Temp Check: Creative and podcaster Ica Headlam
2020 has been harder for Ica Headlam than most…but has also seen him make the push from podcaster to campaigner. Originally from London, but settled in the the city for more than 15 years, his show Creative Me Podcast has shone a spotlight on the work of many of Aberdeen’s artists, musicians and creative businesses, putting him at the centre of a renaissance of our creative scene. This year he launched We Are Here Scotland. This is a platform to help lift up the voices of artistic people of colour throughout Scotland.
With so much going on in his life, we thought it was time to catch up with him and find out how he’s doing.
Hey Ica. Thanks for taking some time out to be probed by our questions. Traditionally we start with a question that’s easy to ask, but not always easy to answer honestly…how are you doing right now?
I’m doing good thanks. 2020 has been one of those years where we all just can’t wait to get to the finish line. We all hope better things in the new year.
2020 has been a rough year for many people, but you more than most. Tell us a little about what has been going on in your bubble.
Well as you know I caught Corona Virus in late April this year. This resulted in treatment at ARI for five days. It’s been a long road to recovery in terms of living with Long Covid health issues and Chest X-Rays as I developed pneumonia scarring on my lungs. But in comparison to my health earlier this year I am doing much better. I returned back to work in mid-October.
Being a huge fan and supporter of podcasts for a long time I just really wanted to document in my own way what was happening in the place I call home.
Creative Me Podcast has been on the go for 3 years now. What made you decide to start podcasting?
Being a huge fan and supporter of podcasts for a long time I wanted to document in my own way. What was happening in the place I call home. My particular interest is very much rooted in art, creativity, and community engagement. It’s crazy to think how quickly three years has gone by. However it’s something that I’m very passionate about. Having conversations with people in North East of Scotland who love what they do
I’m maybe opening myself up for a hiding here, but what do you think makes a great interview?
In my experience, a great interview happens when you put the guest at ease. When you make them comfortable with opening up about who they are and why they do what they do. I take a very simple approach with my conversations. I treat it like I’m just catching up with someone over a cuppa. Having a respectful conversation that hopefully doesn’t come across as one sided.
[pours cuppa]
So tell us what have been your biggest frustrations in recent times?
There have been stages when I would question as to whether the podcast was resonating with the target audiences. That is to say artists and creatives in the North East of Scotland and beyond. However, time has shown that when you keep being consistent with what you’re doing, good things will come back to you. People will recognise your hard work in one way or another.
How important is community to you?
It’s very important to me. Communities DO THINGS. They put on events, showcases and exhibitions. Community is something that I have seen a lot of. Especially this year during the pandemic. Small local businesses across various industries amplifying each other’s voices.
You’ve recently started a campaign to support and amplify the voices of people of colour in Scotland. How do you hope to help shine a beacon on these voices?
I hope We Are Here Scotland can exist beyond an online platform for championing people of colours within Scotland’s creative industries. This is why I have registered the platform as a Community Interest Company. I also set up the We Are Here Scotland Creators Fund. It's is a GoFundMe campaign which I established to provide practical support for creatives. Those that may require financial assistance for new equipment, exhibitions, residencies, or collaborate projects.
I get inspired by people who step out of their comfort zones and follow through with ideas that they are passionate about.
You (like me) seem to collect side projects. What do you think that says about you?
I think it tells me that I like to keep myself busy. My brain is always ticking over with ideas or thinking about what’s next. I think I’ve always had an inquisitive mind set too. I want to find out ways of doing things. The way things work. This is especially when it’s something I have an interested in.
Who inspires you?
This is a hard question as I can’t say just once person. However, for me people who step out of their comfort zones inspire me. Those follow through with ideas that they are passionate about. It takes a lot of courage and nerve to put yourself out there and remain consistent with it. There are so many people I know who have done this. That inspires me to keep doing what I do.
Has 2020 changed you in any way?
Oh for sure man not just physically since having Covid but also within my mindset. Like I love everything that I do. However, I also very much value the time I have with my wife Beth and our daughter Izzy. This is why podcasting or meetings for We Are Here doesn’t take place on weekends or when I’m on holiday. When I was unwell in hospital I honestly thought I wasn’t going recover. That very much changes your outlook on life in terms of health. Who you are as a person and how you want to live your life moving forward.
Thanks again to Ica to take some time out of his busy schedule to have a chat. I you’d like to know a little bit more, you can go read about (and donate to) the We Are Here Scotland Creators Fund. The Creative Me Podcast has recently done a series of episodes with North Lands Creatives interviewing artisans about their relationship with glass.
Read more about the experience of running a creative business. Check out our conversation with Gary Kemp, founder of Doric Skateboards.
Temp Check: Aberdeen singer-songwriter Rachel Jack
Live music performances have taken a massive hit because of the need to keep people safe from Covid. During this time, many musicians have concentrated on releasing new music to give fans a diversion from lockdown life. We spoke to Aberdeen based singer-songwriter Rachel Jack who has been making waves in the Scottish music scene this year. Having released her brilliant debut EP, The Calgary Tapes in the summer of 2020, we wanted to catch up with her to see how life is treating her right now.
Hey Rachel. Thanks very much for taking time to chat. As always, we start with the easy question that doesn’t always have an easy answer…how are you feeling right now?
I’m feeling tired to be honest. I’ve been super busy and I’m really looking forward to taking a break over Christmas.
What make you take the leap to chasing a career in music?
I had a period of illness and it put everything into perspective for me. I did that thing of looking over my life to-date and felt a bit disappointed that I hadn’t done anything with my voice.
The part I’ll continue to be most proud of is divorcing myself from a career I spent over a decade building. I’d thought about it for ages and it was a really difficult decision to make.
Live performance is pretty much out the question right now, how have you replaced that?
I’ve been keeping my focus by releasing music. In fact, I've released 7 singles since we first went into lockdown.
You released your debut EP, The Calgary Tapes, earlier this year. How did that come about?
I wrote those songs while completing a songwriting scholarship from Paolo Nutini at UWS. I called them the Calgary Tapes because I recorded those songs while living in a place called Calgary on the Isle of Mull.
What are you most proud of so far in your musical career?
The part I’ll continue to be most proud of is divorcing myself from a career I spent over a decade building. I’d thought about it for ages and it was a really difficult decision to make because your job seems to become a massive part of your identity, and for a while I struggled with knowing who I was without a job title, if that makes sense. That process as been the most rewarding.
Is there anyone in your community that has inspired you? Tell us about them.
Normal every day people inspire me. I'm interested in their stories. Most of my songs are conversations I’ve had with people. In terms of the musical direction, there’s nothing intentional about it at all. When I meet people I like, we make music together and their style inspires mine. It’s all a very experimental go-with-the-flow kinda thing for me.
What pisses you off?
When people aren’t open to changing their minds. I’ve got a lot of respect for people who can hold their hands up and admit when they are wrong. We all have a right to change our minds when we learn new information but when people dig in their heels and refuse to have conversations about important matters, that really drains me.
I evaluated my life a few years ago and made some big changes. I feel as though I was mentally prepared for this. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not been easy by any means but it’s also not the worst thing I’ve been through, personally.
The pandemic has been tough on most people, but it has given many the opportunity to evaluate their lives. Has the pandemic changed you?
I evaluated my life a few years ago and made some big changes. I feel as though I was mentally prepared for this. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not been easy by any means but it’s also not the worst thing I’ve been through, personally.
What motivates you?
Knowing that this is it…right here, right now. Life is short and I want to enjoy it as much as possible.
What does the future hold for Rachel Jack? What are your ambitions?
I feel as though I’ve arrived at where I want to be in that I’ve got a job I like and I’m doing music at the same time. I’d love to write for other artists, that’s the dream really. But I’m only a couple of years into music and I’m enjoying writing for myself so I’m not in any rush. In terms of what I’ve got planned for 2021 — I’ll release my second EP Magazine Girls and I hope to perform live as much as possible!
Find out more about Rachel Jack
Thanks very much to Rachel Jack both for her time and for her candour. You can show your support by following her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and on Spotify, and also check out her latest single, For You, below.
If you enjoyed this Temp Check interview, take some time to read our chat with Stuart McPhee from Siberia Bar and Hotel about his experience of the lockdown. If you would like to hear more local music, check out our playlist, The Lounge. It highlights music from Aberdeen's diverse music scene.
Temp Check : Colin Farquhar from Belmont Filmhouse
We've now faced restrictions to our lives in Aberdeen for the past 8 months. While Covid-19 has meant that we all have to share the burden of stopping the spread of the virus, there’s a cost to our mental health. We decided to check in with Aberdeen folk to see how they are coping at this point. As a result we hopefully learn a little bit more about them along the way.
First up we check in with Colin Farquhar, Head of Cinema at the Belmont Filmhouse, Aberdeen’s last independent cinema. They have been forced to close again recently because film distribution in the UK has ground to a halt.
Hey Colin. Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions about how you are currently dealing with life in pandemic Aberdeen. We’ll start off with a simple one…how are you doing right now?
Good…I think. It’s a strange time for everyone and that includes me. I’ve been part-time furloughed since Saturday (7th November 2020) and that will be an adjustment as I hadn’t been before. Quite often we go on holiday at this time of year. I have a feeling of absence about that, as we obviously can’t travel. Generally good, though. I’ve held up fairly well this year. I’m proud of as, like most folk, I can be fragile as well.
Tell us a little bit about your background.
I grew up in Whitehills which is a wee fishing village of about a thousand people. It's on the Banffshire coast. Beautiful place, not much to do, but I’m very grateful for the prettiness and people when I go back. I moved to Aberdeen to do Media and Communications at Aberdeen College in 2003 when I was 18. Then after a bit of course juggling did English Lit. at Aberdeen Uni, graduating in 2009. I got a part-time job at the Belmont at the end of 2007.
My folks are mostly fishing and farming stock. Dad worked on boats until he decided it was too hard a life (I can’t disagree). My Mum was a nurse at Ladysbridge, which is a now mostly closed mental health hospital just outside the village. My direct family and much of my extended family, work in social care now.
What made you fall in love with movies?
I guess the first thing that comes to mind is a cupboard in my Mum’s house. It was full of recorded VHSs from my early teens. Stuff that I was still much too young to watch. I’d write the name of the film on the side of the black box in marker pen. It was an attempt to make it more readable — Taxi Driver, One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, Deer Hunter. So there was dozens of these tapes at home that I’d watch a lot. Those late night Channel 4 films.
Prior to that I have a lot of fond memories of going to Elgin and Aberdeen to the cinema as a kid to watch films. Big day was the first time we watched two films in the cinema on one day. My wee brother wanted to watch MiB and I was keen on Jurassic Park: The Lost World. I think that Jurassic Park, and I’ll refer to that original film rather than the entire franchise. It had a huge impact on me in terms of what cinema can achieve. I was the right age, it got me into dinosaurs. It’s still the first film I think of when someone talks about the spectacle of cinema or the cinema. It remains one of my favourite films.
What is your favourite part of your working day?
I guess all jobs have their routine to them. Whenever I get to step away from the admin and talk to customers is a bright spot. You end up talking about films and that’s nice. I feel I’ve been able to do that a lot more recently. One upside of COVID on cinema is that we’ve been able to brush away a lot of the cobwebs. We've been able to focus on the real core stuff like my team and the punters. I’ve enjoyed that immensely.
Working in a cinema is also just full of the occasional pinches that you work in a cinema. So when you do something in a projection room when a film is playing and even a wee glance at the light through the window reminds you of the magic…that romantic stuff. We’re lucky enough that you manage to experience that at least once a week.
Without having to deal with the public quite so much, did you have time to develop any new skills…or catch up on some great movies?
I spent a lot of time reading Scot Gov COVID regulation. I’m unsure if that’s a new skill…Usually I’d try and apply downtime to reading but I’ve found concentrating on that more difficult than usual this year.
I did watch quite a lot of films. MUBI had a great run of Bergman stuff through the summer so I saw Cries and Whispers and The Silence and Autumn Sonata and a few others for the first time. I also watched Le Cercle Rouge which I hadn’t seen before. It’s probably the best film I’ve watched all year. It was also great ton catch up on a lot of films. That was until we reopened but work has been pretty full on since then.
I also walked around the city a lot, particularly in early lockdown. In November I moved flat, so did a lot of trekking around the West End and out to Cults and around Hazelhead. I was mostly back in the office from mid-June. From that point on it was pretty much full bore in terms of reopening planning. So it limits what you can apply yourself to. My headspace was always focused on the mechanics of how Belmont would run, operationally anyway.
How has your community helped both you and The Belmont through lockdown?
The response from the community for our fundraising was amazing. I never expected to raise that amount. It was quite overwhelming. I’ve really felt like people rallied round us and that’s from the hardcore membership and audience to folk who used to come but moved away and then the friends and family of the staff. It helped keep me going. I was still working on my own at that point and reading the letters in particular that came in with the donations (lots of people still send cheques instead of donating online) was lovely.
The latest closure of the Belmont must have felt like a real blow. Tell us about that decision.
It was hard — I think this year has been quite an acute demonstration of how much we mean to people and that makes these decisions really tough. You know how much people will miss you if you close. The reality was every film we had booked for November dropped off the slate. The audience also petered away a little after the PM announced harder restrictions down south so we felt it became the common sense decision to shut.
But, it’s not March. March was, in all honesty, frightening. On this occasion we felt we were making a controlled choice and although finances will remain a worry for some time we know what we have. Thanks to support grants from Screen Scotland and the extension of the furlough scheme we’re in a better place. All being well we’ll reopen early December and then get into the Xmas stuff.
I take it you have a date in your head for the reopening of the cinema, which I’m sure you don’t want to commit to just yet, but what will influence that final decision to open?
Ideally we’re looking at 4th December but I wouldn’t want anyone to take that as verbatim. If lockdown extends down south then that sets as back, as would a lockdown in Scotland. I’m also expecting the UK and Scottish Governments to relax household rules for Xmas. That might yet have a trade off with other restrictions. If there’s one thing we’ve learned this year it’s that everything is subject to change, so you’ve got to be realistic, flexible and patient.
I think this year has been quite an acute demonstration of how much we mean to people and that makes these decisions really tough. You know how much people will miss you if you close.
Who has inspired you recently?
I think everyone to an extent. Seeing people having the will to get on with things and go to work in a year like this has been quite astonishing. I see that in my team, colleagues in Edinburgh and my friends.
My Dad, specifically. I hope he wouldn’t mind me mentioning this but my Dad lost his wife in early in the pandemic to cancer. It was all very quick and sudden. He was due to go back to work when the pandemic was at its peak in mid-April and I told him no one would judge him if he took another week or two off work. He told me that that may be considered selfish and back to work he went. I’ve definitely carried that in my head since. He’s been a star. My brother has also had a kid among all these so that’s been a wee celebration amongst everything. It keeps you going.
Also, with the realisation that it can come across as contrived to point to politicians, particularly current ones, I have a lot of admiration for how Nicola Sturgeon has handled the pandemic. That’s not to say the Scottish Government have done everything perfectly, but being able to get up in front of the country every day for six months and talk them through it is quite a feat. It’s a good example. As someone who manages people it helps a lot.
Do you think you have been changed by the pandemic?
This will be a long answer — I’m not sure. I am someone who is perennially asking myself what I’m good at or what my nature is and this pandemic breeds more of that, so you lose perspective on yourself the same as any other time.
It has made me value more what is close to me; but at the same time I miss travelling. It does teach you can get by on simple pleasures and routine; but the weeks where I just stuck to work and cooking were the weeks I really needed to do something different at the weekend. Ultimately I think we’ve all found out a lot about balance, but we all knew that already really.
One thing definitely — I’ve found I’m far more resilient than I ever thought and for someone who struggled with anxiety through their 20s that has been reassuring. I’m proud of that. Perhaps that’s learning to give up control a little in a situation you can’t possibly. If I carry that out the other side of the pandemic and can apply it to the micro stuff to I think that’s a positive change.
I’ve found I’m far more resilient than I ever thought and for someone who struggled with anxiety through their 20s that has been reassuring. I’m proud of that.
Another realisation is — and I’m unsure this is a change — is just how time passes. It’s just as subjective as everything else and it just siphons away like an elastic blob down a drain if you let it. Books or hill-walks or films or pints in the pub with your pals are the checkpoints that slow it down a little. So, I hope I’ll learn to do stuff I enjoy more and that I’ll remember. Those experiences are wee pauses that slow down time and I think, strangely, lengthen it, at least in memory. If that realization leads me to taking life less seriously, or working less, or procrastinating less then that’ll be a positive change too.
Thank you so much to Colin for his time and frankness. You can follow both him and the Belmont Filmhouse on Twitter. If you would like to support Aberdeen’s local independent cinema on a regular basis, consider getting an annual subscription…it gets you some great benefits too.
We’ll be publishing regular temp checks over the next few weeks…keep in touch on Twitter and Facebook. If you haven't already, check out our interview with Stuart McPhee, manager of Siberia Bar and Hotel.