HIGH

Glasgow singer songwriter HORSE chooses her favourite gay anthems.

1 Love And Affection Joan Armatrading. I remember hearing this on Top Of The Pops when I was a teenager and realising she was singing about me.

2 You Make Me Feel Mighty Real Sylvester. Such incredible vocal dexterity and range. I couldn't believe the sound when I first heard it.

3 Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word Elton John. One of the great songs of unrequited love. I still blush when I think of the classmate I felt this for.

4 Smalltown Boy Jimmy Somerville. Growing up in Lanark, I can really relate to the feeling of isolation he sings about in that distinctive voice.

5 Somewhere Bernstein and Sondheim. Every time I hear this song. the tears come to my eyes. It so beautifully conjures up a longing for a place without persecution.

NICK RAFFERTY, resident at Birmingham’s Sundissential, chooses his favourite non- house records.

1 Smells Like Teen Spirit Nivana. I saw Nirvana a couple of times and they were just an outstanding band. This song. to me. epitomised their sound.

2 24 Hour Party People Happy Mondays. This record changed my mind about dance music.

3 Kill Your Television Neds Automatic Dustbin. This is just one of my favourite indie records.

4 Fool’s Gold Stone Roses. Again. this is a great tune that changed my opinion about dance music. Before this record, I really wasn't into dance music at all.

5 Little Fluffy Clouds The Orb. Same reason again. But this one's more to do with the electronic side ofdance.

WHAT DID

Chns Fhesearch Scientist

I liked 'TOilet' and "Skin'.

8 THE LIST 26 Apr—10 May 2001

THINK?

THE OPINION

Skate . campaign

it’s about time the world caught up with the 25-year ‘fad’ they call skateboarding. Words: Coach Photo: Jonathan Littlejohn

have been stalking the streets of l4dinburgh

for the past fifteen years. looking for

pedestrians to frighten with my noise and speedy approach. Grannies fear me.

l have been dicing with death all this time. trying to go faster than the cars on the road down steep hills. Buses hate me.

I am public nuisance number one. I smoke loads of marijuana. I get drunk all the time and puke in doorways. I wake up your family in the middle of the night vandalising the bench outside your home.

I beat tip security guards. l scare dogs. l do awful graffiti. in fact I gave that tip just to start tagging. I hate rollerbladers because they look like pussies. I am ignorant.

l have nothing better to do with my time. I live off the state. You can't catch me because you are fat and can't run. I eat nothing btit crisps and kebabs. l listen to nothing btit hip-

The older skaters made me listen to Black Sabbath and

John Coltrane.

hop and drum ‘n‘ bass.

Skateboarders are the biggest freeloaders in the world. Skateboarders have nowhere to go. Skateboarding serves absolutely no positive purpose what-so-ever.

Except . . .

Skateboarding changed my life. i am more cultured (the older skaters made me listen to Black Sabbath and John Coltrane). l am very happy without the aid of Prozac or any other popular stimulant. Skateboarding has taught me to understand balance. it’s more of an Eastern kung-fu philosophy than a pastime.

Skateboarding has influenced some of

Scotland‘s finest artists. musicians. doctors. lawyers and writers. Scottish skateboarding is unique. individual. amazing and beautiful. There are currently 5()()() known skateboarders in Scotland from Thurso to Gretna. Once a year skateboarders of the

Janet Speech 8 Language Therapist The variety of styles iS impressive.

Duncan P" :ft)<:i'.'i',"'.«'

Gav. '/

Scottish skateboarding is unique, individual, amazing and beautiful

world make the pilgrimage to the Livingston skate party. an event similar to \\'ootlstock. in a skatepark similar to Stonehenge. Bristo Square in litlinbtirgh may belong to the university bill it has a legendary status across Britain as a premier ‘street spot: .lllsl its incredible its these places. Dundee has a scene where the local skateboarders will illegally squat in an abandoned warehouse and build themselves a tailor-made facility (the last one being the new Dundee (‘ontemporary :\t'ts centre. which still hasn‘t given the previous residents a chance to exhibit their ‘art' ).

Kids dun suutcd dds trend'liflcen years ago are now adults. Skateboarding is more popular than ever before: computer games. liSl’N. hiin street shops stealing ‘the look'. in fact. I bet you are reading this now and you have a pair of skateboard sneakers on.

The only thing that doesn't change is the ignorance from everybody else. Police are aggravated by us. councillors don‘t listen when we explain to them otir requirements. average punters in the street feel threatened by us and confrontations arise every day. .-\ll this country needs are more skateparks with roofs (it does rain a lot after all i.

Disagree? react@list.co.uk

The List’s Framespotting Exhibition, Traverse Theatre. Edinburgh