Sport. Entertainment. Culture.

Issue 1

The Buzz!I’m pure buzzzzzzin!

ContentsWelcome to The Buzz!We reckon that Glasgow is easily the best city in Scotland. In the first edition of our brand new magazine we intend to keep you up to date with the burning is-sues in Glasgow and Scot-land. This month we tackle goal line technology, ex-plore the Commonwealth Games Legacy, discuss illegal downloading and even preview the up and coming gigs in Glasgow, don’t say we’re not good to you...

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Glasgow Gig Guide

Who: Killswitch EngageWhen: 03 MayWhere: O2 ABCTickets: £16.00

Who: The Specials When:09 May Where: Barrowlands Tickets: £35.00

Who: Alt J When:06 May Where: O2 ABC Tickets: £13.50

Who: The StrypesWhen: 04 May

Where: King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Tickets: £5

Who: Benjamin FrancisWhen: 20 MayWhere: O2 ABCTickets: £12.00

Who: TribesWhen: 21 MayWhere: Oran MorTickets: £12.50

Who: A$AP RockyWhen: 26 MayWhere: O2 AcadmeyTickets: £17.50

Who: Lucy SpragganWhen: 30 MayWhere: King Tut’s Wah Wah HutTickets: £8.00

Fancy going to a gig in May? We at The Buzz! have handpicked some of the best acts coming to Glasgow...

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MADISON

We at The Buzz! went to see unsigned outfit Madison, here’s how they got on...Pop quartet Madison launched their debut EP Cogs and Wheels at The Forge Commu-nity Hall in Cumbernauld.The sold out gig, with sup-port from the talented Craig Horne, gave hometown fans the first taste of the new ma-terial.Madison kicked off the night with Crimson, a punchy pop rock song that set the tone for the night. For such a young band, it was very refreshing to see how much energy Madison put into their performance, you can see that this is not just a hobby for the lads, this really

means something to them.Often with up and coming bands, they lack the con-fidence required to keep the crowd entertained, this

however, is no problem for Madison, as lead singer Russell Ferguson just oozes charisma with his impressive stage pres-ence.The highlight of the night was the EP’s title track Cogs and Wheels, with another mix of pop and rock, it portrays a more sensitive side to the band. It also seems to be a fan’s favourite as between the impressive guitar licks, the

crowd seemed to know the lyrics just as well as the band.Madison, made up of Russell Ferguson, Keir Palmer, Oliver Prinn and Calum Wilson have a

certain sub-stance that sets them apart from other

up and coming bands, these four are surely destined for big things. You can catch Madison on the Glasgow leg of their tour on the 22nd of February. If you want to hear what the guys are all about, Cogs and Wheels is available to download from iTunes and Spotify or check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/madisonlikethedance

...between the impressive gui-tar licks, the crowd seemed to know the lyrics just as well as the band.

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Goal Line Tech - No - Logy !

As the English FA announance the introduction of goal line technology, We

at The Buzz! investigate whether or not it could be done in Scottish fitbaw’.

Cast your mind back, all the way to 2005. A game between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur was just like any other game, until a 45 yard shot from Pedro Mendes barely crossed the line but the goal was not given. That was the beginning. That was the beginning of the goal line technology debate. It was recently announced that next season the English Premiership would introduce goal line technology, but is this the right decision and could the Scottish game afford to introduce the same technology across the board?More and more big names in the world of football are crying out in desperation for goal line technol-ogy. There is, however, one name absent from this chorus of support, Michel Platini, the president of UEFA recently claimed, “Goal line technology is too expensive for the Champions League and UEFA would rather spend the money on youth football.”At the 2010 World Cup the argument for goal line technology was raging on again. One incident fuelled the fires for this argument. Frank Lamp-

ard and England were denied a clear equaliser against Germany, even though video replays showed that his shot just before half time had crossed the line. Everyone inside the stadium apart from the referee and his assistant seen that the ball crossed the line, Eng-land sub-sequently went on to lose the match and were knocked out of the tournament.Frank Cole, a former top SFA lines-man said: “In a professional con-text, I would’ve liked to have seen goal line technology brought in, it would’ve made my job and the job of other match officials a lot easier, it reduces the chance of human er-ror. As a football fan though, I have a few concerns of the disruption it would cause to the game.”The Hawk Eye system which the English FA have given the go ahead to start construction costs £250,000 to be implemented, this may be justifiable in the English Premier-

ship were money has never been an issue, but could this be brought into Scottish football? Of course it couldn’t.For this to be brought in at every level of Scottish football would just

be impos-sible, most Scottish clubs struggle to survive on a day to day basis, how could they af-ford £250,000 to fit in goal line technol-ogy? Hearts of Midlothian, the biggest

club in Edinburgh are having to sell half of their squad to stay afloat, do you really think they are interest in goal line technology at the moment when their club is teetering near the brink of closure. So if Scottish clubs can’t afford to implement goal line technology does that mean that it won’t be brought in? It seems more than likely, unless FIFA and UEFA are sitting on some sort of unlimited goldmine that we all don’t know about.The Hawk Eye system is not a real time programme, so play would have to be interrupted whilst a referee

It will suck the re-maining passion and emotion out of football forever.

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Goal Line Tech - No - Logy !

or assistant went away to look at the incident in play. Every dubious decision should not be examined to death; it will suck the remaining passion and emotion out of football forever. If goal line technology is to be brought in, when will it end? Will a system of analysing bad challenges or possible offside decision be brought in as it could be argued that these incidents can have as much influence on a game as a goal does?Although most people are being convinced by the goal line technology argument, I just can’t ever see it happen-ing across the board. Certain people did have the chance to make it happen though. The International Football Associa-tion Board (IFAB), met back in March 2010 to discuss the perma-nent implementation of additional referees – as piloted in the Europa League and whether or not goal line technology should be brought in to play. The board decided that if goal line technology was brought in it must be accurate and cost efficient, both of which the Hawk Eye system are not. The IFAB had the chance to bring goal line technology into Brit-ain and France, the deciding vote came down to England and Scotland, both rejected the bid and goal line

technology was sent to the side lines of footballing history.Professional footballer Ross Brash said: “I play for Stenhousemuir, a tiny club, with no real financial backing; there is no chance that we could afford to bring in goal line technology if we were to pay for it

ourselves. I can see the benefits of the technology being brought in, but I can’t see it happen.”It is understandable that if the ball has crossed the line, but the referee has not deemed it a goal, it is unfair and may cost the team three points, but when has a wrong decision prop-erly had disastrous consequences for a team, when has a goal that should have been given but wasn’t relegated a team, or cost a team a championship title? Dubious goal line decisions don’t happen every week,

if it did, then by all means bring it in, but these only ever happen once in a blue moon.Controversy is a good thing, it al-lows for healthy discussion; if goal line technology is brought in these discussions disappear. Arguments in the local pub and football phone in’s

won’t be half as enter-taining and the tradi-tion of the back pages of the Sunday morning papers splashed with outrage at the goal that should’ve been won’t be there anymore. Bringing technology in to football is just an-other step further in the wrong direction, long gone are the raw days of fans standing on ter-

races supporting a team of players who are not doing it for the money. The technology intervention seems to be built on paranoia that human error is actually officials acting on a hidden agendas; this belief is still very much rife, especially in Glas-gow and the West of Scotland where Celtic and Rangers are concerned. If England wants to bring in goal line technology, let them, as for Scottish football, it should be left alone, and governed by the men and women in black and white.

Bringing technology in to football is just an-other step further in the wrong direction.

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Will the Commonwealth Legacy have a lasting impact on Glasgow? We at The Buzz! investigate...

On your marks... Get set... Glas-GO!-w

Often described as the ‘Sick Man’ of Europe, Glasgow’s reputation has never been one of fitness and good health. Glasgow’s mortality rates are infamously the highest in Britain. In 2012, the life expectancy of the average male in Glasgow was the lowest in the UK at only 71 years old. What better opportunity is there for Glasgow and Glaswegians to change these disturbing figures than the Commonwealth Games in 2014?Back in 2007, when the Common-wealth Federation plucked for Glasgow over the Nigerian capital of Abuja, a fantastic opportunity to maximise the amount of public participation in these games arose. Yes Glasgow was used in the 2012 London Olympics, but this is our city’s chance to host our own games and to create our own legacy. But what is important about legacy? If the Commonwealth Games can be remembered for reinvigorating a seemingly uninterested generation back into sport then, that will do more for the city’s reputation than being remembered for just putting on a spectacular show.The Legacy of the 2014 Common-wealth Games will be vital in shap-

ing a new Glasgow, with new residents who under-stand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. In 2007, the then leader of Glasgow City Council, Steven Purcell emphasised the importance of the games to Glasgow: “ It’s about making sure there is a lasting legacy. A legacy for the people of the east end of the city who will benefit from first class housing, retail and leisure developments in a city that’s been crying out for that kind of change.” Steven Purcell’s comments supported a growing voice of opinion that the Com-monwealth Games, is not just about the glamour of international athletic stars coming to Glasgow, but that these games could actually have a positive effect on the people of Glasgow.If the 2014 Commonwealth Games is to have a positive effect on the ordinary Glaswegian, then it is vital to not only to help those who have fell away from exercise to buy back into positive living, but to ensure the younger generation don’t make

the same mistakes that many of their parents have. How can these children be lead towards healthy living? It’s easy, education, educa-tion, education. If projects like Active Schools, a volunteer based organisation that work tirelessly to provide higher quality opportunities for young children to participate in exercise before, during and after school, are given more financial backing, then surely children can’t

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Will the Commonwealth Legacy have a lasting impact on Glasgow? We at The Buzz! investigate...

On your marks... Get set... Glas-GO!-w

fall into unhealthy habits. Sports Coach and Active Schools volunteer Martin McGuigan explains, “For me it is imperative that parents are encouraging their kids to be engaged in sport from an early age. Compared to ten years ago, children are no longer out playing in the street, this generation’s schools kids and teenagers are more likely to be sitting indoors, on social network-ing and games consoles, which is

desperately worrying.”It’s clear to see that one of the big aims of the Commonwealth Games is to get children back into sport, projects like Active SchoolsJim Logue, the chairman of North Lanarkshire Leisure commented on the impact the Commonwealth Games already has already had: “We at North Lanarkshire Leisure are already feeling the benefits of the Commonwealth Games, thanks to the Commonwealth Legacy Fund and North Lanarkshire Coun-cil a new £375,000 championship level BMX track will be construct-ed this year. We have high hopes for this project and hope that it can be used in the portfolio to try and get the 2018 youth Olympics to Glasgow.”

It is clear to see that the commit-ment to already placing infrastruc-ture into areas that desperately need new facilities is underway. The 2014 Legacy Active Places Fund has committed £10 million pounds to help build or upgrade projects where local people can get involved with a wide variety of sports. It is vi-tal for the government to go out and put sporting events on the doorsteps of Scottish people and this is what

they are doing. EventScotland has been pushing its The Games for Scotland programme for the past three years, it has given local people the opportunity to try different Commonwealth Game Sports, an opportunity that many would not have had. In 2011 and 2012, an impressive 40,000 people took part in the programme across Glasgow and the West, this just shows that if the facilities are available and up to scratch then the people will come.It’s positive to see that Education Scotland and the Commonwealth Legacy think-tank are supporting Scottish Disability Sport to help pro-mote a Physical Education Disability Inclusion Training Programme. The scheme will give over 1000 school teachers in Scotland the experi-ence and training to be able to fully include disabled young people in physical education.When Glasgow hosts the 2014 Com-monwealth Games, these games should be open to all and the Legacy should have a lasting effect on those who really want it. C’mon Glasgow, it’s your moment to shine, grab it with both hands!

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* Is illegal downloading a national problem?

Not sure if how you obtain your music is legal or not?The Buzz! explains the rights and wrongs of the issue.

With over seven million people in Britain visiting illegal downloading sites each month, music piracy still remains to be at a seemingly unstop-pable rate. Is it right? Is it wrong? Have you ever done it?It would seem that the regular punter in the street would have no qualms about admitting that at one time or another they have illegally downloaded the new must have album or single. But would they be as open about shop lifting or snatch-ing a purse?The internet has been the death of physical music sales. Why would someone travel all the way down the high street to then queue up to buy their favourite music when it can be easily acquired in less than five minutes from the comfort of their own bedrooms? Being able to buy your music digitally has been noth-ing short of a phenomenon. In 2012, 189,000,000 singles were sold in Britain, 99.6% of these were pur-chased digitally. Although accessing your music digit-ally has been a triumphant success, illegal downloading has turned into an even more popular way of access your favourite music. Many claim that illegal downloading is a victim-less crime, but since 2009, illegal

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downloading has cost the British music industry £200 million pounds a year. File sharing, another term for illegal downloading, is a massive problem that is only set to flour-ish. It seems that education may be a problem, if it is stressed to users that file sharing is still stealing then maybe attitudes could change. If, however, the mind set of file sharing being acceptable is passed on to a younger generation, a vicious circle will develop and this problem will become harder to tackle. Lynne McDowell the Senior Com-munications Manager for the British Photonic Industry (BPI), had this to say about illegal downloading: “I believe in the fundamental right of a creator- and all those who contribute to the creative process of making music- to receive a fair reward for the talent, time and ef-fort invested in their work. Whilst the BPI does not assume that every illegal download represents a lost sale, there is evidence to suggest that file sharing negatively impacts the industry. The revenue lost as a result accounts for profits that could have been reinvested into the crea-tive process and as a result, record labels have fewer funds to invest in emerging talent.”Can file sharing be justified? During

the current economic climate if the oppor-tunity not to pay for something is available and there is no real threat or punishment

then obviously people are going to pluck for it. Some may simply see it as just another way of tightening their financial belt.Kerren McKean from Green Flame Music Con-sultancy who has worked with suc-cessful bands like Snow Pa-trol, said: “I wish people wouldn’t do it, I think its insulting to artist’s talents. I fully ex-pect and want to pay prop-erly for music, but I want to make sure the money goes to the artist rather than the labels. I

think of illegal downloading as stealing and don’t see why people think it is ok to do. Having said that, I think there is a mas-sive lack of education in il-legal download-ing. So many digital natives have only ever known music to be distributed

It’s not like illegal downloading is the only choice...

through downloads, but they don’t realise it is stealing when they down-load illegally. They just think it’s the norm.”Those opposed to illegal download-ing have suggested that search engines should start blocking file sharing sites, but is internet censor-ship really the way forward in the 21 century? Sky Broadband has already blocked users from accessing Pirate Bay, one of the most infamous file sharing sites, but even the least technologically astute person can easily enter ‘unblocked pirate bay’ into Google to get past this block.

It’s not like illegal downloading is the only choice, streaming of music through programs like Spotify offer users the chance to try music for free. Spotify’s own research shows that per person and usage of their service, Edinburgh is the highest city in the United Kingdom, whilst Glasgow doesn’t even place in the top ten. Is this just a coincidence or are we Glaswegians just not willing to pay for our favourite music? Unless the government start to treat music piracy as a serious crime and start stamping down on offenders, the music industry will unfortunately be fighting a losing battle against the monster that is illegal download-ing.

“I wish people wouldn’t do it, I think its insulting to artist’s talents.”

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