can listen to our music, and make everything more up to date.

Last meal on earth what would it be John: Sushi. I love sushi.

Last thing you cooked Edward: I think hot dogs in the microwave. The microwave is our best friend. First thing you think of when you wake up. John: I think of our fans and how blessed we are.

Last thing you think of before you go to sleep

John: We’re usually up quite late so I just think about how

tired I am and how much I want to go to sleep.

(Interview by Sarah Benjamin) Jedward release their debut album, Planet Jedward, on Mon 19 Jul on Absolute Records. www.planetjedward.net

FirstWord JEDWARD

Brace yourselves. The concrete quiffed twins, John and Edward Grimes are about to drop their first album on the world. The X Factor stars drop in to talk to The List about hot dogs, sushi and a national Jedward appreciation day . . .

First three words your friends would use to describe you John: Humble, honest, fun. Last big purchase you made John: 17 inch Apple laptops.

First thing you do if you’ve got time off work Edward: We do normal things because we’re usually so busy

with other stuff.

Last lie you told John: A small, jokey white lie, probably. Lying is bad. First great advice you were ever given John: Just be yourself and be grateful for everything you have, because most people don’t get to do this.

First thing you would do if you ran the country

Edward: Have a John and Edward Appreciation Day so everyone

First record you ever bought John: Probably N’Sync, we have all their albums. First time you realised you were famous Edward: When we heard ourselves on the radio.

Last time you cried Edward: When I fell on stage during a routine and cut my knee, I cried when I got home because it hurt so much. John: Probably when I was walking down the street and some dirt got in my eye.

First song you’ll sing at karaoke Edward: ‘I Want It That Way’ by the Backstreet Boys. It has to be a song everyone can dance along to. Last time you were star struck John: When I met Paul McCartney.

WeLike The things making our world just that little bit better

Sure, over the past fortnight there has been a fair amount of

Wimbledon and World Cup watching from The Listteam. Not to mention

strawberry eating and

mini-beer keg drinking. But when it comes to sports, our realpassion lies with the cups. That’s right, ‘cup stacking’. We’re a little bit hooked on the strange US sport of speed stacking plastic

cups. Pointless? Bizarre? Never! It’s an adrenaline-fuelled blur of limbs and tumblers. (See YouTube for evidence.) We hope a dedicated Scottish sports training facility crops up soon.

We also enjoyed Tommy Reckless’ take on Jay-Z’s ‘New York State of Mind’, with his affectionate tribute to Edinburgh’s own boulevard of dreams, Leith Walk, on the YouTube video, ‘Embra State of Mind’. Oh! Hello Polski Smak. And hiya, Borland Darts and Television.

Finally, we very much liked Storm the Charts’ valiant attempt to get independent, and interesting music into the UK Top 40. A Band Called Quinn,

Zoey Van Goey and Woodpigeon all joined forces on the grassroots, zero-budget campaign, which may not have bagged a No.1 spot on the crunch-day, Sun 4 July, but it did see them swell numbers for their Facebook group (over 30,000 members, and rising), and the tracks speed up the Amazon charts. They’ll be doing it all again next year apparently too. More power to you.

2 THE LIST 8–22 Jul 2010