Conquest's New Writeups

The Cinematic Orchestra (thing)

2003-04-14T21:19:07Z

"Everyday is dark and a little twisted, but with melody and soul right next door. Don't say 'chillout' or 'hardcore' but think both. There's room to breathe on here – remember that?...spaces and places between the notes?" (Gilles Peterson, London, March 2002)

This is a really different sound. As explained by Gilles above – you could say it was "chillout" – but that just seems to encompass way too much these days – and there are times when chilled is most definitely not the mood here. There is such an intensity to the music , especially the latest album that it, at times, sends distinct shivers down your spine.

The Cinematic Orchestra were first on the scene towards the Summer of 1999 (signed to the Ninja Tune label) – consisting of Jason Swinscoe – a bit of a musical visionary and four jazz musicians. Their first album "Motion" was…

Craig Armstrong (person)

2002-10-06T19:53:27Z

"I don't subscribe to the Artist as God school of thought....I see musicians just as part of the workforce, no more or less valid than the practitioners of any other trade. Obviously, there's a spiritual element to music, but then there's a spiritual element to many things. If you can do it - whatever 'it' is - then do it, and try to do it well." (Craig Armstrong)

Craig Armstrong (b. 1958) may not be instantly recognisable by his name alone but when mentioned alongside some of the artists he has collaborated with, his success becomes apparent.

Remember those fabulous string instrumentals on the Massive Attack album "Protection"? The balcony scene music from Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet"? How about the incredible orchestration to that same Director's "Moulin Rouge"? Armstrong had a hand in all of these projects and more.

Born and raised in Scotland, he went on to study at the…

Elizabeth Fry (person)

2002-09-24T21:43:59Z

"I have lately been twice to Newgate to see after the poor prisoners who had poor little infants without clothing, or with very little and I think if you saw how small a piece of bread they are each allowed a day you would be very sorry." (Elizabeth in a letter to her children, 13th February 1813)

Elizabeth Fry appears on the new British five pound note – a place that was previously taken by George Stephenson. She was a Quaker prison reformer whose fight for human rights changed the lives of thousands of prisoners during her day, and whose influence is still keenly felt with the criminal justice laws of today.

Biography

Elizabeth Gurney was born into a wealthy family in Norfolk, 21st May 1780. Her father was a successful banker and a prominent member of the Society of Friends. Her mother, who was a member of the Barclay banking family was also a devout Quaker and spent much of…

Paul Simon (person)

2002-09-22T18:48:22Z

I am just a poor boy,
Though my story's seldom told,
I have squandered my resistance
For a pocketful of mumbles,
Such are promises
All lies and jest
Still, a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest. (The Boxer)

Roots

Paul Simon was born in Newark, New Jersey on October 13, 1941 and his family soon moved to Queens in New York – where he attended the same school as his soon-to-be musical partner Art Garfunkel. By 1955, the duo – now called "Tom and Jerry" had started writing songs together. Their first hit, "Hey Schoolgirl" came in 1957 when they were only 16 years old. They split briefly after graduation when Garfunkel went to college and Simon pursued a career as a professional songwriter. Most of his work was performed by other artists at this stage but he did release some tracks under the pseudonym Jerry Landis, "Anna Belle", "Just a Boy" and "…

Buddy Holly (person)

2002-09-15T14:45:56Z

"He made it easy to wear glasses. I WAS Buddy Holly." (John Lennon)

Announcement of his death in the Mason City Globe-Gazette – February 3, 1959

"Four persons, three identified as nationally famous rock 'n' roll singers, died early Tuesday in a plane crash five miles north of Clear Lake. The three singers were Buddy Holly, 22, Texas, Ritchie Valens, 21, Los Angeles, and J.P. Richardson, 24, of Louisiana, known professionally as the "Big Bopper." The single-engine, four-place Beechcraft Bonanza left the Mason City Municipal airport shortly after 1 a.m. It crashed about seven miles northwest of the airport. The trip to Fargo was expected to take about 3 1/2 hours. When no word of the plane's arrival was heard, Jerry Dwyer, owner of the flying service, set out to look for the party. He was delayed several hours because of early morning fog. Dwyer discovered the wreckage on the Albert

…

Das Experiment (thing)

2002-09-14T20:45:27Z

"Don't worry, it's not unpleasant"(Dr. Jutta Grimm)

How many times do you see a film that genuinely shocks you? Disturbs you? I'm not talking about your average bloody horror tease à la Wes Craven, but something that acts on your mind. It is always the things that can happen, that approach reality, that make for the fiercest drama. The film "Das Experiment", despite a few cringe-worthy sub-plots and episodes, succeeds in brutally reminding us how our egos can be inflated to such an extent that we act in a way we never would have dreamt of. Give a man a role, tell him he's in charge, he's the important one, give him a pair of handcuffs and a truncheon and see how long it takes him to make use of them....

Precedents

Of course, you have heard this all before – The Stanford Prison experiment right? Yes, to all intents and purposes, the…