Just updating all my Twitter settings.......

So if anyone out there isn't following my updates, join me over at Twitter x

This is GREAT :)

Sign up and make your own mixtape, then share it with the world!
More details here... and i've already made my first mix, and should you wish to hear what it sounds like, here it is!

Here's how my Thursday sounds.....

Kid Dakota "Stars"- this is just amazing. Turn it up as loud as you dare.

It was nearly 20 years ago.....

...but here's what my life looked like back then. I was working in Slam City, when we co-hosted this skate night at the Limelight, in London. Back then, to put a mini-ramp in a club was quite revolutionary, I seem to recall it making the evening news here in town. Anyway, I think that's my disembodied hand in the photo at the bottom of the page, the shot was taken by my then boss, Paul Sunman, and IIRC, we were standing up by the VIP lounge, where we'd been having a beer with Kevin Staab. I managed to drink way too much beer and twist my ankle on a rock fakie, but apart from that, a truly great night. There's more here, and the rest of the site is highly recommended for all you old-schoolers out there.

Welcome back....

I spent Monday night at the Islington Academy, watching Lowgold. It's been almost 8 years since I first saw them play (at the garage, supporting Wheat) and two years since their last show (it's in the archives!) I can vividly remember the sense of wonder when I first saw Lowgold, and that sense of wonder has never dimmed; if anything, it's become stronger and more resolute with every passing year. I've said this before, but they are, without doubt, my favourite British band of the last 10 years, and it would seem I'm not alone in my opinions. The crowd was larger than two years ago, and even more appreciative. The set they played on Monday was nothing short of jaw-dropping, and, bizarrely, could have been drawn up in response to someone asking me: "tell me, which songs would you MOST like Lowgold to play?" It consisted of all my favourite tunes they've ever done, with the possible exception of "Back Here Again" and "Can't Say No". I'm not ashamed to say I had tears in my eyes on a number of occasions (notably on "Let Me Into Yours")
What was especially pleasing to see, was the positive reception given to tracks off the new CD "Promise Lands". "Burning Embers" in particular, sounded immense, and left me slightly dumb-struck.

For all of you who fancy a trip down memory lane, here's the video to "Beauty Dies Young":

I'm off to listen to the new CD....again :)

Wow!

This may only be of interest to the Skaters out there...but here goes anyway: Stevie Caballero has a blog. Hurrah!

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha

I shouldn't laugh really, but it's such a wonderful feeling to be proved right.
Xfm returns DJ's to its daytime schedule.
So, the "revolutionary experiment" is over. And for those of you out there who bought Xfm's excuse that it was all about giving power back to the listener, finding a new and exciting way to engage with the audience, all of that claptrap.....let me just tell you this: I can tell you, for a fact, that it was only done to save money. They did all of that, they destroyed the sound and the credibility of the station I loved so much, just to cut corners and save cash. May they rot in hell!
Actually, 2 of the people responsible for the disastrous XU have already found themselves redundant, so once the remaining culprits go as well....then I'll finally open that bottle of champagne and toast their departure. So long, suckers.

A cautionary tale....

I spent most of last week unable to properly access my wireless connections, and also suffered from having my Ethernet port on my laptop disabled as well. Five days of confusion, head-scratching, long phone calls to various help desks.....
And the culprit, I eventually worked out, was a tiny little accelerator programme I'd downloaded for use with my mobile broadband. For all you T-Mobile customers, it's on this page , but I strongly suggest you don't bother with it.
Apart from that, it's been another week of activity on Shadowglobe, most notable for finding one of my favourite new bands in the world right now. They are The Muslims , and they ROCK.
What else? Well, I've been keeping myself fit, seeing as I was looking a little portly after all the fun'n'frolics of the Xmas/New Year festivities. So, I've started jogging. Sheez, has it come to this? It's not very rock'n'roll is it? Well, it has meant I'm looking a little more svelte, and I'm loving the fact it means I can clear my head first thing in the morning, and approach the coming day with a greater sense of purpose. I'm no disciple, let's get that straight, but it's doing me good.

Ah, a new obsession....

Every now and again, something wonderful comes along. What makes that thing even more wonderful is the unexpected nature of its arrival. I was never looking for Sukpatch, for Sun Kil Moon, for Wim Mertens; they just sort of appeared. Once they become assimilated so completely into my psyche, it's difficult to imagine a time when they weren't there.
Well, it's time for another obsession.
Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to Bon Iver. This is just wonderful, chilling, uplifting, haunting, exciting, thrilling and visceral genius. I defy anyone out there not to be moved by this.
Here's the video for "Wolves (Act I & II)"

The album is called "For Emma, Forever Ago" and would appear to be the first essential purchase of this year.

*Sniff*

This is, for today, simply the most beautiful song ever recorded.
Tom Waits "Take Me Home"

You may have noticed.....

The Google chat box i've added to this blog (and Downwithtractors, too!) More about it, and how it works (you don't need a gmail account to chat) is right here.

Well, i'm still here.....

Despite the wind, rain, and high tides.
At the present time, we seem to be in the eye of the storm, and there's a strangely serene, calm feeling to the day. As the drops of rain run down the window over my shoulder, and a small patch of blue sky peeks through the clouds, this song popped up onto the ipod: it seems rather fitting, despite it's seasonal references.
The Durutti Column "A Sketch For Summer"
FYI: the album from which this track came: "The Return Of The Durutti Column", originally came in a sleeve made of Sandpaper. It was a typical Factory Wheeze, supposedly to reflect the clash of textural sounds within the grooves, but more than likely Tony Wilson's astute ability to be able to mix marketing and style. Also typical of Tony Wilson was his penchant for saving the pennies here and there: he couldn't find anyone brave enough to fold up the abrasive sleeves, so asked one of his other Factory bands if they'd like to earn a few quid by assembling some sleeves. Reluctantly, they agreed. The band in question? Joy Division. Legend has it then, that as all the sleeves were hand-folded by Joy Division, some of their skin was left on the sandpaper, and thus all the sleeves contain tiny fragments of Joy Division DNA. it's probably wishful thinking, but it's a cute tale, nonetheless.

Stormchasing.....

there's a certain amount of breathless anticipation when one goes to sleep the night before all reputable sources are predicting the whole of the South coast will be pounded by one of the worst storms for decades. Will there be rain sheeting down the windows when I wake? Will the howling gale mean I can't go for my morning jog along the seafront? What will the sea look like? Time for me to wrap up this Sunday evening, go to sleep, and see what happens tomorrow.
Night all.
x

Here's one from the photo archive...

That's me and Mike, at Harrow skatepark, in 1988

Hardcore, you know the score........

I had a DJing gig on Saturday night that was a wonderful excuse to rip a load of Old School Hardcore vinyl onto mp3....and first out of the box and onto the hard drive was this slice of dub'n'break madness from 1992: truly one of the biggest old school tunes EVER:
The Criminal Minds: "Baptised By Dub"

(the sample "Can't beat the system, go with the flow!" is from an old MC Duke tune "I'm Riffin" which also provided most of the breaks for the early 2 Bad Mice tunes....)
But what else have I been up to? Well, trying to emerge from the depression of a long and difficult February. I'm getting there.