March 2011Issue 8FREE

Jessie J performing at the HMV ‘Next Big Thing’ concert series. Album review inside.

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Contents

Hello one and all,

The good news is that Spring is well on it’s way, the bad news is that it’s still bitterly cold outside and although outside may look appealing it’s probably not. All the more reason to bundle up inside and catch up on some

new releases and old favourites.

Luckily for you we’ve got a great selection of all of these things and a terrific spring sale where you can get your hands on a huge selection of CDs and DVDs for as little as £2.99.

We’ve got excellent features on the cost of illegal downloading and the best way to avoid eye strain, along with reviews and guides of recent and classic films and CDs.

- Chris Pounce

Editor

5. Employee of the month

8. St. Patrick’s Day

12. The cost of piracy

14. How to avoid eyestrain

16. CD: Jessie J ‘Who You Are’

20. Film: Love & Other Drugs

22. Variety: Girls night in

Features Reviews

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Whether you are looking to earn

some extra cash in your spare time, or yearning for a fulfilling career, HMV has a place for every sort of employee.

Thirty-year-old Robbie Day works full time in the popular Cheltenham branch of HMV. Situated on the main high street, this store is always busy, meaning Robbie is constantly on the go, be it with stock or customers. But he doesn’t mind it.

“My favourite thing about working in HMV is that I get to work with a product I genuinely love and have the fantastic opportunity of meeting like-minded people every day.”

Although he loves his job, having worked

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Employee of the month

Features

there full time for five and half years now, Robbie is more than happy to talk about the one thing he really hates about his job. “The worst thing about working there is the constant store move rounds to follow trends. It is time consuming and generally not beneficial at all. If the system works as it is, why change it all the time?”

However, not even this laborious task puts him off completely. “It is always amusing a few days later,” he laughs. “Especially watching the people who are new to working at the store. They get really confused as to where everything is and go to put something like the new JLS album in the classical section!

Having said that, it catches me out sometimes too, and then I look like a right idiot. It’s ok though because the staff are a great bunch of people, and we just laugh about it.”

When he is not at work, music is still very much an enormous part of Robbie’s life. Every few months, he takes a couple of weeks off to go on tour with his favourite band and close personal friends, hardcore metal band Bleeding Through.

“They are such genuinely awesome people. So friendly and open and they actually care about their fans,” he enthuses. “Going on the road with them is a huge honour. If I could have any job in the world, it

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Employee of the month

ROBBIE’S PERFECT WEEKEND...Hang out with Bleeding Through and

my extended tour family during the day, followed by a sweat box venue show at

night. Then more hanging out at night before going back to a hostel for a short night’s

sleep. Early start for an unhealthy breakfast, as we rush to grab a train to the next city and

start all over again!

would be working on merchandise for them. That would be rad. And not just them; any of my top favourite bands really. But for Bleeding Through would be my total dream job.”

It is transparently obvious that Robbie idolises his friends Bleeding Through, but who does he cite as the most influential person in his life?

“Ian MacKaye,” he says without a moment’s hesitation. “He was the frontman of the hardcore punk band, Minor Threat, and that dude started the whole ‘straight edge’ movement, sort of by accident. But I am totally straight edge, so what he has done with his life means so much to the way I live mine. Without him, straight edge would not exist in the way it does today.”

To look at, Robbie is perhaps not how you would expect a straight edge man to look. Covered head to toe in hundreds

of tattoos, piercings and even scarification (intentionally given scars), one might understandably mistake him for someone who embraces the ‘sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll’ lifestyle; you could not be further from the truth.

“I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs and I am a vegan,” he states proudly. “I know you wouldn’t think it to look at me, but I’m totally serious. Going straight edge was one of the best decisions I have ever made, because I just feel so much better in myself as a person.”

It is quite clear that this amicable young man loves his job and the doors it opens for him. As I leave the interview, an

elderly woman starts nervously eyeing up his numerous body modifications, before asking in almost a whisper: “Excuse me sweetheart, I wondered if you could help me find a CD?” As he leads her helpfully across the store, you can’t help but smile. The heavy metal loving, tattoo covered thirty-year-old, assisting an old lady is always an endearing image which beautifully sums up the diversity and friendliness of the HMV brand.

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Saint Patrick is the patron saint

of Ireland. In the 17th century the Irish celebrated this religious holiday with a feast. Saint Patrick was originally associated with the colour blue but green became his colour after he used a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish.

Green and the image of the shamrock can be seen around the world on St Patrick’s day; from painted faces to the Chicago river being dyed green each year.

How the world celebrates

Each year the world goes green for St Paddy’s day and

the millions of Irish immigrants and natives who just like a good party celebrate in style.

IrelandTraditionally St Patrick’s Day involved going to a morning mass followed by a couple of pints in the closest pub but recently, Ireland has been having mass celebrations. Dublin even hosts a four day festival that ends in a huge and impressive firework display.

USAAmerica is home to many Irish immigrants who celebrate with parades in Atlanta, Texas, San Francisco and many more. The New Orleans parade

features giant green floats and costumed characters who throw out Irish treats to the crowd.

ItalyIn Florence, the Irish Italians hold one of the longest St Patrick’s Day celebrations with 10 days of Irish music, food and drink.

Japan

Even the Japanese like to show some Irish pride with a marching parade, with both Irish and Japanese flags waving. This has been known to draw as many as 2,000 participants.

AustraliaOz doesn’t like to be tied down to just one

On the 17th of March everything will go green in celebration of the Irish national holiday of St Patrick’s Day.

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Celebrate St Patrick’s Day

Features

from the comfort of your own sofa

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Celebrate St Patrick’s Day

from the comfort of your own sofa

day; they celebrate St Paddy’s day for the whole month of March.

BrazilThe small number of Irish in Brazil come together at the Bridge Restaurant. The 150 Irish men and women Legends

of Irish Folk £15.99

A combination of the great Irish folk stars including Paddy Reilly, Patsy Watchorn and Ronnie Drew.

U2 - No Line on the

Horizon £9.99

Channel St Paddy’s day with Ireland’s biggest export; U2.

Snow Patrol - Up to Now - £4.99

They don’t have the most Irish sound but all five band members were actually born and raised in Ireland.

Films

Music

ModernFamily Friendly

Ireland: 6 DVD: Boxset £8.99

A six part boxset which tells you everything you will ever need to know about Irish history.

Riverdance: Best of £4.99

A documentary about the Dublin-based phenomenon of Riverdance.

Irish Jam £4.99

Two very different worlds collide in this 2009 movie when a LA rapper inherits a pub in Ireland.

Finian’s Rainbow £4.99

This adaption of a Broadway musical has leprechauns and gold, making it a perfect one for the kids.

gorge themselves on traditional Irish dishes and whisky.

MalaysiaMalaysians have been celebrating St Patrick’s Day with a black tie ball since 1925.

If you can’t get to one of these parties, let us show you how to celebrate St Paddy’s day from your own living room.

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Being a contributor to piracy has never

been easier. Free file sharing online has opened doors for the criminal activities which are hurting the film and music industry. As the latest statistics from IFPI (International Federation of the

Phonographic Industry) show, the music industry sustains no small loss to piracy. According to the ISPI, since 2004, worldwide music revenues have decreased by 31 percent. Also, the European Union’s creative industries can lose up to €240 billion by 2015 as the result of the internet piracy, TERA Consultants warn in their report from March 2010.However, it is not just the distributors, who suffer but also the consumers. The Internet users who access an illegal

copy of the latest film release (which is often a low quality video recorded secretly on a shaky camera, with the coughing audience in the background) miss an unforgettable film experience and risk the danger of downloading a virus from a dubious website.Similarly, music piracy has a direct impact on music fans as well. Downloading music illegally threatens a considerable amount of jobs in the music industry which can influence the eventual quality of the music. Since the main goal of HMV is to provideu

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Stop Internetpiracy

As Internet piracy remains a serious problem, users are constantly just one click away from committing crime. Illegal downloading significantly affects the whole market. But is it only the industry that loses to this negative trend?

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uour customers with the best possible film and music experience, we are happy to announce that the government is taking the measures to prevent the Internet piracy.In the latest press release, Frances Moore, chief executive of the IFPI, which represents the worldwide recording industry, says: “Many governments are now recognising the need for proportionate and

effective steps to curb piracy. In the last year, France and South Korea implemented systems of warnings and deterrent sanctions that will for the first time engage ISPs in reducing peer-to-peer infringement on their networks. “Similar moves are underway in the UK, New Zealand and Malaysia. The European Union is reviewing its enforcement legislation. The momentum for a solution is building, and that is grounds for optimism. “As we enter 2011, digital piracy, and the lack of adequate legal tools to fight it, remains the biggest threat to the future of creative industries. Great new legitimate music offerings exist all over the world, offering consumers a wide range of ways to access music. Yet they operate in a market that is rigged by piracy, and they will not survive if action is not

What artists say“It can take months of writing and studio time to make a great album that people want to listen to. Writing music is a love but is also a job and I’d love to see those who are stealing music perform their trade, knowing the client doesn’t even value it enough to pay for it.”Elly Jackson - La Roux (IFPI Digital music report 2011)

taken to address this fundamental problem. This is the challenge and the opportunity for governments to seize in 2011.” Also, over the next few years, the number of legal download sources is reportedly going to increase and to become 50% of the total music market in the United Kingdom. Do not contribute to the online crime and support the music and film industry. With HMV you can download music legally and get latest releases from only 79p. For more information check www.hmvdigital.com Also, do not miss our incredible HMV sale which offers DVDs and CDs from £2.99. n

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You’ve got the box set. You’ve torn off the wrapper. And now you look like an overexcited toddler, in need of a shot of Ritalin. But how should you go about watching it, without physically forcing your eyelids open with paper clips? HMV reveals five top tips for avoiding eye strain.

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Square-eyed: Take five minute breaks between box set episodes, to keep eyestrain to a minimum.

Top five tips for beating eye strain

Features

1) Take Vitamin A: Vitamin A is the best vitamin for keeping eyesight in fine form. It’s found in high quantities in carrots and sweet potatoes, but if you’re not a fan of veggies then you can cheat by stocking up on vitamin A vitamin supplements instead. Try and make your box set snack choices rich in vitamin A; perhaps you could cut up some carrots into batons,

and team them with a selection of tasty dips? Another vitamin A rich snack is sweet potato wedges. Just sprinkle a bit of chilli powder on top of the wedges, and count down the minutes to box set bliss!

2) Have regular breaks between episodes: As technology dictates our everyday lives, the tendency to be bombarded

with information has become an uncomfortable reality. To avoid this, take a five-minute break between episodes (even if its just to top up on essential popcorn rations!) This will give your eyes a time to refocus when you return, so that you’ll find it easier to concentrate. If you’re a sports lover, then you could even factor in a few sit-ups between each programme (although one-armed press ups are probably best left to the pros!) 3) Invest in cucumber slices: Contrary to popular belief, the humble cucumber is not just a salad and sandwich staple. Eye care experts have been using cucumber

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Benefits of the box set:-You can watch episodes at your own discretion.-You can pause your fave BBC shows to stock up on snacks.-You can watch your favourite TV shows over & over again.-You discover entra features, such as deleted scenes.-You can also invite a group of friends over for a box set marathon. Result!

slices to treat eyestrain for years: just simply cut two slices off a cucumber, place over your swollen eyelids and the puffiness will disappear within seconds. Alternatively, two cold teabags also do the trick nicely, although the smell of the British beverage lingers long after, so you’d best stick with fruit flavoured teabags!

4) Have a sleep marathon the night before: Just because you’re not representing Great Britain in the forthcoming Olympics doesn’t mean you’ve got an excuse for slacking! All good competitors know that the secret to any success is a steady sleep pattern, as getting by on less than eight hours sleep will leave you looking more limp and lethargic than a week old lettuce. To offset your box set watching, tag on a few extra hours to your previous day’s rest; your body will thank

you in the long run and you’ll feel refreshed and ready for anything. 5) Find somewhere comfortable: ‘Pins and needles’ is caused by sitting in one position for too long, as the blood doesn’t have a chance to circulate properly. One of the best places to be to avoid this is your bed: that way, when you start to feel tired, you don’t have to try and navigate your way to your bedroom from the lounge. Result!

Zoned out: Have a sleep marathon the night before to prepare you for your box set marathon.

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Radiating charisma and confidence, and rocking her signature sleek black bob, Jessie J burst onto the scene with her smash hit debut single

‘Do it Like a Dude’ in November last year. Since then, she’s bagged herself the ‘Critics Choice’ award, topped the BBC’s Sound of 2011 list and has her first number one already under her belt. It seems Jessie J has already made her stamp on the music industry, but will her debut

album ‘Who You Are’ do the same?

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Who is...Jessie J?Reviews

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Essex born Jessie, otherwise known as

Jessica Ellen Cornish, kicks off her album with ‘Price Tag’, her most recently released chart topping single. The soulful track has a subtle trace of reggae and its catchy melody combined with playful lyrics undoubtedly contributed to its success. The message of the song is a bit cheesy and cliché; but Jessie pulls it off with the help of up and coming US rapper B.O.B. The result? Pop perfection. Next is ‘Nobody’s Perfect’, due to be Jessie’s next single release; a mellower tune carried by her refreshingly authentic sounding vocals, as opposed to the increasingly common use of auto tune that’s currently plaguing the music scene. The same goes for ‘Abracadabra’, even though the lyrics are slightly blah; “I gotta have ya like Abracadabra”?

The track has a decent beat but it does seem like a bit of an album filler; possibly one of the weakest of the thirteen songs that made the cut. Number four is a live version of the acoustic ballad ‘Big White Room’ which Jessie wrote at just sixteen, recorded at London club venue, Scala.

It’s a powerful song which really showcases her effortless talent, however the over-the-top vocal acrobatics somewhat diminish the impact of the songs, emotionally speaking. Not to mention the fact that it’s pretty irritating. Jessie does make the same rookie mistake in the majority of her slow songs in the album, including ‘Casualty of Love’, ‘LOVE’ and ‘I Need This’. The emotional

ballads are carried but also contradicted by Jessie’s exceptional vocal ability; the excessive gymnastics devalue the personal messages embeddedin the lyrics of the songs and frankly, at times, resemble something that should only been heard in an episode of Looney Tunes. ‘Who’s Laughing Now’ is a bit of an anomaly within the album; the vibe is totally different to the other tracks. It’s a song clearly aimed at anyone who didn’t believe Jessie would make the big time aka more, cheesy and cliché ridden lyrics. You can’t help be reminded of Lady Sovereign not to mention the bizarre but definate hint of Blazin Squad in the intro. However, it’s fun, it’s upbeat and it’s not the worst of the bunch. Number nine is ‘Mamma Knows Best’ which adds a new dimension to the album. It’s more Big

“The majority of tracks bubble with personality and show off Jessie’s unquestionable gift as a singer and songwriter.”

Band than big beats unlike the other tracks providing the perfect backdrop for Jessie’s belting lyrics. Overall, it’s a solid tune despite its unfortunate resemblance to Christina Aguilera’s ‘Aint No Other Man’. ‘Do it Like a Dude’ is next, the song that Jessie originally wrote for Rihanna, but eventually kept for herself; a wise suggestion by her label Island. She stomped straight to number two with her feisty first single, a track revolving around a new age edgier and angrier idea of ‘girl power’ that has certainly evolved since the days of the Spice Girls. Oozing with attitude and a beat worthy of the dance floor, it was always set to be a winner. There are a couple more acoustic gems thrown into mix. ‘Stand Up’ contributes to the fusion of genres offered by the album, with a hint of reggae mingled with the

instrumental sound of the track. The title song ‘Who You Are’ is mostly just a guitar, Jessie and her powerful lungs resulting in a pretty impressive power ballad. Again, the song’s message is peppered with cliché but to be fair, there is no faulting the girl’s talent. On the whole, ‘Who You are’ is not a bad debut from the extremely talented Essex lass. The majority of tracks, like ‘Rainbow’ and her hit releases, bubble with personality and show off Jessie’s unquestionable gift as a singer and songwriter. Originality is possibly the downfall of the album; there’s one too many comparisons easily made with other artists, not to mention a tendency to over do the vocal acrobatics. However, it’s a respectable debut album and one that’s definitely worth a listen.

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HMV Also Recommends...

ADELE: 21

MUMFORD AND SONS: Sigh No More

ELBOW: Build A Rocket Boys!

R.E.M: Collapse Into Now

RIHANNA: Loud

Bruno Mars:Doo Wops & Hooligans

NOAH AND THE WHALE:Last Night On Earth

CEE LO Green:The Lady Killer

CHASE & STATUS:No More Idols

TAKE THAT:Kidz

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When first introduced, we

were all expecting another recycled, stereotypical storyline along the same lines of When Harry Met Sally or Love Actually.

This pleasantly surprising alternative is down to director Edward Zwick, who is better known for producing heroic, action movies such as The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise and Defiance with Bond star Daniel Craig.

Love & Other Drugs is believed to be loosely based on an autobiography written by Jamie Reidy,

entitled Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman.

Screenwriters Marshall Herskovitz and Charles Randolph tied together an unconventional love story with the revelations in Reidy’s book, highlighting

the manipulation involved being a drug’s salesman.

Jamie Randall, played by Prince of Persia actor Jake Gyllenhaal, is a womanising electronics salesman who catches a break as a drug rep for Pfizer, since being fired from his previous job due to his wandering eye for the ladies. Jamie quickly realises that his skills in female seduction and handsome charm have the ability to work to his advantage in his new job.

He develops a very personal sales technique, gaining the trust of the medical

Love & Other Drugs is an absolute breath of fresh air in comparison to so many cheesy, cringe-worthy rom-coms we have come to expect from the film industry of recent years.

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An unconventional love story

Reviews

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just a sexual partner; however Maggie is insistent on not wanting love or a relationship.

Breaking the boundaries of classic romantic comedy tradition, there is underlying reasoning for Maggie’s distance and unwillingness to commit. Her resistance of love becomes clear after an unexpected twist exposes the struggle shielded behind her brash and care-free persona.

A fantastically beautiful story of success, love, hope

and joy, mixed in among contrasting qualities of pain, guilt and uncontrollable inevitability. This is a film that covers all aspects of life, injecting some reality into the happily ever after rom-coms that have come before.

employees, allowing him to excel in his new role, outshining his rivals. Jamie figures out exactly how to get what he wants to ultimately get himself promoted into a significantly bigger market.

A womaniser in every sense of the word, Jamie rarely has any trouble getting women into bed but develops a deeper connection when meeting pretty patient Maggie Murdock, The Devil Wears Prada star, Anne Hathaway. Her outspoken and blunt character is the female equivalent to Jamie, who is interested in no strings sex, without any hint of a relationship.

Maggie’s blasé attitude catches him off guard, as he is no longer the one in control, calling the shots. He develops stronger feelings for her which leave him wanting more than

New DVD Releases this week:

- The Kings Speech- Let Me In- Burlesque- Life As We Know It- Meet the Parents: Little Fockers- Tourist

Can no-strings sex lead to love?

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Let this three disc classic collection take you back to your glory days. Yes, yet again Ministry Of Sound have delivered with: Anthems Electronic 80s. They have handpicked all the commercial classics from the likes of: The Thompson Twins, Scritti Politti, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Thomas Dolby, Simple Minds, Propaganda, Erasure, China Crisis

So this week is especially for the ladies, HMV are reminding you of the unforgettable classics, we give you a review of a timeless; box-

set, album, and movie. We’ve done all the hard work for you so all you have to do is get yourself to the nearest store before there aren’t any left on the shelves.

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GOLDEN OLDIES...

Reviews

CDMinistry of Sound

Anthems: Electronic 80s: Volume 1

3cdWas: £18.99 Now: £9.99

For the girls

and many more. The amazing anthology, fronted by the famous logo in neon captured the music minds of the nation.

Famous producers of the 90s to the present day have crafted this musical masterpiece, making it a collector special. There is truly something for every ear. This was so successful volume 2 has recently been released.HHHH

Customer review

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GOLDEN OLDIES... For the girls

Customer review HHHHH

BOXSETSex and the City

Was: £99.99Now: £38.99

This complete boxset will take you to the heart of the ‘big apple.’ Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) a New York columnist shares all her intimate secrets from the last six series. Obviously Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte are also along for the ride.

Friends, fashion, love, lust, restaurants, retail, sex, and shoes are all juggled in the hectic but wonderful lives of these ‘New Yorkers’.

Customer review HHHHH

Baby Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) star in a timeless classic. When a 17-year-old girl, on her annual vacation with her family, has to fill the place of Johnny’s new dance

partner, as his previous one feel pregnant love blossoms between the two. Will their sexy samba win the blessing of Baby’s father?

DVDDirty Dancing

£9.99