november-2010

THE BUZZ | TRAVEL NEWS
Good Times for Goldfrapp
VARIOUS
“These fi sh do not look
happy,” says Alison
Goldfrapp, of the
inhabitants of the goldfi sh
bowl on her hotel coffee
table. “I think the water is
too murky for them.”
The fi sh do look a
little sluggish. Goldfrapp,
though, currently touring
to promote her latest
album Head First, sounds
like she’s never been
better. “When you’re
feeling good about
things, life feels quite
uncomplicated,” she
smiles. "I suppose being
happy isn’t considered
very cool, is it? Whatever.”
On a big white couch
in a sprawling suite in
London’s Soho Hotel,
Goldfrapp cuts a small
fi gure in her black linen
jumpsuit and studded
leather pumps. She’s
teased some of her
trademark blonde curls
16 | TRAVELLER | 15 TH BIRTHDAY ISSUE
back from her face and
she’s wearing a pair of
black Ray-Ban shades,
the lenses just about light
enough to allow her to
make eye contact.
After her debut
album Felt Mountain
won critical acclaim
in 2000, Goldfrapp’s
sultry electronica
began to make waves
internationally. But it’s not
just about the music – like
Björk, she has become
famous for outfi ts that
resemble art installations.
She wore a horse’s tail
on stage for a while, and
tells me she has just had
a new dress made for her
“out of used videotape. I
got the idea when I saw
some stuck in a tree. I am
either in a costume or in
jeans and a T-shirt. I don’t
have much in between.”
Press coverage
rarely mentions it, but
Goldfrapp is not a solo
artist. The other 50% of
the band is the elusive
Will Gregory. “Will doesn’t
tour at all, but we write
everything together and
produce it together and
mix it together. It is not a
conventional set-up.”
She and Gregory set
out to create something,
“simple, joyous and
melodic” for Head First,
which is packed with highenergy
tracks with names
like Rocket and Alive, and
contains some of her best
work in years.
“I’m loving performing
at the moment,” she says,
though she wishes she
could push it even further.
"At the beginning of the
year I get told, 'Sorry, no,
you can’t have a revolving
stage, and lasers, and
be shot out of a cannon.
It costs too much.'
How annoying!”
goldfrapp.com
Sophy Grimshaw
easyJet
TIMELINE 1995–1999
1995
easyJet is founded by Sir Stelios Haji-
Ioannou in March to offer low-cost fl ights
in Europe. In October, easyLand, our fi rst
home, opens at Luton Airport.
Our inaugural fl ights take off from
London Luton to Glasgow on 10
November, and to Edinburgh on the 15th.
1996
We launch our fi rst international
fl ights, from London Luton to
Amsterdam, then Nice and Barcelona.
Our fi rst low-fares fl ight promotion
starts in August, enjoying unparalleled
success with over four million calls in
four days.
1997
In April we launch our website. Online
bookings become available a year later.
In October easyJet is recognised as a
fi nancially viable airline and we receive
our own Air Operating Certifi cate.
Liverpool Airport becomes our second
base, offering fl ights to Amsterdam.
1998
easyJet buys a 40% stake of Swiss
charter operation TEA Basel AG in March.
It is later renamed easyJet Switzerland.
First seat sells online at easyJet.com
1999
easyJet Switzerland moves to Geneva,
which becomes our third airport base
and our fi rst base outside the UK.
The fi rst series of Airline is shown
on ITV in September. The reality TV
programme follows the lives of easyJet’s
staff and passengers.
Audiences for Airline peak at 10
million.
In October, online seat sales pass the
one million mark. easyJet is voted Best
Low-Cost Airline by readers of Business
Traveller magazine.
PHOTO © GETTY