CLAM UP!! - Seren - Bangor University

THAT’S WHEN GOODInterviewing is usually one aspect youexpect a reporter to be quite relaxedabout, however, when I signed up tointerview the famous Alan Fletcher I wasnot expecting my nerves to suddenly kickinto overdrive. Alan Fletcher or ‘Fletch’ ashe likes to be known, is renowned for hiswork as Dr. Karl Kennedy on the hit daytimesoap, ‘Neighbours’. Alan Fletcher was herein November visiting Bangor to perform atAmser/ Time nightclub with his band ‘TheWaiting Room’.I, like most students, have been an avidfan of the Australian soap opera ever sinceI was born and must confess that I wasquite excited when the hour fi nally arrivedto meet the man himself; The two questionsthat everyone asked me about him were,‘What is he really like?’ and ‘What did hesay?’ In answer to the fi rst question; honestlyhe was a brilliant, very modest andgenerous. He answered all my questionsand didn’t mind talking about ‘Neighbours’at all, which I thought he might have objectedto. So Seren readers, enjoy this interviewwith our favourite Doc:Siobhan Holt: So, Alan where are youoriginally from in Australia?Alan Fletcher: I was born in Perth, WestAustralia.Siobhan: Do you miss home when youare away?Alan: Yeah, I miss my family. Australia iseleven hours ahead than the UK. So thekids, Veronica who is twelve and Tom whois ten are usually going to bed when I amgetting up. It’s hard to keep in touch. UsuallyI wait and speak to them at the weekends.When they were little they used to cometouring with me. They don’t now they areolder. We have a strong family unit thoughwhich helps.Siobhan: How long have you andthe band been together?Alan: It’s been three and a halfyears. Our drummer has been withus for eighteen months.Siobhan: What have been thehighlights over the years?Alan: One of our highlights is obviouslyreleasing the fi rst album.Going on the Jo Whiley show is anotherhighlight and I am going onagain on Friday.We also performed at NottinghamTrent University as a surprise act tofi ve thousand people. It was at theirsummer ball. That was really cool.Siobhan: Which do you preferacting or singing?Alan: Well they both involve tellingstories and that’s why I love it.I have done stage work in the past.Recently I did ‘My Fair Lady’ andI’m doing ‘Mame’ next year.Siobhan: How does your actingability help your band?Alan: I’m a bit like Robbie Williams;I’m not saying I’m a Rock artist. I’mnot Matt Bellamy.I’m an entertainer; I just want thecrowd to have a great time.Siobhan: Are you excited about the performance?Alan: Yeah, it’s a really nice venue with abig reputation.Siobhan: What is your favourite song onyour set list tonight?Alan: My favourite song is probably ‘MrBrightside’ by the Killers and we are alsodoing a cover of ‘Ruby’ by the Kaiser Chiefswhich is a favourite of mine. So those twoSeren - Christmas Issue 2007are probably my favourites.Siobhan: Have you ever been to Bangoror Wales before?Alan: Yes I have done panto near here, inLlandudno. I was in Aladdin in 2000. I knowthe area quite well so it’s a bit like comingback home.Siobhan: You have done a lot of work recently,filming with ‘Neighbours’ in Londonand also in Manchester with ‘SoapstarSuperstar,’ what is your favouriteCHRISTMAS CRISIS!7COME TO BANGOR!Siobhan Holt interviews ‘Neighbours’ star Alan Fletcher aka Dr. Karl Kennedy.Be warned he has revealed to Seren the up and coming storylines, you have been warnedpart of Great Britain?Alan: I love Yorkshire; I love theplace and the towns and the people.I also love Liverpool becauseI am a Liverpool F.C. supporter. Iam going to see them play BoltonF.C. at Anfi eld.Siobhan: How do you manageto balance touring and filming‘Neighbours’? How does itwork?Alan: Right, well I tell ‘Neighbours’in advance when I am doing a tourand I take unpaid leave. After thistour is fi nished I will be going backto fi lm for a week and then I’m offfor four weeks for Christmas.Siobhan: What do you think ofall the attention you get fromstudents when you do come toEngland?Alan: I am very appreciative of thefans. I love meeting them and I’mdelighted to do it because withoutthe fans I would have no job.Siobhan: What is the funniestthing someone has asked you?Alan: I have been asked by malestudents questions about healthissues to do with their sexual organs(laughs).Siobhan: How is ‘Soapstar Superstar’different from anything you have donebefore?Alan: Oh it was terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!It was 7am starts till 1am in the morning.We didn’t get much sleep; it was likeboot camp. We were also having to learnnew songs every day.Siobhan: How did you get the job in‘Neighbours’?Alan: I was asked to audition for the part byGrundy television because before I joined‘Neighbours’ I was on another programmethat they were doing. I auditioned and gotthe part. I have been on ‘Neighbours’ forthirteen years now.Siobhan: What do you think about thefact that ‘Neighbours’ is moving fromBBC1 to Channel five?Alan: I think it’s massively positive. We hada good working relationship with the BBCbut the move will be good. Channel fi ve hasbeen over and fi lmed trailers and documentarieswhich the BBC couldn’t do because‘Neighbours’ was a foreign show. Channelfi ve are very enthusiastic, and are heavilypromoting it. They are keeping it at thesame time and making it one of their mainprogrammes.Siobhan: What has been your favouritestoryline?Alan: I have so many, I like the silly things;like when Karl went around stealing gardengnomes. They had written this storyline as away to break up a more dramatic scene thatKarl was going through.Siobhan: Are there any exciting storylinescoming up?Alan: There is Susan’s illness and a car accidenthappens in the street which will affectall the families. It is very much like the oldschool ‘Neighbours’ where everyone pullstogether. It’s really effective and should hityour screens in around three months time.‘Neighbours’ should be changing channelsat some point in 2008, so keep your eyespeeled.Interview by SiobhanCatherine HoltPHOTOGRAPHER COMING TO BANGORIs Christmas becoming too commercial?Is it better to give or to receive? Who cares, as long as it’s the latest;the most in demand; and the best advertised product on themarket! Yes, that’s right; forget the old debate of whether you’re aScrooge or a Santa, there’s a much bigger argument at stake here: IsChristmas too commercial?As a long time self-confessed Scrooge, I have to argue, yes, it blatantlyis. Why? Well, let’s consider the commercial cacophony that isChristmas. For a start, it’s no longer limited to December. Oh no, forgetthe old rule of “twelve days before and twelve days after” for your festivetree; now it’s all year long. Advent calendars are on sale in October;which, if you’re anything like me, is pretty pointless, because it’s gonein a day. So you buy another, and another,and so on, and just when you thought thewhole furore was over, cue Januaryand half price decorations. Cuea rush of impulse buying,followed by more (fullprice) buying in November,becausethe ones you havedon’t match your“theme”.And it’s notjust limited to decorationsand chocolate.In the months leading upto Christmas, consumersare bombarded with advertisementsfor even the mosttrivial of items. It’s no wonderdepression and debt peakat Christmas. As well as RSI,from writing the box of 500Hallmark cards to all your“closest” friends and family.Kids only want the latest“in” thing (this year it’s theNintendo Wii) becausethe media and advertisersare convincing them theyhave to have one, even ifit’s in the bin by Boxing Day.The same applies for clothes and food. Clever shops tap into the desperationto be the best dressed at the office party, or to have the verybest turkey, and pull the wool over customers’ eyes. Prices are markedup a few weeks before the Christmas rush; then lowered back downto their original price. “Savvy” shoppers think they’ve had a bargain,when really they’ve parted with the same cash they would have donein August.Perhaps the most depressing fact in all of this is that Christmastradition has been sacrificed in favour of commercialism. I’m not particularlyreligious, but I’m alarmed that kids are growing up withoutany knowledge of the true meaning of Christmas. Why aren’t familiesattending Christmas Eve Mass and spending time with theirloved ones? Because they’ve just seen a really great offer inArgos and had to have it. Why aren’t they sat aroundthe table on Christmas Day? Because they’re arguingover who will get the next go on one of the millionextra Wii consoles produced (and there’s still notenough to go round). Why aren’t they hanging theirNana’s wooden numbers on her twenty year old adventcalendar? Because they’re too busy adding to the UK’sobesity level. Why aren’t families sharing a sherry onBoxing Day? Because at 5am, they’re stood outsideNext, queuing for half price clothes they’ll neverwear, deepening the holes in their pockets,and fattening the fat cats.So this Christmas, if you see theSpice Girls climbing down yourchimney, arms laden withTesco carrier bags, don’tworry, it’s only becausegood old Saint Nick andhis sack haven’t shifted asmuch ‘High School the Musical’memorabilia. It’s a volume businessyou see. It’s just a pity convention has been replacedwith commercialism.Elizabeth StevensHave you ever wanted to haveyour picture taken professionally?Do you think you couldmatch Kate Moss posing in front of acamera? Would you like to see your portraitclassed as a piece of art?Seren is offering you the chance tohave your picture taken by a professional.We have joined forces with ‘SomeoneOnce Told Me’ (someoneoncetoldme.com) to offer students here at BangorUniversity the chance to have a romantic,black and white photograph professionallyproduced for our Valentine’sDay issue. We want our students to posewith their romantic saying or messagein front of beautiful sites in and aroundBangor. If you are interested please sendme your name and email address tofeatures@seren.bangor.ac.uk.