Wednesday 30 December 2009

Charlie Brooker is a hater

I was sent this link today by a DJ/producer friend of mine who, despite making a living from the music industry, shares Charlie Brooker's sentiments on how crap clubbing is.

In his Guardian column, Brooker says: 'The second thing that struck me was frightening. They were all photographing themselves. In fact, that's all they seemed to be doing.' In September I went to a Tinchy Stryder gig at Shepherd's Bush Empire. I took a picture of all the people taking pictures of... a curtain. Voila:


So on that point, I'm with Brooker. The rest of his piece, however, is rubbish - he clearly doesn't like music enough.

Click here to read Brooker's 'Nightclubs Are Hell' article.

Sunday 27 December 2009

Jay Cunning leaves Kiss


Tuesday morning heralds the end of Jay Cunning's breakbeat show on Kiss 100.

Jay took over from Tayo (who left for Radio One's In New DJs We Trust stint) in 2006, when the breakbeat scene was still thriving. Sadly it's nosedived lately, mainly down to a lack of exciting producers making exciting new music, and DJs being lured away by other groundbreaking styles.

Jay, who is leaving to focus on his Sub Slayers label, 'wouldn't say it's the end of breakbeat on Kiss FM' but a replacement breaks show hasn't yet been announced.

I was lucky enough to view the DJ in action, as a guest on the show in 2007. I appeared with Swifty B, who promised me he would behave himself when we were on (Swifty's very naughty). Then, when Jay asked how he'd got into producing, Swifty fed him a story about being inspired by Swedish porn films. I was mortified.

Jay is a ridiculously nice guy who created a brilliant show that reached far and wide across the scene, so don't miss the last instalment. Tune in to Kiss at 1am this Tuesday 29 Dec, or go back to it online by clicking here:
www.totalkiss.com/jaycunning

Wednesday 23 December 2009

European Festival Awards



The shortlist has been announced for the European Festival Awards.

Gravity Skanker's thoughts?

Exit Festival is probably the best in Europe, though it's going to be a tough battle against the mighty Glastonbury in the category for major events. Belgium's Dour (up for the Best Medium Sized Festival) won't be getting my vote any time soon. Neither will Heineken Festival in Poland, simply because the only booze you can buy is bloody Heineken (which inspired some pretty creative vodka smuggling last year). The Prodigy boys deserve any award we can throw at them, so please let them whoop Bruce Springsteen to Best Headline Performance.

There's very little in the way of British festivals (anyone heard of Sonisphere?) but I guess that gives us all a good excuse to bugger off abroad.

Click here to pick your top festival. Voting ends Wednesday 30 December.

Wednesday 16 December 2009

So Solid: the return?



UK garage crew So Solid are back.

Ten years ago this impossibly large London collective started permeating the garage scene with hit after hit: 'Oh No' (I'm talking the original mix), '21 Seconds' and - don't cringe - 'Bound 4 da Reload'.

Now they've returned with a new single, 'Since You Went Away', which hits the charts in January.

'I feel like a gifted brother. Not a lot of people get a second chance,' says Mega Man in the intro to this (dare I say it) catchy RnB track, co-starring Lisa Maffia and Romeo. It seems the crew are hedging their bets elsewhere for this one though, with a video that couldn't be more US-try-hard if it, er, tried.

Still, it's nice to hear Mega's smooth tones again - even if this is a bit pop for my tastes.

Make your own mind up:

Sunday 13 December 2009

Brass is class



I DJed a few weeks ago at the hilarious Why So Serious? night at Russian Bar in Dalston. Its a big phat 90s mashup with a great crowd and plenty of glowsticks (plus a game of pass-the-parcel).

On the dancefloor, I chatted to a guy who'd been to Bestival this year. His favourite act of the whole festival? A brass band that played the Polka Tent - and totally packed it out.

This was interesting. A raver saying they prefered a brass group to an hour of Carl Cox DJing old skool? (That was possibly the best set, anywhere, of 2009.)

So I looked into it. Turns out they're an eight-piece band from east London called Brassroots, and they are absolute class.

Check out their version of Inner City's 'Good Life' here:
www.myspace.com/brassroots

If you're at Glastonbury, Lovebox or Bestival next year make sure you pay them a visit.

And if you like the sound, follow this up with a listen to the famous Hot 8 Brass Band, a New Orleans group that have been rockin tings since their first album (on Tru Thoughts) in 2007:
www.hot8brassband.com

Tuesday 8 December 2009

MPs go raving

The Telegraph newspaper says that a group of MPs will hit da club to learn about cocaine use.

Fourteen Members of Parliament will go raving because they want to see the Class-A drug's culture in action, 'warts and all'.

'Some of these clubs are real rave-ups with people doing all sorts,' said the police. Too fucking right.

So I'm left wondering, a) How they plan to watch this drug in action. Will they be waiting in toilet cubicles hoping someone will come in and start racking up a line? Which begs the question, b) Why do MPs want to spend a night in toilet cubicles? (Ron Davies might know the answer to that one) and finally, c) What will they wear?

I reckon this:



To read the article, click here.

Speaking of clubs, check out my new snazzy monthly club listings. Send me recommendations if you have them too, please. Cheers ears.