Cutting Loose

This programme contains some strong language.

'When I'm out there myself,

'I can't seem to cope with the outside world, if you know what I mean?'

'It's a lot harder on the outside than it is on the inside.

'Because when I'm outside I'm pure lost, I don't know what to do.

'I don't know how to pay bills,

'I just don't know how to structure my life.'

'I need somebody to tell me what to do.'

'The only time I stayed out of prison is when I had a girlfriend,

'and she was just telling me what to do, if you know what I mean?'

'You have vivid dreams about outside, really vivid ones,

'but I always end up thinking I'm outside.

'And then, bang, you wake up and you're in here,

'and you're like... "Fuck, I'm in jail".'

SIRENS WAIL

'Cos I won it last year, I don't know if they'll let me win it again this year.

'But I'll give it a bash anyway.

'It's this tough environment,

'you don't want to be classed as a hairdresser.

'A hairdresser is gay and a barber's not.'

'It's a reputation in here as well.

'It's a status thing in here, getting a bad haircut or a good haircut.

'It's mad, it's pure crazy.'

'You walk about with a bad haircut,

'you're not as clever as the other one that's got a good haircut.

'Jail politics it's called.'

'I think I'm the most well-known guy in Barlinnie anyway, definitely.'

'Some people say you are born to do something, sort of thing.

'It's as if it comes dead natural to me. I don't even think when I'm cutting,

'I just let my hands go away and they just cut, if you know what I mean?'

You've got to blend it right up on your head.

Rather than just blend it normally,

you've got to blend it up and round. It's a lot better, but.

It's lying on they pillows, one side sticks up

and you can't get it down and all that.

'You get different people every time, you know?

'I like to try and work out all the different people's characters.

'You see people are similar to other people's characters.'

You've not seen the back yet!

That's you, my man, nearly finished.

You said to me you'd stay off it. You're better staying away from it.

Aye, I've been doing my AAs in here twice a week in here, mate.

You going to AA are you?

Aye, they're good, mate.

You're better off staying away, mate.

Aye, definitely, mate, I've got far too much to lose.

I'm moving in to a new house and all.

'I'm a barber, a social worker, a psychologist, all in the one day'.

-Aye, it's nice, mate. Cheers.

-All right, mate?

-Aye.

-Look at that, mate.

-Cheers, mate.

-You can't rush perfection, Tam.

-I know, mate. Right, mate, cheers.

See you later, Tam. See you later, pal.

You want a haircut today, John?

'Most of them come in because they've got visits, you know?

' "I've got a visit today, can I get a haircut?"

'Or court, even.

'There was a guy in yesterday who was like that, "Shave it all off".

'I'm like, "You're going to court, man".

'He went, "Aye, you're right".

'I just gave him a normal haircut. Instead of getting it shaved in

'and going to court in his pure anti-authority haircut.'

'Skinhead's an anti-authority haircut, isn't it?

'That's what it says, isn't it? What it screams out.'

'I was up in Shotts Prison cutting guys' hair, like, murderers and...

'In that wee ten minutes with them, they were totally different guys.

'You're getting to know the real guys.'

'Obviously, there's guys that really deserve prison,

'but there are guys like you yourself who had five minutes of utter madness

'and they're in prison for the rest of their lives, sort of thing.'

'These guys regret every single minute of it for the rest of their life.'

'It's unbelievable the amount of same faces that come back in.

'Joe that got out of here just last week, he's back already, and he was only out a week.'

'My biggest fear's coming back, that's definitely my biggest fear.'

'See, in here, I keep my mind outside.

'My brain is not in here with me, ken what I mean?

'My body's doing the time.'

'I'm reasonably trusted up here. I handle a pair of scissors every single day.'

I got Sweeney Todd!

'I'm in for murder. I'm in so...

'But yet I'm trusted with a pair of scissors.'

'It's a volatile place, ken what I mean?

'Things can spark off like that.

'If somebody says something stupid

'and I'm standing there with a pair of scissors in my hand

'that are sharp enough to cut a throat...'

'I'm trusted not to do that.

'Well, that is something that I really, really appreciate.'

You know they're even bringing out Mars bars with the English flag on?

Mars bars with the English flag!

'I took six weeks off there.

'I was lying feeling sorry for myself, down in the dumps.

'But I gave myself a kick up the backside.'

'Me and Karen had spoken.'

Guys, come and get your scissors.

'I can talk to her about things

'that I wouldn't talk to other people about and just...

'She's been great.

'She sort of gave us the mornings off,

'just come in and work in the afternoons.'

'See, when I first started cutting the hair, I just started panicking.

'Like, "Karen! Come and help us!"

'When I first started, I was like "Oh."

'In the end she just taught us how to cut the hair.'

It's a section thing.

See what you're doing there?

-It's because it's wet it stays like that, eh?

-Yeah.

There's your line under there,

you hold the hair at right angles.

'She's given us that wee bit of space,

'that wee bit of time to try and get my head cleared.'

'Sometimes I bounce back quicker than others.'

'You see an advert on the telly, kids getting abused or something,

'it brings all these memories back.'

'Cos my dad was a vicious, vicious man, eh?

'I've just always got this recurring dream

'that he's chasing us through this cornfield

'that used to be at my bit, eh?'

'Chasing us through this cornfield and I used to...be hiding.'

'Dive down and hide.'

'It's good when I have the good dreams, ken?

'I wake up in a brilliant mood

'and it's like, "Yeah, I've had a good one, eventually," ken?'

'I wouldn't mind getting involved, once I've sorted myself out,

'in helping other victims and that, eh?'

'I think I could be a good help 'once I get myself better.'

Right, ladies,

are we ready to get you up to the salon?

They used to bring us in biscuits, fags, cakes - the lot!

But they put a stop to it. They said it was trafficking!

So they weren't allowed to bring us in anything, not even a magazine!

And they don't like it because they're getting their hair done for free every week,

so they like to bring us something in, but they're just not allowed to.

Right, ladies, I'll take you in.

'I've been away from my young daughter.

'And she's asking why can't she come to my house.'

'I said, "Remember Mummy put you on the naughty step -

'"for a minute every year of your age - two and a half minutes?"

'I said, "Well Mummy's too big for the naughty step

'"so the policeman came and put Mummy in the big house

'"with lots of other ladies who have been naughty."'

'And she said, "Have you not been good yet, Mummy, so you can come home?"'

'And I said, "I have but I've still got to stay here to make sure I'm good."'

'You fly with the crows, you get shot with the crows.'

'I've done all my hairdressing, I'm fully qualified in that.

'And I'm going to open a hairdressers after the barbering.

'I'm not going to work for anyone else.

'I'm not going to embarrass myself by showing them my CV,

'saying that I've had a murder charge, do you know what I mean?'

'I wouldn't employ anyone that had done that.'

'I can't really remember the past few years.

'I know I've been in here

'but if I was to open up to it fully, I think I'd be in a pure mess.'

'I just want to go home and I want my mum to hold me

'and say, "It's all over now."'

'14 and a half years. I've been in jail since I was 16.

'I counted it up a few weeks ago.'

'I used to want to be a bus driver, I know it sounds daft, but I wanted to be a bus driver.

'A guy called Donald McDonald, he used to let me on the bus and I used to go away

'and he used to actually let me drive a big double-decker bus when I was 12.'

'When I get out, I keep dreaming that I'll do a lot better

'and I'll not get in to any trouble, I'll get a job and get a house.

'That's what keeps me going. Being positive about the future, sort of thing.'

'My future is that bright, I've got to wear shades, you know?'

'I couldn't say that I've had a bad life.

'I had a cracking mum and dad, a cracking upbringing.

'It was just the area where we grew up.

'It was like...there was nothing for us to do.'

'My mum and dad split up and I went off the rails a wee bit when I was 15.

'That's when I started going a wee bit mad.

'My mum's really liberal, you know?

'She's that laid back, she's horizontal.'

-So what's different this time?

-It just feels different.

Drugs was my problem, that was a bad thing all my life, you know that.

-You've just got to say no.

-Aye, that's all finished with now.

You were always a boy that could never say no but you've got to say no this time.

-I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

-I know, Mum.

-You've got two beautiful kids.

To me, you didn't have any problems.

You were creating them for yourself. And then they were hurting me.

You weren't the one that was hurting.

But the last time you come up to me and you collapsed in my arms and what did you say to me?

"Mum, I need help."

I said, "Tell me what you want, tell me how to help you."

And you said, "Dial 999 and tell the police where I am."

'I regret the last 17 years.'

'I'm 33 and heroin has affected my whole.'

'I'm still paying for it 10, 15 years later.'

Bring it in a bit, it's a bit better like that, know what I mean?

It looks a lot better now, Jolly, know what I'm talking about?

When you bring it in like that, you use that wee angle of the heid

to get a wee natural blend. A wee flick of the wrist.

Oh, look at this - he's getting a wee boy band haircut.

A boy band haircut, he's getting. JLS.

-Get the gel out.

-I'm on the receiving end of it here. The gloves are off.

-Get the gel out.

-You better give me a bit of gel.

Here, Shockwaves!

I'm trying to get sponsored by them.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

-Number eight.

-Eight? There?

One, two, three, four, five, six? There?

Puk gaai? Asshole? Me no puk gaai, no?

No, he says no. Wait till I finish and he might call me that.

This is Glasgow, just get his haircut!

-Oh, there's James in behind me again.

-Seriously, man!

-How is it, all right?

-I don't know, what do you think?

OK, mate? Where's your clippers, Andy?

So just to taper a bit at the top of it.

-See as you run through the top of it?

-Aye.

Fringe.

There you go, my friend, that's you.

-That's you, xie xie.

-Xie xie.

-Chinese for thank you.

-Thank you.

There you go.

Got my stars done, my lines done and my spikes cut down with Duffy.

So what are you getting?

Right, I want it taken down, put that back in a ponytail

then take that right down to a number two and then just tribal it in.

Have you left enough hair to the fucking cutting in?

Aye, definitely, it's only one and a half.

Aye one and half maximum. Aye, excellent, that's all right.

'I have to be careful with people who've spent a lot of years behind bars.

'You could say something wrong. You have to watch what you're saying.'

There's no hair there, why are you cutting it?

-Not much left, is there?

-Aye, there's not much left up there.

Doesn't mean you've got to rub the last couple of hairs off either.

So, you ever dye your hair?

No, I don't dye my hair.

You're really funny. I thought you were a hairdresser, not a comedian.

'You always have to respect strangers

'because you don't know who you're going to meet.'

So, how long you been in the jail?

-16 months now.

-16 months, is that it?

I've been in for about just over two years, this sentence.

All in Scotland, aye?

Aye, just this sentence, so far. Altogether 22 and a half.

-22 and a half?

-Aye.

Do you do the gym?

Yeah, I go to the gym, aye, it's the only good thing you get.

Besides getting your hair cut.

-That's another good thing - you can get your haircut.

-Aye.

-At least they spend a bit of money.

-From perfectionists, innit?

Now, you watch that ponytail or you'll be dying.

Aye, definitely, mate.

Why are you getting the highlights?

Just for something different, man.

-Something different?

-Aye.

Quite a lot of female staff come in and get their's done, as well, so...

..keeps us busy.

So what's happening with the competition, tomorrow? Are the lasses coming from Cornton Vale as well?

-Probably, aye.

-Barlinnie?

Are they coming from all over the place, all the different jails?

Bit of recognition for all your work.

'Just a jail competition.

'And after that, I don't think we've got any future, to be honest.'

See for the competition, I'm going to cut your hair, right?

See how we've left it to grow a bit?

Aye it isn't half, it's like a mattress up the top.

I'm just going to, just going to do your normal style of haircut,

just bring it in a good bit with just scissors over comb.

We'll not be using any clippers at all.

Aye, just cutting with scissors and comb.

Years ago, the old guy that taught me,

he says a good barber doesn't touch the hair with his hands, know what I mean?

Just cos you're in the jail doesn't mean you can't get a decent haircut.

You'll be able to see for yourselves, know what I mean?

Saving the best till last.

Is that sweat on his head or water?

That's it, I'm going to this competition to get a shot at the title.

-That's how he's been crowned three times.

-That's it.

Looks like he's got a tattie-head.

-Look at Alfie with the shield.

-This what they're all fighting for, we hold it.

We are the best. Bring it all on, all comers.

If you think you're hard enough.

You probably get more of a decent haircut in here sometimes than you would outside.

-There you go, there's a towel.

-Do you want me to finish it off for you, pal?

Happy, my friend?

Right, Steg, on you go!

'The real prize is getting out that front gate. That's my first prize.'

'Next competition I'll do, is the one on the outside'

Morning, everybody, my pleasure as governor of Glenochil

to extend a very warm welcome to you all.

This is the annual hairdressing competition.

Relax, enjoy the setting, enjoy the competition

and I'm sure you will all do your best.

That's time now, if you'd like to start. You have an hour.

Good luck!

You've got five minutes left and then down tools, OK?

So, we'll do the results in reverse order.

Third prize goes to Perth prison - Colin Cowie.

APPLAUSE

Second prize...Francis Duffy.

APPLAUSE

And for first prize

we move to home territory, Glenochil - Andrejz Balzac.

APPLAUSE

Takes you a wee while to get used to not being with all the noise

and all the... It's like a bear being in a cage for years

and then you let it out in the woods, it doesn't...

It's a wee bit confused, if you know what I mean.

-Have you been over to Ireland, lately?

-Two weeks ago.

-Did you tell everyone I was asking for them?

-I told every one of them.

Did you tell them I was working away on some ship somewhere?

The Good Ship Lollipop.

We'll need to get you a wee comb through,

if you know what I mean. A wee dye.

I was telling them that you won the hairstylist.

-Oh, the hairdressing competition

-The hairstylist.

Well, I came in second, Mum. Raging about that.

-You still won it.

-I won it the year before, aye, but...

It's a good achievement that you done that, you won that.

And you're the barber of the year, I have the photograph to prove it.

And the trophies.

-Don't take any off the front.

-I'm not going to.

-You're looking grand.

-Am I looking good, Mum?

-You're looking good.

-I was sitting out in the sun the other day.

-So what's on the agenda now, then?

-I don't know, Mum, to be honest.

I'm just going to take my time this time, just not rush into things.

Nice wee thingummy, it goes into the middle here.

I know, I like my hair short, I don't like long hair.

I know you don't like it that long. All right, Mum?

-Grand.

-Are you a happy chappie?

-That's lovely

There you go now.

-Can I make the appointment for next week?

-That'll be £17.50.

-Away!

-I'll give you £18.

-Is that all?

-Can I make an appointment for next week?

-Yes, you can.

-Just a dry trim.

-A dry trim, £18 again.

-That's all right, Frannie, £18.

-I'll give you two for £20 this time. That's you.

-Thank you. Thank you.

-Glad to have me back?

I'm glad to have you back, Son.

-Even if it's for the haircut.

-Oh, is that all?

I can go away now you've had your haircut?!

-No, that was lovely.

-Right, cup of tea now?

-Yes, get the kettle on.

-Kettle's on.

'I need to go and do something, so my kids can look up at me

'and say, "That's my Dad," sort of thing.'

'I'd like to just start afresh.'

'I'm only 33. 33's not that old.

'I don't think it's old anyway, you know what I mean?'

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