Monday 4th May 2026
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Review: The 1975’s latest album falls short

William Atkinson
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Review: The 1975’s latest album falls short

I first listened to The 1975 to impress a girl. We did theatre classes together and I fancied her rotten. I ended up getting her a signed photo of her favourite band for Christmas, hoping to be charming. She liked it, but didn’t take the hint. Shame really. I haven’t seen her in years, but the photo would be worth a bit if I’d kept it. Not bad for a Sharpie and some laminated paper.

So, The 1975. Led by teenage heartthrob Matty Healy, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships sees the band riff on an eclectic mix of the 21st century’s ills. Their style is a bit like if the Pet Shop Boys wedged their synthesiser on “funk” whilst earnestly throwing some guitars against a wall. The lyrics are a tad grandiose. The last album – with the logically obvious yet grammatically difficult title I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It – had classics like “you look famous, let’s be friends / And portray we possess something important”. Shelley must be weeping.

But I’m an old cynic, and far from the target audience.  A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships has some genuinely good songs. ‘TooTimeTooTimeTooTime’ is catchy. ‘Love It If We Made It’ has a great chorus. ‘It’s Not Living (If it’s not with you)’ has enough rhythm, at least, for a jogging playlist.

But by the time you’re reaching the vainglory of ‘The Man Who Married a Robot’, something’s going wrong. Art is staring to imitate life. It’s about a man whose lonely life revolves around the internet, narrated by a cod-Google Translate electronic voice. For an album about online relationships, something about a relationship with the online doesn’t seem that unusual. But, in writing it, The 1975 have been wilfully blind to just how much it sums them up.

1975 was great for music. Two number ones are certified classics – Space Oddity and Bohemian Rhapsody. They are iconic because they’re unique. Not only are they well written, memorable and catchy – even operatic – but they boldly go where music hasn’t gone before. This isn’t true of The 1975. Not the opera bit, though they do lack there. No, this album’s real problem is its jarring predictability.

I blame the internet. Like many, I listened to this album on Spotify. For reasonable fees we get all the music we’d want just a few clicks away. My Dad, his school lunchtimes lost trawling the record shops of 80s Aylesbury, finds this magical.  For me, self-conscious young fogey I am, it’s quite sad. Music is being ruined.

No longer does it need to be genuinely different to win success, like Bowie and Queen. Instead it’s the same pseudo-edgy Sixth Form poetry being churned out again and again to an audience getting exactly what they want. If we want, our Song Radio can find us a hundred other songs from a hundred similar bands all trying equally to be daring and new. The revolutionary in commonplace. How is that anything but dull?

The 1975 typify this. Some robotic pretentious waffle. Some cynical love songs. Some good hooks, a few nice bridges. Rinse and repeat for an album for an identikit album, with a dozen else out there the same.

This album, then, is like my gift to that girl – grandiose and well-intended, but woefully missing its mark. In trying to make an interesting point about how the internet corrupts us, it falls victim to the same malaise. A shame, as “Love It If We Made it” really is quite good. Who knows, maybe better things are on the horizon.

City Council Blasts Oxford Union over Le Pen Invite

Ben van der Merwe
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City Council Blasts Oxford Union over Le Pen Invite

The City Council have joined the growing chorus of opposition against the Oxford Union’s latest far-right speaker invitation.

In an official letter to Union President Dan Wilkinson, the Council’s executive board member for public safety expressed concerns about “the Oxford Union’s pattern of endangering community safety by inviting fascists into the city.

“Steve Bannon, Tommy Robinson, Marine Le Pen, Alice Weidel. Now Marion Marechal Le Pen. The Union has recently put an unhealthy fascination with courting controversy ahead of doing the right thing by Oxford, the city that’s called it home since 1823.”

Councillor Tom Hayes argued that the Union was legitimising the far-right, writing: “While you may live in Oxford for a short time, the costs of your courting of controversy will last a long time. It should be of concern that this line-up of fascists you are inviting into Oxford get to exploit the prestige of the Union to legitimise prejudice.

“We know that hate hurts. Up the road from the Union, there will be an exhibition on the Lessons of the Holocaust at the same time as you are enabling fascists to spread a sickening series of racist views. That exhibition clearly shows just how much hate hurts and how much the legitimisation of hate can hurt on the biggest possible scale. I invite you to visit the Town Hall to discuss your invitation and visit the exhibition.”

The letter also raised concerns about the cost of security for the event: “Our cash-strapped, cut-back Thames Valley Police should not be forced to police this event when they could be stopping and catching criminals, just as they should never be made to pay for the costs of policing the Union’s attention-grabbing behaviour. What security support will the Union be giving to your event?

“We have seen stand-offs between police and far-right activists in the capital, and I do not want to see similar stand-offs in Oxford city centre. I have concerns for the safety of the police, as well as our citizens, and urge you to do the right thing and revoke an invitation which ought never to have been made.”

Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds has also fiercely criticised the Union’s decision, calling on the Union’s leadership to “grow up” and cancel the invitation.

The MP said: “Inviting Marion Maréchal-Le Pen to the Oxford Union legitimises one of the ‘new generation’ of fascists. She is known to be on the far-right even of the far-right National Rally.

“The Oxford Union’s pathetic courting of publicity by inviting racist after racist is deeply frustrating for local people. Our city is proud of its diversity and yet the Oxford Union seems determined to threaten this.”

The statement comes as a planned protest gathers pace, with one event on Facebook listing 175 people as going and 529 as interested. The event is being hosted by a number of local and national activist groups, including Oxford University Labour Club and the Oxford SU LGBTQ+ and racial equality campaigns.

Mr. Wilkinson are yet to respond to request for comment

Pantomime villain turned mental health hero – Morecambe’s Kevin Ellison

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Pantomime villain turned mental health hero – Morecambe’s Kevin Ellison

‘Harry Potter, he’s coming for you’ roar the Exeter fans as Morecambe’s veteran forward Kevin Ellison receives the ball on his customary left wing. But although they are both folically challenged, it is wrong to compare Kevin to the villainous Dark Lord. It is wrong because Kev is far more wicked. Aggressive, loud and arrogant, to referees Ellison is he who cannot be tamed. Scoring consistently at 39, it is as if Ellison is reaping the rewards of the very elixir of life that Voldermort famously failed to obtain. The Philospher’s Stone in one pocket and his opposition right back in the other, if there ever was a master of the dark arts of football it is Kev. After scoring his 84th and most recent Morecambe goal, he ran half the length of the pitch in order to celebrate directly in front of the opposition manager. The life of the changing room, a fan favourite and a pantomime villain, Ellison would be the last person you would suspect to suffer from mental illness. But he did.

On 21st July 2018, Ellison opened up on Twitter about his eight year battle with depression. I got the chance to speak with Kev about this tweet and how the football world took on his message. For a man with such a big persona and such a personal story he was incredibly open to being interviewed.

I start by asking Kevin why he spoke out. He reveals how a fellow League 2 pro encouraged him to do so – Mark Connolly of Crawley Town. Connolly had recently come forward with his own struggles with mental illness and, perhaps unsurprisingly, did not quite believe Ellison when he came to him seeking help: ‘He thought I was Kev Ellison the big, bald, ugly Scouse lad who runs around and kicks people – someone who has not got a problem in life’, he says.

Being in the cutthroat industry that is lower league football clearly did not make things any easier for Kevin. He speaks surprisingly starkly on his industry, stating: ‘it’s a hard environment, it’s a horrible environment, it’s a nasty environment’. Kev goes deeper, revealing the worries he had before speaking out: ‘in the dressing room if you’re weak and want to speak out you’d get preyed on a lot more and if you wanted to say to the lads  “I’m struggling a bit” they’d make fun of you.’ And it’s not just teammates he was concerned about. He worried that ‘the gaffer would have second thoughts on putting you in the team because he would think ‘‘are you mentally strong enough to play ?’’’. In a constant battle to earn his next contract, it is easy to see how it took Ellison so long to seek any help.

But since speaking, Ellison is still a regular on the pitch, and is as liked as ever by fans and teammates. And he did not just stop at this one Twitter post, rather since going public he has continued to help other football fans, even welcoming some into his home, giving them somewhere to speak about their issues face to face. Emotionally, Ellison reveals: ‘I know for a fact I’ve had an effect on four or five people. One of them texted me saying that he wouldn’t be sat with his family if it wasn’t for me’. However, humble as ever, he adds: ‘I told him no, he’s the strong one for going to get help’.

For Kevin the only downside to how things have transpired is how opposition fans are now treating him. But it is not that they are mocking him for his experiences with depression, or see him as weak-minded and easy to aggravate. In fact it is the opposite. ‘They’ve gone a bit too nice and too soft on me’ he complains, ‘it’s just banter, and I’ll give a bit back. It’s alright as long as they don’t report me to the FA’.

Ellison, who is 40 next month, has 84 goals for Morecambe and shows no signs of stopping. This is due, in part, to his changing approach to his body and importantly, his mind. He explains his newfound pastimes : ‘if you’d have told me two years ago that I’m gonna do yoga and I’m gonna start meditation I’d have laughed at you and said you were crazy’, but now these are essential to his weekly routine.

I ask him if he thinks he can reach 100 goals in a Morecambe shirt. ‘I’d love to’ he says. And if I have learned one thing from Kevin Ellison, it is never to bet against him. Well that, and that it is okay not to be okay.

 

 

Wealthy students escape the turmoil of spiralling student debt

Simon Hunt
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Wealthy students escape the turmoil of spiralling student debt

A report by UK think-tank The Intergenerational Foundation has found that the current student loans system in England disproportionately impacts students from low-income backgrounds.

The report, which uses data on the backgrounds of UK students obtained from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), suggests that “the current system is unfair on many of England’s young graduates, in effect demanding them to take on large-scale student debt which can compromise their mental well-being, dent their aspirations of home ownership, restrict their ability to save towards a pension pot, and dampen their enthusiasm for starting up their own business.”

The report finds that students who use student finance to fund their undergraduate courses will pay up to £6,000 more in interest payments than students who pay for their undergraduate courses up front, leading to widening disparities between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds after they graduate.

The report also finds that there is a disproportionate number of self-funded undergraduates among elite Russell Group universities, including Oxford, compared with the national average. The tuition fees of 15.8% of undergraduates at Oxford are self-funded, which is more than double the the national average of 7.5%. In addition, while on average, less than 40% of undergraduate students at UK universities belong to the highest socioeconomic classification, HESA data reveal that over 50% of students at Oxford and Cambridge are from the highest socioeconomic classification.

“The current student loan system, while being clearly inter-generationally unfair, is also exacerbating intra-generational unfairness,” said report author Rakib Ehsan.

“Wealthier families have realised that they can give their children a get-out-of-jail-free-card by helping them to escape skyhigh interest rates and a 30-year loan that could be sold off to the private sector in the future.”

While it makes no specific prescription on how the tuition fee system in England should be changed, the report considers several potential options, including making loans obligatory, adjusting the current loan interest rate, and scrapping the student loan system in its entirety.

President of the National Union of Students Shakira Martin commented: “This report is more evidence that the current system is not fit for purpose.

“While wealthy students can avoid accruing debt and the high interest which comes with student loans, too many students from low income families grapple with a cost of living crisis and unaffordable housing.”

A spokesperson from the University of Oxford commented: “We are committed to attracting students from all backgrounds to Oxford and we offer one of the most generous financial support packages for students from low-income households.”

John Frusciante: Water under the bridge

Fraser Maclean
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John Frusciante: Water under the bridge

One of Johnny Depp’s lesser known works is a 12 minute documentary entitled Stuff, filmed around 1993, which depicts the squalor inside a friend’s house in the Hollywood Hills. The grainy footage is set to warped, disturbing music the homeowner had made himself. That friend and homeowner was John Frusciante – who, in the year before, had quit the Red Hot Chili Peppers and fallen into life-threatening depression and heroin addiction. Frusciante was the band’s second long-term guitarist, after his predecessor and idol, Hillel Slovak, died from a drug overdose in 1988.

Frusciante was the youngest member of the group, but his obvious gift for songwriting became the greatest asset the band enjoyed. The next couple of years saw Frusciante turn 20, and in 1991 the Peppers released Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the breakthrough record that featured ‘Under the Bridge’ and ‘Give It Away’ – and which has since been described as “the cornerstone of funk rock”. The extreme success and attention they received after BSSM was dealt with by Frusciante in extreme ways and the young virtuoso began to self-medicate and experiment with cocaine, heroin and live dangerously quickly. During the post-album tour, he quit the band and flew back from Japan, unable to deal with fame and attention. The Chilis hired in a replacement guitarist to finish the tour and, upon returning, brought in Dave Navarro replace John.

By 1994, he was on the verge of death – having to rely on injecting heroin into his neck because of the tissue damage down both arms and on his torso. His house burned down, which destroyed his guitars and his recorded material – and although he released two solo albums after RHCP, he admitted after they were for drug money. Flea recalls how he “was absolutely sure John was going to die”. The death of close friend River Phoenix seemed to have little effect but in 1996 he eventually entered rehab. A complete change of lifestyle aided his recovery, after being made more vulnerable by operations to replace teeth and skin grafts down his arms. As the end of the decade approached, he was finally coming back to life. This came at a time where the rest of the band were at a crossroads. Navarro was no Frusciante and their only album with him disappointed fans and critics. When he left in 1998, the band knew they could only reach the same heights with Frusciante involved.

Asking him back was an incredible risk considering his demons, but it proved to be the best decision they ever made. The release of the Californication album the year later marked a return to greatness for the band, with John at the heart of their songwriting. That was followed up with By The Way and then Stadium Arcadium, both of which were also incredibly successful. This was the band at the height of their powers, and even now their sets are dominated by songs from that era. Frusciante left the band once again after the Arcadium tour, in order to focus on his own projects, and was replaced by current guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, a talented musician in his own right. Frusciante has released a wide variety of content in the ten years since he left, working on psychedelic rock, acoustic content, through to electronica.

For interested readers, the Empyrean album is a good place to start. Whilst reclusive, he remains musically active and is good friends with the Chili Peppers. The story of the band cannot be told without recognition of the importance of his guitar playing, his harmonies, his melodies, and his writing. It is rare for musicians who care that much about their creative output to get to the very top, especially in the industry today. Those few artists that can lift those around them to a new level must be listened to, and must be cherished.

Sledging Down Under: Australia’s latest war of words

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Sledging Down Under: Australia’s latest war of words

Five years ago, Michael Clarke stole the back pages when he warned James Anderson to “get ready for a f****** broken arm”, as Mitchell Johnson dismantled England’s batting line-up with raw pace and bounce. This line embodied the Aussie mentality of old, a cricketing culture fuelled by aggression and ruthlessness.

However, following the shocking ball-tampering scandal early last year, Australia’s cricketing etiquette came under heavy scrutiny. Justin Langer replaced Darren Lehman as head coach and Tim Paine, who had only recently earned a recall to Australia’s international side after a seven-year absence, found himself in charge of an ailing team.

The incoming duo made efforts to change the negative perception of Australian cricket, even introducing a team handshake with the opposition before the first match of every series. At the time it seemed like a superficial gesture to show the outside world that Australia were willing to make changes and redefine their persona.

Yet, as we found out in their recent Test series against India, their changes even extended to their on-field sledging. Instead of the rather inane profanities previously employed, Tim Paine was exceptionally witty behind the stumps and produced some cracking banter throughout the series. While there was a fierce contest on the pitch, the war of words surrounding it was conducted in the right spirit and certainly enhanced the drama.

Perhaps the most iconic line was when Paine told India’s opener Murali Vijay: “I know he’s your captain [Virat Kohli], but you can’t seriously like him as a bloke”, playing on Kohli’s dividing personality.

It was India’s 19-year-old wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant who bore the brunt of the chat and was given some useful advice by Aussie opener Marcus Harris: “If you get out you can go and disco tonight. Good circuit on a Monday night in Perth”.

There were moments of high tensions though, especially when Tim Paine and Virat Kohli came together physically on the field. Verbals were exchanged in which Kohli is rumoured to have said “I am the best player in the world and you are just a temporary captain”. Unsurprisingly the Board of Control for Cricket in India denied the accusations.

These verbals provided the backdrop to an enthralling Test series, which India clinched 2-1. This was the first time that India have won a Test series Down Under, with Virat Kohli’s side firmly ranked as the number one side in the world. Kohli claimed that this series victory was the proudest moment of his cricketing career, which includes winning the 2011 World Cup.

Ed David named OURFC Blues captain for 2019

Cal Flintoff
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Ed David named OURFC Blues captain for 2019

The OURFC Men’s Blues have announced the election of Ed David as captain for the forthcoming 2019 Varsity campaign.

The St Hilda’s student replaces Dom Waldouck with immediate effect and will take the reins for a set of Hilary term fixtures that includes an away clash with Bristol University next Wednesday, as well as home matches under the lights at Jackdaw Lane against the Navy, Welsh Crawshays, and the annual visit of the touring side HSBC Penguins.

A statement on the Blues’ website refers to David’s first year with the club, in which a string of eye-catching performances in the Whippets, underlined by an “85 metre solo try”, and Under-21 Varsity matches earmarked his early potential as a match-winner at Twickenham. A debut in the starting XV soon followed against the Army in Hilary Term 2015.

A 5th year medical student, David is now already a 3-time Blue and made his debut in the Twickenham showpiece from the bench in the 12-6 victory over Cambridge in 2015, at the time a record-breaking 6th consecutive dark blue Varsity success.

Since then, things have not always gone the way the winger may have hoped when he initially burst onto the scene. Playing at 14 in the 23-18 reversal in 2016 and the 20-10 loss last campaign, David has tasted defeat in both Varsity starts to date and has therefore experienced both sides of the emotional outpouring upon the final whistle. A sour note at the time, it is these disappointing days that ultimately fuel the desire to come back better, and that stand him in good stead to convey the true meaning of a victory on the day.

Oxford regained their Varsity crown this year with a slick attacking performance, putting Cambridge to the sword 38-16 in a match defined by powerful carries and puncturing offloads as the light blues were stretched in the second half. Wingers Tom Stileman and Danny Barley, on debut, both went over in the corner, but David was forced to sit out the occasion after dislocating his shoulder in the high-quality warm-up contest against the Canadian International side a month earlier.

Once he realised the injury couldn’t be overcome, one teammate tells Cherwell, he selflessly placed the team ahead of his own agendas, a facet of his off-field personality that was key in the decision to vote for him.

The handing over of the captaincy took place in the Pavilion off Iffley Road on Monday night, a congregation of the 24 matchday Blues from December, in which each of the candidates, David and two opposing others, were required to provide a speech detailing their vision for the club, as well as their qualities and approach to the game.

That David succeeded, is a superlative show of faith from his team-mates despite his injury setback, and also conversely a reflection of the magnanimous way he has handled the cruel blow: “He [David] gave a very candid speech and everything he said was very genuine and the ideas for the club he had going forward were fantastic. He also stands out for his playing ability as he is definitely one of the most consistent performers, and despite his injury early last term he made every effort to firstly get back to fitness and secondly, once he knew he wouldn’t make it, put everything into the campaign as a whole, and definitely put the team ahead of his own agendas.”

The 2019 Varsity campaign marks the 150th anniversary of the Oxford Uni Rugby Club, founded in 1869, and the team will embark upon a journey to Japan in September to compete in the World University Rugby Invitational Tournament, commemorating the landmark year.

A full list of OURFC captains can be found here. The Women’s Blues captaincy will be decided at the back end of Hilary Term.

The Year in Fashion: 2018’s Best and Worst Trends

Cherwell Fashion
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The Year in Fashion: 2018’s Best and Worst Trends

Bum Bags – Adam Large

Whether you know it as a bum bag, belt bag or fanny pack, one thing is certain: there is absolutely no reason why one should wear such a garment on a night out. Regardless of the ‘vibe,’ it’s hard to pull off such a look whilst fumbling in the dark for Rizlas out of a pouch that’s barely big enough to hold a pet hamster. This 90s revival might have been endorsed by the likes of A$AP Rocky, but that doesn’t set a sartorial precedent for everyone. The envisioned look may be a too-cool-to-care, Skepta-meets-Stella-McCartney exhibit, slinging the monstrosity around one’s shoulder whilst exerting an ‘effortless’ cool. The tragic reality probably falls closer to American-tourist-visits-East-London-for-the-first-time. I hate to crush anyone’s groovy dreams, but Bridge Thursday is no NASS Festival (although the toilet situation often suggests otherwise). Besides, is any sort of bag really necessary when you’re going ‘out out’? As if the utility-pocket craze hasn’t ticked all our boxes when it comes to travelling light. But of course, in the name of fashion, why NOT add in the maximum number of superfluous carrying containers – I can only hope there’s enough room in there for ego.

Teddy Coats – Ailin Cheng

Out with the flimsy trench coat, the garish, bin-bag-esque material masquerading as a windbreaker, the extravagant faux-fur monstrosities, the school-trip-to-Wales style parka, and go all out with the teddy coat. The world has finally come to its senses and hailed a worthy creation to be the coat of the year.

The teddy coat offers a much-appreciated combination of aesthetic appeal and functionality. It spares one the dreaded choice of dark winter periods: whether it is worth being swathed in an abominable assortment of layers for the sake of preserving one’s extremities, or to grit one’s teeth and smile through the cold in a skimpy – but totally super cute – excuse for a coat. The fuzzy lining of the teddy coat is the antidote to all these pains. No more shall the phrase ‘Winter is Coming’ strike fear into our hearts, and I, for one, will actually look forward to busting out full teddy-bear mode this January.

Cycling shorts – Isabel Nield

We hated them in Year 9 gym class. We mocked their presence on the cover of dated workout VCRs. We cringed as middle-aged men took back the roads, emulating a Lance Armstrong-style figure with fewer muscles but more integrity (and the excuse, at least, of trying to get fit). Why, then, have cycling shorts suddenly become a legitimate fashion choice?

We are lucky enough to live in a time where we’re no longer limited in terms of our clothing options. Gone are the days when dressing up to go out meant sacrificing mobility (or else, risking indecent exposure) – we’ve got jumpsuits! Playsuits! Actual proper ‘suit’ suits! Now, more than ever, we have precisely zero need for stretchy, synthetic fabrics that somehow succeed in flattering literally nobody. They may have been acceptable in the 80s – but please, let’s leave them there.

Yellow – Sarah Williams

Yellow was less than mellow in 2018: the year saw the colour spread beyond its usual summer range of bikinis, sunglasses and sandals, and ended up on just about every imaginable item of clothing and makeup, traceable back to Margot Robbie’s yellow eyeshadow back in April. Some even rocked it head-to-toe – see Amal Clooney leading the way with that iconic royal wedding outfit. That was in May, but the sunflower shade even spread to our winter wardrobes, with coats ranging from canary to neon in stores. But how did the infamously tricky hue – somewhat reminiscent of egg yolk and hazmat suits, lest we forget – become so popular? Possibly because, apart from producing some of the best looks of the year, it has a little meaning behind it. Yellow has been dubbed the colour of Generation Z: emblematic of a positive, hopeful, and bold youth; a sartorial form of protest against what was another year of Brexit and Trump exhaustion. Yellow looks good, and it makes us feel good. That’s a trend that cuts the mustard for me.

Is Boxing in Danger of Losing its Prestige?

Oliver Donaldson
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Is Boxing in Danger of Losing its Prestige?

Floyd Mayweather took on the Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa on the 31st of December in an exhibition match in Tokyo. This was a farcical end to what has been an incredible year of boxing, with Mayweather laughing throughout the contest and his 20-year-old opponent left weeping after failing to throw a single punch inside the first 30 seconds, falling to the canvas three times inside the first two minutes and throwing in the towel after just 136 seconds.

The difference in presence in the ring was palpable as a boxing rookie was dismantled by a man considered to be one of the best boxers of all time. Despite the ludicrous nature of the bout, Mayweather claimed that he made $9,000,000 from the encounter. This fight, another brash promotion by Mayweather and his team, has galled many boxing purists who have denounced the bout as a ridicule of the sport.

Indeed, Mayweather came into the fight ten pounds heavier and four inches taller than Nasukawa, this was significant considering that the 20-year-old professional kickboxer had never previously competed in a straight boxing match.

“It was all about entertainment – we had a lot of fun,” Mayweather said after the fight, confirming that this was a completely insignificant non-event. One can therefore understand that people within the fight game are unhappy. This mismatch and the money and attention it generated seemed insulting to those who have dedicated their lives to becoming boxers, just like it would be a mockery to kickboxing if Mayweather entered such a sport.

For boxing purists, the boxer should focus on their profession and the kickboxer should stay in their own lane. These are two completely different sports – like hockey and rugby. People in the fight see this as a hoax because the (paying) viewing public are sucked in by the hype of the bout, even though the conclusion is practically foregone, and millions of pounds is generated by a contest that is of alarmingly low quality.

Yet the question has to be asked: if the quality of a contest is inevitably going to be so poor, why are we still transfixed by it? It is simply because this is a boxing match after all, and the phrase “a puncher’s chance” exists for a reason.

If we look back to the commercial success of the white-collar amateur boxing match between the Youtubers KSI and Logan Paul in August 2018, another significant boxing event which took place much to the ire of boxing purists, it is clear that the technical and competitive quality of a contest is not at the forefront of the average viewer’s mind.

After the success of the 2017 McGregor-Mayweather fight, Mayweather and his team have learned to tap into this casual boxing audience by focusing on the crossover appeal – athletes highly regarded in different combat disciplines challenging Mayweather’s unbeaten boxing record.

Although this is not strictly boxing in its purest form, it has never been dressed up to be. People seem to forget that, at the age of 41, Mayweather has officially retired from boxing and is therefore at the stage in his career where he will only make fight comebacks for matches which offer him sufficient financial incentive and little threat to his unblemished record.

His bout with Nasukawa, a threeround exhibition match without judges, for which Mayweather didn’t really have to train, is blatantly for show and “entertainment”. It is all too evident that these kind of events aren’t even pretending to be sports anymore.

This may be an extravaganza, but it is also a business model and a commercial project. Being a boxing purist and a businessman are entirely different and that is the reality of the boxing profession today.

The hype is taking over the boxing – and for those who have worked their entire lives to make a living in the sport, that must feel like the biggest gut-punch of all.

2018’s Cultural Highlights

Amber Sidney-Woollett
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2018’s Cultural Highlights

Though 2018 has been a rocky year politically, environmentally, and globally, it has also brought about some incredible new cultural landmarks. As a fan of tarot cards, I’d characterise the “mood” of 2018 – as reflected in the following cultural highlights – as ‘The Tower’. The Tower invokes destruction and chaos, but reminds us at the same time that without fire, nothing new can come.

‘Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race’ has become essential to our current understanding of race-relations, ironically sparking an international conversation. There was the Netflix controversy over its Communication’s Chief’s use of the ‘N’ word which led to uproar over their Strong Black Lead advertising campaign which conveniently debuted after the scandal.

Under these circumstances Riverdale, the once enchanting teen TV masterpiece has begun to lose its flow, with the latest season falling short of fans’ expectations.

Bodyguard gripped the nation at the end of summer with its political intrigue and life-threatening mystery. The end of 2018 also brought another BBC adaption of an Agatha Christie this time swapping out the beloved David Suchet as Poirot for John Malkovich, whose attempt at a Belgian accent was pretty dire and inconsistent through the 3-part drama.

Forget In The Thick Of It, political memes are the newest form of satire – Theresa May running through a field of wheat being a particular highlight. Brexit-themed books have become a prominent feature in all leading retailers with Five Escape Brexit Island, Bruno Vincent’s spoof on the Enid Blyton classic, casting long shadows over the political future of Britain.

On the 19th of May, we finally had something to celebrate with the Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the actress known for her portrayal of Rachel Zane in the American television show Suits. The happy couple are now expecting their first child. More joy ensued in July with the long-awaited arrival of Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again. Lily James made an excellent young Donna and the reworking of songs helped create a delicious collage of ABBA lyrics, and New College was even lucky enough to feature!

In a more sombre turn of events, the centenary of World War One in November brought with it Rob Heard’s installation the ‘Shrouds of the Somme’ at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Comprised of more than 70,000 shrouded figures, this installation evokes the tragedy of The Battle of the Somme with each figurine representing a British Commonwealth serviceman who died fighting in this battle, without a known grave.

Oxford-centric cultural highlights (or blows) include the closing down of the beloved Purple Turtle, as they couldn’t negotiate a renewed contract with the Oxford Union. Many people, including me, remain sceptical about the movement of Plush to the PT’s grounds. In terms of museums, the ‘Spellbound’ exhibition at the Ashmolean was equal parts intriguing and creepy. It was interesting how they lifted an entire section of ‘love’ padlocks from Liverpool, although it does force you to consider our – perhaps stupid – dependency on superstition to fulfil our sense of self-worth. 

If you’ll allow a little superstition here, however, and accept the Tower as the tarot card of 2018, it provides the perspective that without a little chaos, nothing new can come. Even the less thrilling cultural moments of the year have paved the way for 2019 to be extraordinary.

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