THE CROOKES TIMES Wednesday 27 January 2010 www.thecrookestimes.com / / features@thecrookestimes.

com 26

Features

‘We are nothing like the Arctic Monkeys’

Channelling the musical grace of the 1960s juxtaposed with an outspoken tongue of the
Noughties, Sarah Barns meets Sheffield’s latest addition to the indie music scene.
Sitting on big brown leather sofas sur-
rounded by copies of The Guardian and
empty mugs of tea, The Crookes look like
an advertisement for a trendy coffee shop.
The band’s name conjures images of pick-
pockets or pilferers but they are actually a
four-piece indie band formed in the epony-
mous leafy Sheffield suburb.
They are all immaculately dressed in a uni-
form of dark blue skinny jeans and pastel
coloured shirts.
Indie-God Steve Lamacq says they are
his “favourite new band” and The Guard-
ian describes them as “middle class Arctic
Monkeys”.
Before the band embark on their third
tour we discuss famous fans, Quavers and
Jedward.
Before we delve into the serious stuff
can you please tell our readers an inter-
esting fact about yourselves?
Alex, 21: I am currently wearing Christmas socks.
They are black with red Rudolph’s flying all over
them.
George, 22: Damn. That’s quite a good fact. All of
my plectrums have characters from South Park on
them. That’s quite a collection I must say.
Russell, 22: I drive a Ford Mondeo and I think it is
the greatest car on the road.
Dan, 22: Oh god. How am I ever going to top that.
Every time we play a gig we write the number 17
on our hands. It has sort of become a tradition
because when we don’t do it things go wrong.
Now we all know what socks you’re wear-
ing and what cars you drive it’s time to
go back to the start. How did you guys
meet?
Alex: We were all students at the University of
Sheffield. Me and Dan met when we were living in
Tapton halls of residence.
Dan: We met Russ and George at the union’s indie
night, Fuzz Club.
Did your eyes meet across the crowded
dance floor and you instantly knew you
shared the same dreams of stardom?
Russell: I’m sure the media would love that! Un-
fortunately we met at various Fuzz Clubs and just
started hanging out together.
Alex: When we first met we were just mates. Dan
didn’t even really play an instrument and had only
just started learning.
And a year on here the band sits. What
made you call yourselves The Crookes?
Alex: The Crookes is the laziest name ever. Me and
Dan looked out of the window at Tapton and we
saw it on a street sign.
Dan: It was always one of those things that we
were meant to change but never quite got round to
doing. Now it’s kind of stuck.
George: When we go to London people just think
we can’t spell. We have to always explain that it is
an area of Sheffield.
Alex: It provokes quite nostalgic memories for us
though.
There have been a lot of comparisons in
the press to you and indie bands such as
The Smiths. What music do you like and
what influences you?
Alex: The Smiths splits the band in two. Me and
George love them, Dan and Russ have grown to
appreciate them.
Dan: Everyone says our lyrics are similar to theirs
but I write the songs and I’ve never really listened
to them.
Alex: At the moment I’m currently listening to
a band called Brand New. They are an American
band. I also like Taking Back Sunday.
Dan: I enjoy sixties pop and girl bands like The
Supremes.
If you could cover any song, past or
present, what would it be?
Dan: After this we are meeting with indie band
Bromheads Jacket to cover some Buddy Holly
songs. We love Buddy.
You listen to quite a lot of ‘old’ music.
Are you fans of programmes such as the
‘X Factor’? Are you Jedward fans?
Alex: Oh yes. Big fans.
Russell: I enjoyed Calvin Harris’ stage invasion but
they can’t sing.
Dan: Yes, but they are so ridiculously entertaining.
Russell: But it’s a singing contest. If you are mar-
keted as a singer you should be able to sing.
Do you think it’s more important to sing
well to the crowd or entertain them?
Alex: I suppose people pay to be entertained.
George: The one gig where we went crazy on stage,
everyone went mental.
Alex: Robbie Williams can do both.
Dan: Oh, the ‘Robster’. We love the ‘Robster.’
How do you feel about indie music ‘slid-
ing off the radar’? (Fuzz Club closed after ten
years due to poor ticket sales)
Russell: There is a noticeable difference if you lis-
tened to the charts in 2004 and 2005 to now.
George: Mainstream music has become a bit
weird.
Alex: Zane Lowe plays a lot of drum and bass now
but we’re hoping that guitar bands will come back
around.
Russell: The charts are full of a worse and worser
version of a popular thing. There’s lots of recycled
nineties dance in the charts. Loads of stuff is sam-
pled and then just rapped over. The new (indie) kids on the block after playing the main stage at this year’s Tramline festival: (From left to right) Alex, Dan, George and Russell.
Alex: When we hear something different on the ra-
dio like Kasabian we turn it up. Oh god everyone’s back to get it and then ended up playing to about Is playing at Wembley a hope for the fu- from it gets tarred with the same brush. melancholic.
going to think we’re huge Kasabian fans now. ten people at the gig. There were only two spaces ture? You already have quite a few famous Dan: Cheers guys. I just want people to dance to
left in the local hotel so we drew straws and Dan Russell: My future ambition is to win a Nobel fans. Steve Lamacq and Jon McClure them. I write and think how they’d sound on the
There’s nothing wrong with Kasabian. and George had to sleep in the van. dance floor.
What has been the best moment in the peace prize for kick boxing. have praised your music.
band for you so far?
Dan: Yeah it was freezing and the door wouldn’t Dan: I’d say we’re fairly ambitious. Alex: We were really scared when we first met And finally can you sum up The Crookes
lock. Alex: We would love to play Wembley. We would Steve. in just three words?
Alex: Recording at Maida Vale studios in London George: That was possibly the lowest point of my love to do massive stadium tours and headline lots Dan: Yes, but now we just take the p**s out of
Russell: Ear-f**k? Is that one word? Could we hy-
was my highlight. I’m not sure about everyone else. life, not just of my time in the band. of music festivals. phenate that?
I got to sing Nirvana. him.
Do times like this put you off trying to George: Yes we’d love to be as big as the Arctic Russell: We’ve learnt that people in the business are Alex: Sync potential.
Dan: My favourite was Abbey Road. We had our be famous? Monkeys or the Kings of Leon. Rest of the band: What on Earth does that even
first single mastered there. We took photographs quite fickle but Steve’s one of the genuine ones.
of everything like massive tourists.
Russell: Even all that is better than a real job. The Guardian describes you as “middle Alex: He gets given loads and loads of demos and mean?
George: Yes that’s okay for you to say, you didn’t class Arctic Monkeys.” How do you feel he never throws them away. He broke Coldplay. Dan: Dynamic.
George: The first Tramlines festival in Sheffield sleep in the van. Alex: Happy, nostalgic ... Crookes.
last year was good too. about this? He’s a great guy.
Alex: We had lots of Quavers so at least the crisps Russell: We’re nothing like the Arctic Monkeys. Lamacq said your music makes him feel
And the worst moment?
Alex: We were in Bristol doing a sound check when
were good. Alex: Alex Turner spoke for most of the first al- nostalgic. How do you want people to The Crookes third tour begins on March 24.
Dan: We sort out expected to be doing things like bum where as George actually sings.
we were like ‘where’s the bass?’ We then realised this. You know you aren’t going to start out play- George: I do sing a lot. feel when listening to your music?
Alex: I don’t want to sound pretentious – happy? To watch the band performing please visit www.
that we had left it in this gangsta rap club called ing Wembley.
Yoyo in London. We had to drive to London and Russell: The media loves Sheffield and everything George: The lyrics can be quite depressing and thecrookestimes.com.

Punters celebrating potty 95-year passion for beef

It was one of the few products never rationed during the First World War, it was ‘snap’ for pitmen because it didn’t go off
underground and it’s one business still thriving in the recession. Emma Wright discovers Binghams’ recipe for success.
What’s your favourite food? A big cream cake Charles began producing the product at his home on but a few. and say quite emotional things.
covered in pink icing? Maybe a punnet of fresh Reservoir Road in Crookes until it moved to its cur- It was even a symbol of the coal miner’s lifestyle. “For many I think our product evokes memories of
strawberries doused in sugar? Or perhaps a rent premises on Weston Road in 1934. “Our heartland will always be Sheffield because pot- childhood and the war. It’s quite nostalgic for them.”
crunchy Yorkshire pudding filled with gravy? After Charles died it fell into the hands of a large ted beef was the only thing you could take down the Mrs Edith Harman from Rotherham has written in
Did potted beef spring to mind? The name conglomerate until it was bought by Peter Moon in mines and it wouldn’t go off,” Mr Moon says with a to say “never stop making the product” and that she
hardly sends the taste buds into a saliva inducing December 2007. big grin on his face. buys “up to two pots of the beef a week.”
frenzy. “I’m not a Bingham and it was the first time the The business is even going strong in the midst of “I distribute the letters around to staff because I feel
But potted beef makers Binghams must be do- business went back into private ownership,” Mr recession. it’s important to help boost morale and show that
ing something right because they are Moon says as he pins up photographs of Charles “If anything the current financial state of the coun- people really do enjoy the product,” says Mr Moon as
celebrating their 95th birthday and Walter in his office. try has helped us.” Mr Moon can’t seem to hide his he puts the pile back neatly in his drawer.
this year. “It meant a lot to me and I satisfaction. Binghams employs around 20 members of staff,
Established by Charles wanted to give the business “We are a good value for money product, high in most of who have been working at the company for
Bingham and his more focus.” protein, iron and vitamin B12. more than ten years.
brother Walter before Mr Moon worked for North- “People are turning to us when they can’t afford to “Everyone knows each other so well. We make sure
the First World War, ern Foods for over ten years fork out for a leg of beef.” that everyone here has their say and we sort issues out
Binghams’ potted before purchasing Binghams But Binghams’ demographics are impressive – it’s like a big family.”
beef was one with his wife, Marie. stocked everywhere from Netto to Waitrose. All the staff seem amazingly attentive and welcom-
of the only “I was sick of working for “We have a wide following. I don’t like to pigeon hole ing.
products such a massive business. I my customers and say ‘Oh this product is only for I have been offered at least four cups of tea during
during this had no sense of identity. rich people over the age of 45.’ There is something in my 20 minutes here and there is even a lady going
time not “When I heard that Bing- the range for everyone.” round taking fish and chip orders.
placed hams had fallen into the Mr Moon opens the bottom drawer of his wooden “The term passion is overused but I really do have a
on food hands of a big corpora- desk and pulls out a pile of letters. passion for what I do.
rations. tion I knew I had to “We offer a personal service to our customers. I put “I have two objectives: make profits and have fun. I
do something. my email and postal address on the back of the prod- like to keep it simple like our product.”
“It had to regain its ucts to encourage consumers to get in touch.” So what really goes into the product?
‘small family busi- He grabs a box of potted beef from a nearby shelf “Only beef and seasoning. It is such a pure product I
ness’ identity.” and points to his email address much like a presenter have never felt the need to mess with it.
The business has would point to a product on a late night shopping “We’ve been here for 95 years and I aim to reach
survived an abun- channel. 100.”
dance of historic “I receive around half a dozen emails and letters per Spread the word.
events - World War week. Some of it is criticism but most of it is praise.”
One, World War Two He hands me a sheet of white A5 paper headed in To celebrate Bingham’s birthday we have a crate of potted beef
and the foot and mouth neat calligraphy “Dear Mr Moon and family.” to give away.
crisis ten years ago to name “We get a lot of letters from older folk. They write in Please log on to www.crookestimes.com/competitions for details.

Happy workers celebrating Bingham’s 95th birthday: potted beef experts, George Watson and Lee Cullingworth

Neighbours from hell? No, these lot are having a wheelie good time
Imogen Child joins the jolliest street in Sheffield to discover the secret of its success over a good old cup of tea.
Listen very closely and you
can almost hear the pian-
ist warming up ready to play
the theme tune as Hope and
Simon walk down the street
together.
“Oh, duck, this road is like a vil-
lage. Always has been, probably
always will be,” says Hope Ever-
son, a long-standing resident of
Harcourt Road as she prunes her
roses.
Harcourt Road isn’t just any or-
dinary Sheffield street.
It is like one straight out of a
soap opera.
It is the norm here to leave your
children in the care of the neigh-
bours.
There is a monthly newsletter
detailing all the events and gos-
sip occurring on this leafy road.
Hell, they even all go to yoga
club together.
But like any good soap opera
something must come along to
upset the peace.
In Harcourt Road’s case it’s a
certain bunch of someone’s that
arrive each September.
“Every year a new group of
students moves in and we “Around 50 stu-
have to learn to adapt to dents get involved
each other’s lives,” says in the one-off
Hope, wiping her brow event we hold
with a bunch of thorns at the start
in her hand. of term to
“There isn’t really a lot of improve rela-
trouble with students. It’s tions between
more of a mismatch of life- them and the local
styles.” residents.
Are these pesky students the “Hopefully eve-
thorns in the beautiful bloom ryone is enjoying
that is Harcourt Road? themselves.”
Not exactly. But everything’s Hope certainly is as
done to make sure these in- she happily barks or-
comers are pruned to perfec- ders at a young man
tion. with a wheelbarrow
Andy Marsden runs a vol- full of manure.
untary service that promotes The basic aim of
harmony between students and ‘Andy’s army’ is to
their neighbourhood hosts. help the residents
“Every year at the start of term, tend to their gardens
Sheffield Volunteering run a and spray their wheel-
campaign called ‘Love Where ie bins neon colours
You Live.’ The campaign all in the name of
has been running for three ‘community cohe-
years and it is proving more sion.’
successful each year,” says Or, as Andy puts it,
Mr Marsden as he hands out “to prove not all stu-
polystyrene cups overflowing dents are like that idiot
with tea. from Hallam who uri-
nated on the war memorial.”
Harry Manley, the student rep-
resentative for Crookesmoor,
says “It’s all about people com-
ing together through colourful
wheelie bins.”
Coming together through
wheelie bins? Madness.
But the residents are lapping it
up and seem to be having a jolly
good time.
Hope’s husband, Simon, remi-
niscent of an Emmerdale charac-
ter in his green quilted coat and
brown boots, shouts: “Andy can
I borrow the hedge trimmer?”
“Of course Simon, remem-
ber to wear gloves and a mask
though!” replies Andy jollily.
Safety first. God forbid this
turns into some sort of rose-
wheelie bin massacre.
Whilst Simon attacks the near-
est hedge, Hope settles down
with a cup of Earl Grey and
plunges into an anecdote about
past neighbours.
“Well, there was this group of
rather rich, dashing sort of guys
who offered to put me and Si in
a hotel for the night while they
had a party.” Did she oblige?
“Are you kidding, duck? I
couldn’t have slept a wink if I’d
have gone away.
“They were always quite nice
and bought us a bottle of wine
round in the morning to apolo-
gise for the noise so I didn’t re-
ally ever mind.”
It’s clear the way to the residents
hearts are similar to that of the
students.
Volunteers have by now taken
over the street.
There is someone spraying,
sweeping, pruning, carrying,
fetching or cooking in every di-
rection.
It’s like a scene out of Cin-
derella.
It is a freezing cold day in the
middle of January but there is a
barbeque set up in the middle of
the street.
“Yes I didn’t think it would be
so cold to be honest but we re-
ally wanted to have a barbeque,”
says Jason Hall, a student vol-
unteer as he flips a slightly over
done chicken burger.
Nothing will stop this road I tell
you, nothing!
There is a couple in a red Mini
however who don’t look too
pleased about having to wait for
the tea trolley to be moved so
they can continue driving down
the street.
I’m sort of waiting for Hope
to dash over, fling open the car
doors and invite them over for a
hot dog. But no such luck.
Simon returns to the scene car-
rying at least 15 pieces of oak.
“I’ve got enough wood for the
Bonfire tonight but I might get
some more just in case.”
Looks like he wore his mask
and gloves then.
There is an annual street bonfire
tonight which Hope informs me
is a highlight of the year.
“It’s a lovely event for the road
and ends the day nicely,” she in-
forms me as she stands proudly
next to her bright pink bin.
Will Simon survive the bonfire?
Will Hope run off to a hotel
with a student? Will Andy ever
stop giving out cups of tea?
Tune in next time to find out.
Roll credits.
Painting-wheelie-
bins by numbers
95 people volunteered in the
Love Where You Live cam-
paign: 38 residents and 57 stu-
dent volunteers.
30 garden experts planted a
range of wild flowers to give
the street some colour.
38 bins were painted a vari-
ety of neon colours to identify
who they belong to enabling
better ownership.
8 gardens benefited from hedge
trimming, waste removal and
tree surgery.
1 street was tidied and swept
and the litter and leaves were
removed.
To find out about local community
projects in your area please visit our web-
site www.crookestime.com/local