of its many functions is to incite quite the opposite. Granted, I understand that the perspective of those unfamiliar with rock, metal, and the like, may be skewed by the aggressive-sounding delivery of these genres, but the technicalities underneath the screams elevate such tracks to a level of unmatched intricacy.

If you're familiar with the alternative side of social media, there's a pretty high chance you've seen those god-awful memes about how rock music is superior to the cringe-fest that is pop music. You know the ones, with the overly filtered, grainy photos of Gerard Way versus Nicki Minaj and the like, with a thickly-bordered, superlative caption? Despite being grossly outdated and datelessly gross, there is some backing to the claim, 'Rock music helps people, *insert generic lyric here*, but is looked down upon by many'.

Picture source: mzstatic.com

Of course, this does not cover the entirety of society. Not anymore, at least. Alternative music is becoming more popular among the mainstream, much to the disgust of many, but I'm somewhat referring to the stigma planted onto such communities by older generations in particular. 

Contrary to popular belief, alternative music encourages community because such groups are used to being turned away by society. These outskirts of the media expanse band together for the exact reason that they are alternative, thus creating solidarity that defies many negative stereotypes placed on such types of people.

Alternative communities are extremely celebratory across the board. Common denominating interests among such subcultures, like horror films and heavier music, only serve to be appreciated and shared without the potential for judgment. Because of this expansive positivity, alternative people are often the most genuine and intelligent people in society, as their exposure to various media texts, views, opinions, et cetera, allows them to be extremely open-minded and engaging.

Just because you can hear punk beats emanating from the headphones of the guy with a mohawk on the bus, doesn't mean you have to move to another seat, Karen. Maybe just spark up a conversation - you might surprise yourself. For all you know, you could have similar interests. Even if you don't, perhaps you could open up your pierceless ears for a second and acknowledge another more passionate perspective. What bad could come of it? You'd only spend your afternoon sneering at the sight of someone's kneecaps through ripped jeans or scoffing at a nose ring anyway, so why not?

Article by: PJ

YES, REPRESENTATION AND VISIBILITY MATTERS, BUT 'ATYPICAL' DID NOTHING FOR AUTISTIC KIDS LIKE ME

Picture source: gigidovale.com

Everyone knows a person who has autism, and if you think you don't, you do. When you think about autism, you will probably imagine an awkward white boy who acts like a child even though they are twenty, who has some weird quirks and gets mad easily. Now, I have not watched the show Atypical so correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that Sam Gardner, the main character, is a living representation of that stereotype. From what I've read, heard, and have seen, he is the typical autistic white boy who blurts out inappropriate things at inappropriate moments, dresses awkwardly, and does not understand other people's emotions. 

All of these things are common when you are autistic, but the narrative of an awkward, autistic white boy is overused. Autism happens to people of every gender, ethnicity or age, yet in the media, it seems like only teenage white boys can get it, and this is problematic.

I think representation is extremely important, and like PJ wrote last week in 'The Overwhelming Difference Between Representation and Queerbaiting', the accuracy of that representation is also extremely important. Now, the representation in Atypical is not necessarily incorrect - there are definitely white, autistic boys like Sam in this world, however the narrative of yet another white, autistic boy is harmful for autistic people like me.

The world knows that boys like that exist, and the extremely stereotypical representation is not helping them nor other autistic people. It creates the idea that there is only a certain type of autistic person when other people on the autism spectrum are likely the most diverse group of people you will ever see. A higher-functioning autistic boy might feel ridiculed by this stereotypical representation, and people around boys like him will have incorrect assumptions just because they have seen yet another too-stereotypical representation. However, it is especially the autistic people who aren't white boys who feel alienated and misunderstood because of autism representations like Sam in the media.

We all know that having trouble with communicating emotions is common under people with autism and that they often have obsessions they are passionate about. However, there are so many more quirks that you never see in the media. 

Picture source: backstage.com

Did you know that bisexuality and genderfluidity are super common for people with autism? Multiple pieces of research show that people with autism (especially womxn) experience bisexuality way more often than people who aren't autistic. Scientists aren't sure why this occurs, but my theory, as an autistic womxn, is that concepts like sexuality and gender have so many unwritten rules created by society that are not immediately clear to autistic people and most certainly do not make sense. Every time my parents would tell me that I "dressed like a boy" I would get so confused - what the fuck does that even mean? I think we fight these weird rules by not following them, but I am no scientist.

Another thing about autism that the media never seems to acknowledge is the myth around women not being able to have autism. This myth used to be seen as a fact until quite recently. There are different theories for why this was thought, but the most important cause was that girls are simply held to different standards whilst growing up to boys, and just do not get the same amount of space as a child to develop. They are forced to mature earlier. A result of this is that girls with autism fall into depression in their teens and struggle a lot in their adult lives. Some of them never get the diagnosis, and if they get one, it is nearly always a late diagnosis. 

It is said that womxn experience autism differently than men, however, I'm convinced that this is just a result of the different standards girls are expected to meet growing up. Most autistic girls are high-functioning, as they simply did not get the space to be vulnerable and 'different'. Now, I'm not someone who watches many shows or movies, so it is not that weird that I can't name any objects that feature a womxn with autism in the media, but I'm pretty sure that they will not resemble me. The lack of womxn with autism in the media helps in holding the myth that womxn don't get autism, and this makes me mad. Boys like Sam from Atypical just aren't like me at all. I feel like I barely have anything in common with him and that feels alienating. 

There is one thing that Atypical depicts that I think is important to show in media representations of autism. Apparently, Sam wears his headphones a lot and in inappropriate situations too. Autistic people have sensitive senses that register every single sense as an important signal, whereas non-neurodiverse people have a filter in their brain that decides whether a certain sound, scent or light is important enough to signal or not. This makes us vulnerable in crowded spaces, where there are many scents, sounds, and you often get touched by people. By wearing headphones we can block out one of the many signals we have to process. Alternatives to wearing headphones are sunglasses to minimalise the light we have to process, and sometimes we tend to cover our ears when spaces get too loud. From what I've read, Atypical shows this side of autism in their episodes but does not explain it and makes it a punchline rather than something that seriously helps us. 

Picture source: minhaserie.com

Another commonly known fact about autistic people is that we have trouble with change in our daily lives. This can mean multiple things: we wear the same clothes very often, we have a very strict daily routine that we need to stick to, or we, for example, only eat certain types of food. What's important to know about all of these things I've mentioned is that not every autistic person experiences them to the same degree. Some people don't experience certain feelings at all, or barely experience them, whilst some experience them very extremely. For me, this means that I do not necessarily have a strict schedule every day, but I could never change my plans unexpectedly - that would completely throw me off. 

Now, I don't know how all of this is depicted in Atypical specifically, but autistic people are often bullied for wearing the same clothes a lot and this is something I wish the media would discuss more. Wearing a different pair of underwear could simply make one of us so uncomfortable that we get sensory overload; a t-shirt of a different fabric could literally make us nauseous, but all people seem to have to say about it is "Damn, do you ever even wash your clothes?"

There are so many things I could mention, but I will save that for another time. I just had to comment on the hype around Atypical now that there is a realistic female same-sex couple on the show. Just because there is one good form of representation on the show does not make the show good on all aspects. 

If you want to read about the opinions of a white, autistic man on Atypical, I recommend this article. Every autistic person is different, and all of our opinions and experiences are so different. There is not one perfect character that could represent us all, but there are narratives that are overdone and slightly harmful. 

Article by: Cyan

A CRASH COURSE INTO THE WORLD OF PERSONA

Picture source: Atlus

A relatively spoiler-free, surface-level dive into what is probably my favourite series of all time...

Usually, when it comes to my passions, my friends are pretty knowledgeable. But there's one game that I love - a series actually - that baffles them every time. So I often get asked - What the hell is Persona? A game? An anime? A manga? Well, yes - to all of the above, which usually only complicates matters further. When PJ showed interest in me doing a "crash course" into Persona... Well, I jumped at the opportunity. So, what the hell is Persona, where did it come from, and why is it suddenly everywhere? Let's talk about it.

Persona is, at its core, a series of games in the 'JRPG' or 'Japanese Role-Playing Game' genre, initially known for being part of the Shin Megami Tensei series and now becoming its own highly recognisable name. I must stress that each game is its own stand-alone story. You don't need to have played them all in order. It began with, as you may expect, Persona 1 & 2, released in 1996 and 1999 respectively (although in the west, Persona 2 was released in 2000). I'll admit, of the five mainline Persona games, these are the two I have not played and am least familiar with. I do know however, that they set the precedent for a "Persona" game - a JRPG with strongly written stories and characters, about using magical powers to defeat evil and corruption. After this, Atlus put the brakes on Persona for a little while, with six years passing until Persona 3 broke onto the scene; what a break it was. 

Persona 3 introduced the new structure for the series as a whole. Fighting in another world using personas was still prevalent, but now the game had almost a life simulator feel to it, in which you'd be a regular high school student during the day and a badass, magic-wielding version of yourself by night. Arguably, the most important change with this structure was the implementation of "social links", in which you'd spend time with the characters to develop their arcs; this had an impact in the "other world", with each link making you stronger. Here, Persona's narrative took a new direction with its story - whilst it had already exuded depth, characters became much more critically important and impactful - there was an overwhelming focus on how the relationships you hold with people can make you so much stronger. This new focus, coupled with Persona 3's incredible style, gameplay, and story, really brought Persona into the limelight. 

After this followed Persona 4 in 2008, which further developed its focus on character development to astonishing results. With those games, the series started to boom in popularity, prompting spinoffs; manga; anime. Persona 4 was rereleased as Persona 4: Golden, with extra content. However, Persona 5 was facing issues. It was announced for the winter of 2014, and after delays on delays, eventually came out during 2016 to critical acclaim. There was a lot of anticipation - with it being the first completely new Persona game in eight years, and all the waiting for delays - yet it managed to avoid all disappointment. It skyrocketed the popularity of the series, was praised by critics endlessly and prompted countless spinoffs (and more recently, Persona 5 The Royal, with extra content). Persona 5 was my introduction to the franchise, and in all its jazzy glory, captivated me instantly. But how? Those are the facts of Persona (very briefly), but why do people love it so much? Let me try to explain, with the least amount of spoilers possible.

Picture source: Atlus

Persona as a whole is an innovation, but I'll be especially focusing on Persona 5 here. The details in the design, from user interface to "all-out attacks" (special moves in combat) to the scenery and characters, every aspect is just beautiful. The colours and symbolism are constantly immersing you. The character designs convey so much personality. Plus, with Persona 5, entering the "other world" (in this game, the "Metaverse") prompts outfit changes, unlike the other games. These, along with the personas themselves, represent the rebellion within and are so unique to each character. It only adds on to their brilliant stories, which I'll talk about more soon. The user interface itself is absolutely stunning. It is a pleasure to use; it always feels so satisfying to do even the simplest of tasks, such as saving your game. Aesthetically, the details and intricacies of these games will stun you. 

Moreso, if you're like me and just can't get enough of a good soundtrack, Persona has got you covered from all corners. Persona 3 has such a dark, brooding yet energetic soundtrack that you can't help but dance along to a little. Persona 4, whilst still incredibly dark in its story, has such uplifting music that always seems to make me feel happy and at ease. I mean, if you're ever having a hard day, listening to the special mix of "Next Chance To Move On" always seems to motivate me. And lastly - my favourite of the bunch - Persona 5. The incorporation of such jazzy uplifting beats with rock implemented throughout really hammers the theme of rebellion and fighting for yourself. It's endlessly catchy and empowering, and there's something for everybody. The music always carries the mood so well. I could gush about this soundtrack for years if I had the time. I have around two hundred hours of playtime in Persona 5 alone and I'm STILL not tired of hearing 'Last Surprise' at every battle. Speaking of which...

Arguably the most important part of playing a game other than its story is the gameplay. The gameplay in Persona follows a turn-based combat system, fighting shadows with weaknesses. Each of your party members controls a different type of magic, and you need to swap out teammates accordingly. Whilst this system is nothing new - weakness-based combat is something evident in games such as Pokémon, for crying out loud - it never gets tiring. Between special attacks like "all-out attacks" where your whole team combines for the kill, slick transitions, interesting enemies and boss fights and the undeniably catchy music, fighting always seems fun. These fights are conducted in palaces, which are places in people's cognition, born out of distortions in the heart. This all sounds complicated, but essentially - people are evil, have evil thoughts, and you fight those thoughts into not existing anymore. Palaces are always grand, each one uniquely designed; the end goal of them varies from game to game. Exploration is key here. However, the palaces are only half of the game. The other half? Trying to be a good student, making new friends, growing yourself as a person. The biggest part of this is the "social link" (or "confidant", in P5) feature. You grow, and your friends do too. You have to choose who you spend time with; this will help you massively with all other aspects of the game, as well as expanding on the story. And oh, what a story...

Picture source: Atlus

I should clarify a few things right now. First of all, Persona games are dark. I mean, really, REALLY dark. Mass murder, unspeakable crimes, abuse, endless horrific things. It is a mature game for a reason. Secondly, they are very long and very story-heavy. Persona 5 is the longest of the bunch, and will average you eighty hours for one playthrough... yeah, it's long. But it's worth it. Lastly, they're games best experienced completely blind. Following the story yourself and feeling everything it will make you feel. Trust me. It's rewarding.

So anyway... what makes Persona so great? Yeah, the music is incredible, the aesthetics are breathtaking, and the gameplay is endlessly fun. But what you really play Persona for is the story. As I have mentioned multiple times, Persona 5 was my ultimate gateway into the series; it was all down to the characters and their journey. I promised not to spoil anything, and I will stick to that. But the massive ups and the debilitating lows are accompanied by huge twists that leave you feeling absolutely exhilarated. These games are experiences. It is very rare that a main cast can conjure up so much affection from me, but with the exception of Morgana (personally) I loved and connected with every member of the Phantom Thieves (the main group) in Persona 5.

These games will move you as much as you will let them, and you will find your own joy in who you relate to. For me, I found myself taking immense comfort in the character of Makoto Niijima and her arc of building her own self-confidence. A lot of her troubles hit me on a real, soul-crushingly personal level. These characters are all so fleshed out and so different that everybody will have their own favourite. One of my best friends, for example, didn't relate to Makoto as much but found great sanctuary in Goro Akechi. You choose who you spend your time with; you ultimately shape the experience based on who you are drawn to. Every character is worth your time. Even if you're not personally invested, their stories are still incredibly gripping and harrowing. With such a commitment in terms of playtime, you feel as if you're right there with them, which is exactly what good writing should do. Each game is different. The characters vary massively, also. You just have to try them out, enjoy them, and follow your heart. Honestly, it's an experience like no other, connecting to these games.

Okay, so I've rambled on about my love for these games as much as I can without spoiling things for you. Hopefully, my passion has inspired you to possibly check out Persona. But with so many spinoffs, each game being wildly different, where do you begin? I'd recommend starting with Persona 5, or maybe if you're really interested, waiting until March for Persona 5 The Royal, with extra content, story, and characters. It's the most up to date of the series; the most accessible. If you do check these games out, please feel free to message me on Twitter - linked in my bio - about them. I'd love to talk to more people about them. That being said, thank you for your time. Enjoy being immersed in the community, the different worlds. I know I do.

Article by: Taylor

THE OVERWHELMING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REPRESENTATION AND QUEERBAITING

Picture source: @katsadena on Twitter

In the media, poor attempts at diversity that tack LGBTQ+ identities on the backs of more 'eccentric' characters - just to implement a token-gesture guise of inclusivity - are as obsolete as not including any queer characters at all. I do not want such representation if it is falsified.

Take Netflix's Riverdale, for example. It took less than an hour for the Pilot to reek of queerbaiting, and they didn't even try to lure us tastefully. I mean, not that that's okay either, but there was absolutely no poise in this case. Usually, trashy shows drag out the plot that involves queer female characters in particular in order to retain an LGBTQ+ audience for as long as painfully possible, while Riverdale just dumped an entire season's worth of artificial chemistry onto us in the first half of the first episode.

Two of the core four (at least I think they're the main characters, I gave up on this show halfway through season one for this exact reason) kiss with absolutely no buildup or reasoning at all. Neither Betty or Veronica are explicitly stated to be anything other than straight, or even inferred to be for that matter, and once the extremely out of place kiss happens, it's never even mentioned again.

We all know that this was simply a ploy to entice LGBTQ+ audiences (two conventionally attractive, unstereotypical characters defying the norms of typical high school dramas in front of an extensively populated audience? Sign me up.) but that doesn't make it sting any less. The liberating potential of this scene was wasted massively, rather being used for all the wrong reasons. 'Kiss in front of the cheerleading team,' they said, 'They'll pick you for the squad if you do! Rack up the views of hopefuls while you're at it!'

Picture source: pinterest.co.uk

The recent release of the third season of Netflix's Atypical has brought this debate of representation versus queerbaiting to the forefront of my mind, and presumably the minds of many others. If there was a spectrum wherein 'queerbaiting' was scribbled on one end with Riverdale sat smugly upon it, the opposing 'representative' end would be the perfect home for Atypical.

While Atypical covers a multitude of complex topics, it's an endearing and warming series. What I'm trying to say is that the same-sex relationship featured is not the focal point of the entire storyline nor does it overwhelm or bait the audience. It is much more than that. The main plotline follows Sam, an autistic teenager navigating through his transformative years, with branching subplots that explore the moral grounds of cheating and the reception of neurodiverse people, to name a few. Don't get me wrong, the budding relationship between Casey and Izzie is prevalent throughout the seasons and has evidently blown up on stan Twitter (calm down, my fellow gays), but this connection is authentically explored as opposed to tastelessly exploited. This is where the difference lies.

When LGBTQ+ folk advocate for representation, we are not asking writers and producers to shove random, undeveloped, sexually-motivated scenes in our faces. True LGBTQ+ representation encompasses wholly our experiences. Not everything is a glossy, aesthetically pleasing scene with an aptly timed zoom and preppy music - there are mental strains, issues relating to public perception, the consideration of stereotypes, need I go on? This is where Atypical becomes invaluable to our realistic portrayals.

Rather than approaching Casey and Izzie's relationship in the aforementioned way, Atypical allows their narratives to develop organically and at their own pace. The characters are not rushed, as depicted in Riverdale, nor are they unnecessarily dragged out like those in Killing Eve (I'll get on to that). Their journey isn't glamourised and both girls are given the respect and dignity to figure themselves out. That's how it should be.

Picture source: @epicdeanoru on Twitter

While we're on the topic of queerbaiting, I feel that it's relevant to cover the odd concept of promised queerbaiting - when shows continually hint that a same-sex relationship is imminent, while repeatedly drawing out bland narratives to put off any kind of delivery into the 'next season'. Shows like Killing Eve come to mind, wherein the main female characters are moulded to interact in a provocative way in the sense that they feign chemistry. Fair enough, perhaps there is simply platonic chemistry there, but why not market it as such? Why coin them 'girlfriends', using the term in the loosest fashion possible to string along your largely queer audience when you know fully that you are never going to deliver? This is exploitation in its purest form, and it's way more common than you'd think.

The moral of the story here is to treat LGBTQ+ relationships in the media as simply that. Not as pawns, not in an exploitative or hypersexualised manner, not as though we become completely consumed by our sexual orientation and have little more to offer the world. Sexuality is an element of the individual, of course, but is not necessarily the driving force of our existence - it is a factor. In Atypical's case, Casey and Izzie are beautifully-layered characters that just so happen to be beginning to understand this factor of themselves, and this experience is documented justly.

The slow burn, the hesitation, the periodic reluctance, the confusion, the denial, the acceptance. Atypical presents each element of sexuality honourably and realistically, refusing to shy away from the harsh realities of Casey and Izzie's journies just to appeal to those that would follow this storyline for arguably the wrong reasons. Kudos, Atypical, your realism is appreciated. A lot. 

Article by: PJ