Latest news with #TheJam
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
'I bought a beachfront apartment in a holiday hotspot – it is cheaper than renting'
Travel writer Karolina Wachowicz, who moved to Barcelona from Krakow, Poland, shares her experience buying a beachfront apartment in a popular vacation spot A savvy travel writer has bought a beachfront apartment in a popular vacation spot and claims it is more affordable than renting. Karolina Wachowicz became frustrated with the rising rental costs in her new city, Barcelona, Spain. However, when the Polish journalist told her friends she planned to buy instead, they laughed, believing the Spanish process would be too overwhelming for her. "If you've ever tried to rent a flat in Barcelona, you know the struggle," Karolina, who originally comes from Kraków, told What's The Jam. "After a year of paying sky-high rent and handling endless paperwork for agencies, I decided to buy my own place with a terrace. "It turned out to be far simpler and more transparent than the chaos of renting." To legally rent a property in Spain, tenants are typically required to provide a plethora of documents, including their passport, work contract, and several months' proof of income. Renters also need a Spanish identification number for foreigners (NIE), and many agencies insist on interviews where potential tenants compete for the property. Karolina said: "The whole process can stretch for months, and fees are hefty. "Agency commissions often start at between €700 and €800, plus additional deposits, typically two months' rent, and your first rent upfront. At the moment, average rental prices are higher than ever. "A one-bedroom apartment in central Barcelona can easily cost around €1,500 a month or more, depending on the location and standard. This was what I paid for rent before buying my place. "But now it's not unusual to see even higher prices." Fed up with the rental rat race, Karolina started exploring the possibility of buying her own apartment. She said: "Despite all the warnings from friends, the process turned out to be quite straightforward. I found the right property and negotiated with the agency. "I then signed a preliminary agreement and paid a small deposit. I secured a bank mortgage - they typically ask for a 20% down payment, although some banks offer mortgages for just 10% or even 0%, depending on certain conditions. "I also had to provide my NIE number and a work contract before finalising the purchase at the notary." In the end, Karolina said her apartment cost just over €180,000 (£156,886). The travel writer claimed that her biggest upfront costs were the 20% down payment, which she saved in advance, and a 10% property transfer tax. The 35-year-old added: "The paperwork was manageable compared to the endless files demanded for renting, and the entire process was much more efficient. "I moved in quickly, but the apartment needed a major refresh. I invested most of my remaining savings into a complete bathroom renovation, handled painting and cleaning by myself, and found furniture at flea markets and through local second-hand groups. "Budgeting was crucial, so I got creative, refurbishing the old terrace benches and installing affordable artificial grass on the terrace. From start to finish, purchasing was less stressful and actually faster than many rental applications. "Even waiting for mortgage approval took less time than waiting for some agencies to respond. The renovation cost about the same as an expensive holiday, but now I have a place I can proudly call home. "Not only because I feel good here, but also because of the work I put into it. And my monthly costs are less than half of what I would pay to rent a similar place in today's market."
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Paul Weller unearths a rich seam of forgotten treasures on latest album Find El Dorado...with a little help from Noel Gallagher and Robert Plant
PAUL WELLER: Find El Dorado (Parlophone) Verdict: Weller strikes gold He may be one of the UK's most respected songwriters, but Paul Weller has never shied away from a good cover version. When he was fronting The Jam in the late 1970s, he'd put a frenetic spin on such classics as The Who's So Sad About Us and The Supremes' Back In My Arms Again, songs which spoke volumes about his love of 1960s mod. As The Jam morphed into The Style Council, he turned his attention to 1980s dance by singing Joe Smooth's Chicago house music standard Promised Land, while his solo career has since yielded a covers album, Studio 150, on which he tackled tunes by Noel Gallagher, Bob Dylan and Sister Sledge — an eclectic, if not unexpected, mix. His latest release, Find El Dorado, is more surprising. Drawing on a lifetime of fandom, it focusses on lesser-known pop, country and folk tracks. Cynics will argue that he's simply compensating for writer's block, but there's too much affection here for that to be the case. He grew up listening to these songs, and it feels personal. Sung with character and feeling — plus a collaborative spirit that sees appearances by Noel Gallagher, Robert Plant, Irish singer Declan O'Rourke and producer Steve Cradock — the album shines a light on some of the forgotten moments of the 1960s and 1970s and revitalises them. 'These are songs I've carried with me for years,' says Weller. Old fans might baulk at his eccentricities. 'Guess I'll die with this fever in my soul,' he sings on White Line Fever, country star Merle Haggard's reflection on the loneliness of the touring musician. One Last Cold Kiss, originally by New York rock band Mountain, features lute-like strings. It's all a far cry from The Jam's Going Underground. Elsewhere, a more soulful mood holds sway. Small Town Talk, a Bobby Charles folk-rock number from 1972, is given a swinging makeover. Willie Griffin's rhythmic Where There's Smoke, There's Fire features Nottingham soul man Liam Bailey. Lawdy Rolla, originally by an obscure French act called The Guerrillas, is delivered with gospel fervour. The most intriguing tracks tap into a surreal, melancholy strand of 1970s pop. There's a faithful cover of the baroque When You Are A King, a rags-to-riches fantasy that was a hit for British group White Plains, and a version of singer and actor Brian Protheroe's Pinball. The Bee Gees' haunting 1968 single I Started A Joke is wistful, psychedelic... and a world away from the disco anthems the Gibb brothers would deliver a decade later. On a different note, Duncan Browne's Journey is bright and breezy, illuminated by Senegalese kora player Seckou Keita. The album ends with its most unlikely pairing, Weller duetting with Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant on Clive's Song, originally by folk singer Hamish Imlach. With The Modfather and the golden god of blues-rock combining brilliantly, and Plant adding harmonica, it's an inspired collaboration, and one they could take further — Mod Zeppelin anyone? ALICE COOPER: The Revenge Of Alice Cooper (earMUSIC) Verdict: Theatrical and nostalgic Rating: Back with the four surviving members of his original band for the first time since they made two albums — Billion Dollar Babies and Muscle Of Love — in 1973, Alice Cooper lives up to his billing as the godfather of shock rock on an album of high-octane guitar heroics, tuneful power balladry and lots of blood-spattered, tongue-in-cheek humour. With original producer Bob Ezrin back in the fold — and a posthumous appearance from guitarist Glen Buxton, who died in 1997 — there are nostalgic echoes of early hits such as School's Out and Elected. Ezrin, who drilled the band for ten hours a day to create their signature sound in the 1970s, prioritises simplicity over sophistication. 'I'll just watch you while you're sleeping, darling, and decide if I should bite,' sings Cooper, his voice still potent, as the album opens with Black Mamba. With guitarist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neal Smith joined by second guitarist Robby Krieger, once of The Doors, the song strikes a macabre note, with Alice in the role of a slinky, venomous snake. From that point on, theatrical rock numbers jostle with ballads. 'We're the wild ones, we live in every town,' roars Alice on Wild Ones, reeling off a string of outlaw cliches that ring a little hollow when you factor in that he's now 77, and more likely to be found on the golf course, or tucked up in bed with a mug of cocoa, than raising hell. Elsewhere, on the Kinks-like Crap That Gets In The Way Of Your Dreams, he ponders what might have happened had he never made it as a singer (he reckons he'd still be making music, and that it would probably have cost him his marriage), while Famous Face is a discourse on empty celebrity ('you're as worthless as a dog with fleas'). He shows a gentler touch on See You On The Other Side, a ballad that pays tribute to the rock star friends he has lost along the way. He spoke of Jim Morrison, Keith Moon and Jimi Hendrix in a recent interview — and we can now add Ozzy Osbourne to the list 'Your rivers went raging by,' sings Alice. It's a poignant finale from a survivor whose inspiration has yet to run dry.
Evening Standard
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
Paul Weller recalls shocking moment he was attacked by a lion on the way to a gig
Weller rose to fame as co-founder of The Jam, which he formed in 1972 at the age of 14. The band shot to prominence in the late 1970s with hit albums In The City and This Is The Modern World, becoming icons of the British punk and mod revival scene.
Daily Mirror
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Paul Weller shares terrifying moment he was attacked by lion on the way to a gig
The former frontman with The Jam said he was getting a lift in his dad's pal Ronnie's van - who kept the beast as a pet Paul Weller has revealed he was attacked by a lion whilst travelling to a performance. The ex-Jam frontman revealed he was hitching a ride in his father's mate Ronnie's van - who housed the wild animal as a companion. John Weller had enlisted his friend's help when his son's group needed transport to a Surrey show, with the big cat already aboard. Paul, 67, explained: "Yeah, I mean, it wasn't fully grown at that point. "Yeah, so Ronnie would drive the van and the lion would sit in the passenger seat. You couldn't get too comfortable, though. "You had to watch that. Because one time, we were sitting in the back and I leant on the back of the passenger seat. Next thing I know, the f***ing lion's gone for me. "He f***ing went for me! I nearly s*** myself, man. Attacked by a lion!". The You Do Something To Me vocalist said he had to endure another journey with the creature on the return trip. He quipped: "Well, Ronnie just dropped us off and came back later. With the lion, yeah.", reports the Daily Star. "He kept it for a few years and then I think he had to give it up because it was getting too big... you know, once the neighbours started disappearing.." Paul also told Uncut magazine that whilst he continues releasing fresh material, he's content to step back from live performances for the time being. The Modfather said he's cherishing precious moments with his second wife Hannah and their three youngsters John Paul, Bowie and Nova. He confessed: "I'm just enjoying spending more time with the kids and the feeling of not panicking every morning, waking up and thinking, 'Where are we tonight?', stomach churning. "I just need a break from that. You know what? I just think it'll always be like that. I was talking to Johnny Marr and he said the same thing. Every time you wake up, you're anxious and prickly." Only last month, there were reports of a large predatory cat lurking near Ed Sheeran's rural retreat. The 'Perfect' singer resides in this secluded spot with his wife Cherry Seaborn and their two daughters. However, a black panther-like creature was sighted in the countryside, alarmingly close at less than five miles from Sheeran's estate. A local managed to capture the creature on their mobile phone camera. The sighting occurred in the town of Eye, situated north of Ipswich in Suffolk. Matt Salusbury, who curates the Big Cats of Suffolk website, relayed: "The witness told me they'd seen a large black animal walking up and down along the tree line at the end of a field behind their garden. "The distance from where they were to the animal when they photographed it was a good few minutes walk. They observed it for more than five minutes before it sat down with its head up." The images depict a sizeable, dark figure skulking by the trees. Then, the mysterious animal disappeared from view. This eerie encounter took place on April 23 but has only recently been disclosed. In an earlier incident, growling noises had been heard around Mendlesham, a village in the vicinity.
Scottish Sun
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside dark history of abandoned asylum that starred in blockbuster Hollywood thriller as it plans £22m transformation
A courageous Brit ventured into the creepy asylum which has been left derelict for years TORTURED SOULS Inside dark history of abandoned asylum that starred in blockbuster Hollywood thriller as it plans £22m transformation Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A SINISTER abandoned asylum which has starred in several blockbuster films is set to receive a massive £22million make-over. The creepy Medfield State Hospital was left rotting for years after it was set up in the 19th century to treat thousands of psychiatric patients. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 13 The abandoned asylum Medfield State Hospital has starred in several films Credit: Getty 13 The eerie asylum has been abandoned for years Credit: Jam Press/@places_forgotten 13 It housed thousands of psychiatric patients Credit: Jam Press/@places_forgotten 13 The island was used as a filming set for an iconic 2010 thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio (R) Credit: Handout And the asylum turned filming location is now set to benefit from a multimillion-pound facelift which will once again change its purpose entirely. When it was cosigned to the dustbin of history in 2003, the hospital in Massachusetts, US, seemingly shut down for good. The nightmarish 128-acre site saw its 27 buildings closed down and boarded up. But that was until its ruins were chosen by filmmakers to appear on the big screen. READ MORE WORLD NEWS PUTT UP FOR SALE Abandoned golf course where Justin Rose won first tournament up for sale The deserted asylum featured in Hollywood blockbuster Shutter Island, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, in 2010. The eerie site made a perfect filming spot for Martin Scorsese's heartstopping psychological thriller. The blockbuster film chilled viewers to the core - and the striking effect was only possible with the help of the historical site. In the film, Ashecliffe Hospital is the fictional asylum used to house the Criminally Insane. So Medfield Hospital, with its creepy and empty vibe, served as the perfect shooting location for the fictional asylum. Brit explorer Ben Stevens travelled to the long-abandoned hospital - which used to be known as the Medfield Insane Asylum. Shutter Island He ventured there after learning it was used as the shooting location for Shutter Island. The Brit told What's The Jam: "It felt very cool to be there as I'm a very big film fan. "I found out about it because I wanted to know where they filmed Shutter Island." He added: "Obviously, they dressed up a lot of the building as a set for the movie. "But I just liked the whole feel of the place, it felt very New England with the red buildings and the leaves." And the list of Medfield's big screen appearances doesn't stop there. The sinister island has provided ambient filming locations for movies such as The New Mutants and The Box. Chilling images of the historical hospital, which once accommodated as many as 2,200 patients, have also been revealed by Stevens. 13 One of the beds in the haunting asylum Credit: Jam Press/@places_forgotten 13 The exterior of the abandoned asylum Credit: Jam Press/@places_forgotten 13 Wheelchairs seen rotting inside Credit: Jam Press/@places_forgotten 13 The eerie site is set to receive a massive £22million make-over Credit: Getty After entering the former infirmary's haunted walls, Stevens came across lots of old equipment which were abandoned along with the hospital. Dusty wheelchairs stood motionless in corridors, alongside derelict beds which hadn't been used for years. Stevens, 31, detailed: 'I even found a patient's shoes. The whole place was very sinister because I know they conducted a lot of experiments on their patients. "They also had a very high security wing, which apparently mobsters were sent to, which is pretty cool." Medfield State Hospital opened in 1896 and was the first of its kind to adapt a cottage-style design - which ironically maximised daylight, fresh air, exercise and socialistion. This image stands in stark contrast to its haunted and silent reputation today. The location was used by local dog walkers - as well as film crews from across the country. Its destiny is set to be reshaped again - as a local nonprofit is hoping to transform the site into a hub for music and education. Seemingly unable to escape the entertainment industry, Medfield State Hospital is facing plans to become a brand new venue. The nonprofit has already hosted a variety of live music and festivals on the hospital grounds. The town of Medfield purchased the property in 2014, with discussions over what to do with it already ongoing. There were also concerns over how to handle a contaminated portion of the location. 13 The derelict hospital was set up in the 19th century Credit: Jam Press/@places_forgotten 13 It was used for over a hundred years Credit: Jam Press/@places_forgotten 13 The island featured in Shutter Island (2010) Credit: Handout After four years of collecting public input, the town completed a master plan in 2018. And in 2020, the Bellforge Arts Center secured a 99-year lease with the town on two signature buildings at the core of the new campus. Bellforge Arts Center programme director Paul Armstrong said: 'We're not here to copy what's being done, we're here to surprise, challenge expectations of a suburban art center and try to create something truly different for both the artists, the audiences, and the community.' The nonprofit is still raising funds for the £22million megaproject, which will involve renovating the Lee Chapel and Infirmary, linking two buildings with a glass annex, and developing surrounding green space for outdoor performances and community events. The groundbreaking performance venue will also feature a 300-seat auditorium for music, theatre, and dance. The flexible space will accommodate lectures, films, readings, community and business meetings, as well as special events like weddings. It will also hold indoor art exhibits, a kitchen and office space. The construction is starting this summer and is set to last about 16 months. Aside from the two buildings that will become an arts centre, the other 25 are set to become apartments. 13 Aerial view of the creepy asylum which holds 27 buildings Credit: Jam Press/@places_forgotten
