Squeaky Sneaker

Moving...

2010-03-06T15:34:00.002Z

Been here a year now and it's time to move on.

Our new address is Squeakysneaker over at Wordpress. Hopefully be posting more, inspired by the new look site. Hop on over and take a look.

Good bye, cruel Blogspot x

Nobody Beats The Drum - Grindin'

2010-03-01T21:31:00.002Z

I Had A Dream

2010-02-26T20:25:00.006Z

I'm driving along a coastal road, LA or Miami maybe. I'm in a Ferrari Testarossa, probably red. I'm wearing a pastel coloured flannel shirt, which is likely to be pink, maybe lavender. The setting sun is reflecting off the RB Aviators and I seem to have put blonde streaks in my hair. Are my trousers white? Deck shoes? Fuck what do I look like?

Fear of Tigers has featured a couple of times already on SS and I keep coming back to him, mainly 'cause he's brilliant. He lovingly wraps his tunes in synth and padded, squelchy, beats and yeah, it reminds me of the 80's, this much synthesiser has to, but I never liked the 80's that much, musically or sartorially. It's not nostalgia that draws me to FOT, it's the positivity in his music. It makes you feel like you're driving the flash car along the cliff top as the sun goes down. It's like opening the curtains on a sun soaked morning, hearing the birds chattering. It makes you feel better.

And his album was free...

Get on to him and tell him you love him. I told him on Twitter, but he hasn't replied...

This remix of Yes Giantess ' Ruins ' is top. Give it a listen. Then listen again and again...and again. It goes all Laura Brannigan 'Gloria' at about 2.45 then he just lets you have it.

Yes Giantess - ' Ruins (Fear of Tigers Remix)'

Anoorak - ' Nightdrive With You (Fear of Tigers Remix)'

Don't Get Paranoid With Me

2010-02-20T21:58:00.005Z

Today I attended a potatoe fair ( purchased Yukon Gold and Picasso, if you were wondering) and went hunting for fossils on Wenlock Edge. Some bright spark had used the best fossil yeilding rocks to build a wall, so of course now there isn't much wall left. Found some good amonites, if you were wondering.

Also listened to a tape...

This was on it.

That was my day...

That's Poppers O'Clock Then

2010-02-16T19:29:00.002Z

The build in this is properly monster

Wonderful

2010-02-14T17:46:00.005Z

When I bought my first tonne of wood, back in September, I thought that was a lot of wood. Four more tonnes later and I realise that it's not. I'm obsessed with wood (never thought I'd write that). Everywhere I go I'm constantly thinking 'ooh that would burn well' whenever I see a fallen branch or long stick. I can be found, staring at a pile of timber, working out in my head how I can get it home. I've travelled miles for it, through inches of snow. I have pallets delivered to the house and when I saw council workers lopping branches outside my house, it may aswell have been a naked contortionist troupe, the way I reacted. Wood is good (whole other meaning for any Yanks that might be reading this).

It's down to the cold and the fact that we've had a bloody cold winter. Out here, on the edge, it gets really really cold. There's no neighbouring houses, seeping warmth for a start. It's cosey in suburbia, or in a terrace. Loads of residual heat floating about. In the sticks, you've got to make your own heat. Hence the obsession with wood of any kind. Cold stone floors sting like they're hot first thing in the morning and after five months of winter the cold is in your bones and you feel like you'll never get warm again. I've never really noticed heating before, it's just a switch and something to do with a boiler. It's a lot more immediate when it involves hacking stuff up before you can feel warm.

That said - I've got a big fucking axe, so that's a plus

Chelley - 'Took The Night (Grum Vocal Mix)'

Wiley - 'Never Be Your Woman (Herve Re-Work)

Actual Phantom - 'Toy'

Gorrilaz - 'Stylo (Yuksek Remix)'

We Are Actually At A Rave...

2010-02-12T17:00:00.007Z

If you're young you won't remember The Hitman and Her (and if you ever went out on a Saturday night, you won't have seen it), Michaela Strachan and Pete Waterman filming late night shows from actual clubs. The show ran from 1988 to 1992, which is amazing really when you consider it just featured groups of pissed people dancing badly in clubs. Take That appeared on one show, also Kylie and Guru 'Bloody' Josh. Until 1992 they usually filmed in cheesy clubs in Bradford or Blackpool, where the people got hammered on Bacardi and Coke and danced around their bags. Clubs and clubbing were changing around them though. Rave was really taking off in the clubs, as were pills (twenty five quid a pop, but they'd last for hours), suddenly this whole Pete and Michaela in da club stuff didn't seem such a good idea. Suddenly it looked naive, aswell as naff.

I really wish they'd revisit this idea now. On ITV. After Extreme Cops With Guns and Dogs on The Streets At War

The Return Of The Sneaky Interview

2010-02-10T20:22:00.004Z

It's been a while since the last SS interview (thinking of questions is hard, ok). The last one was with Tom from Run Riot, spookily enough. Since we last spoke he has been a busy boy. There's been remixes on Skint, Ape Music, and Sound of Habib.There's his remix of Double 99s ' RIP Grooove' which spent a month on the DJ Download House Chart, getting airplay on Kiss FM, as one of the Breaks tracks of the year. Throw in some live performances and running a label of his own, We Are Live Records, and I'm suprised the lad can raise the energy to answer questions at all.

SS - What do you listen to, day to day? Are you listening to radio, I-Pod, is the music that you hear influencing you?

Run Riot - I do most of my listening on Soundcloud these days as there’s loads of exciting new music on there. I don’t listen to very much radio and I’ve never owned an iPod. I’m far more concerned about finding new music for my label and making my own instead. Occasionally I will hear something that influences what I do in some way but these are more often from the big players!

SS - What would you say is your most important piece of kit?

Run Riot - It’s got to be Cubase. It’s what I use to lay my tracks down. All the rest of my gear is pretty dispensable. Although I do love my Korg EMX – so DIRTY!

SS - I used to be a rock kid and didn't find it much of a jump from RATM, Queens of The Stone Age, et al to the more driving electro, breaks I'm into now. Can you see similarities between rock and dance (I see that your influences include Muse and QOTSA).

Run Riot - Definitely! There’s power and energy in both. They’re obviously pretty different musically but connect with people on the same level and are equally important to music. A LOT of my influences are rock bands. I usually take musical influences from rock and production ideas from dance.

SS - Will Justice ever make another record? (serious doubts in the Squeaky Sneaker Camp)

Run Riot - Let’s hope so!!

SS - What have you got planned for 2010?

Run Riot - Lots of live shows - I’ll be hitting the festivals again this summer, which I can’t wait for! Remixes - I’ve got some BIG name interest that I’m pretty excited about at the moment.

I’ll also be working on a couple of original EPs. I feel like I’m getting better all the time. Hopefully my output throughout 2010 will show this ;)

SS - How are things going with We Are Live? What's happening on that front this year?

Run Riot - Things are going great with the label. My latest release, ‘Take My Hand’, has just been released on it and it has had some great reviews. I’ve recently signed some quality artists and can’t wait to get their stuff out there. The label will release multi-genre electronic music, not just Breaks - basically anything I think is cool!

SS - What are your biggest tracks at the moment?

Run Riot - Plaza De Funk - Push n Pull
Audiohazard - First Contact (Karton Remix)
Far Too Loud - Bass Association
Loving Access Denied’s output at the moment too

SS - Roy Keane - the best man for the job?

Run Riot - Ha, nice research! Yeah, I think so... We’ve had a bit of a shit season so far considering we were one of the favourites to go up at the start. We’ve had far too many draws but there are signs that we are starting to perform now - fingers crossed for a surge up the table!

SS - In a similar vein, Ipswich Town have been bought up by a Middle Eastern business man and amazingly they've come to you to discuss signings. Who's on the dream list?

Run Riot - Cech, Tevez, Drogba, Terry, Rooney, Lampard, Ferdinand, Ronaldo, Giggs ...I’m sure they wouldn’t be too expensive!!

SS - Can you make a cocktail?

Run Riot - Nope, but I can ask for one

Good lad. Thanks a lot to Tom for subjecting himself to the sort of GMTV interview technique we're famous for and frankly proud of.

You can get the Take My Hand EP here. I highly recommend doing so, 'cause it's aceness. You can also vote for Run Riot in the Breakspoil Awards and you should do that too.

Double 99 - 'Groove RIP (Run Riot Remix)

Everything Is Shit...

2010-02-09T19:06:00.002Z

...apart from this which is great.

Barretso - 'We Wont Stop (Kolt 13 Remix)'

Spring must be in the air, as I'm slipping out of my Dreamwave period and moving back towards the BANGERS again. Honestly, winter can just fuck off.

Two Door Cinema Club - Undercover Martyn

2010-02-07T20:08:00.005Z

We're loving TDCC and we're massively excited about their album, due out on the 1st March. Everything we've heard has been class, uplifting pop and that's what we like from our geetar based indy stuff.

A lot of video posts at the moment, I realise. Been caught up with some February gardening madness and though I maybe looking toned and healthy from it, it doesn't leave me much time for blogging. Back with something mammoth soon

The Maccabees Feat Roots Manuva

2010-02-04T11:17:00.001Z

Youtube Music Is...

2010-02-02T16:21:00.001Z

At The End Of The Rainbow...

2010-01-31T16:06:00.004Z

...you will sometimes discover a pot of gold. Or in this case, every Essential Mix from 1993 to now

Get Them Here

Loonies To Blow

2010-01-30T20:52:00.003Z

Sweet A-Trak remix of Drake & Birdmans 'Loonies To Blow'

The Vault

2010-01-30T15:37:00.005Z

If an alien emerged from his spacecraft and asked me to name five tunes that encapsulated my music taste I'd have to say...'Give me a week and I'll get right back to you. Don't go blowing up the White House or anything, alright?' After the week was over (in which time I imagine the alien standing, tapping his silver booted feet and steaming up his space helmet, considering if he should, while I'm away, take over the world and enslave humans for meat) I'd return with a little scrap of paper. This is what it would say -

1. Felix Cartal - Moss v Tree

2. Phones - Sharpen the Knives

3. Les Petit Pilous - Jolie Fille

4. Christopher & Raphael Just - Popper

5. Vitalic - La Rock 01

Then under that there would be a scribbled disclaimer saying something about the list being in no particular order, because lists scare the shit out of me. It means I'm commited to an opinion.

Todays Vault features number 3 (though it could be number 4 or 5. Don't fence me in, man) on the list. Les Petit Pilous have a new EP out very soon, and that's all the information I have on it. Their twitter says that they're putting the finishing touches to it now, but to be fair they've been saying that since November. There's some footage of Boys Noize playing a new LPP track out here, if you can hear it over the shouting, but other than that it's all very hush. I can't wait anyway.

As this the Vault though, I don't need an excuse to post my fave LPP track. 'Jolie Fille' was massive back in 2007. I remember having an almost religious experience with it and some fast strobe once, or I could have dreamt the whole thing.

Enjoy x

Les Petit Pilous - 'Jolie Fille'

News!

2010-01-29T22:08:00.001Z

It's The Music That You Choose

2010-01-26T17:02:00.003Z

We used to have a bi-annual trip to Shell Island, where we'd camp for a few days, drink loads and 'experiment' with various narcotics. Shell Island itself is a magical place, especially deep at night, when it has a light all of its own and plunging dunes which fuck with your depth perception, leaving you flailing down a sheer 20ft drop, which had looked like a nice little step down seconds before. You can build a fire, then sit for hours, staring into the jumping flames, listening to tunes, until the batteries on the ghetto blaster died. Good times indeed.

I tried a bit of Plan B (first album, when he was a little bit more angry...), around the fire one evening and to say it killed the mood would be understating it somewhat. Which goes to prove that it's not only the music that you choose, but when you choose it aswell.

This one's for the Shell Island Massive - may we get there again sometime

Plan B - 'Stay Too Long (Pendulum Remix)'

Dada Life

2010-01-25T21:28:00.004Z

Favourite mix of the year so far, opening with my favourite tune of the year so far. Mighty

Dada Life - 'January 2010 Mix'

The Subs – Mitsubitchi
Yolanda Be Cool – Afro Nuts (Douster Remix)
Honorebel feat Pitbull & Jump Smokers – Now You See It (Benny Benassi Dub Remix)
Nouveau Yorican – Boriqua
Cajmere – The Percolator (Dada Life Guerilla Fart #TBA)
Dada Life – Love Vibrations (D.I.M. ReLove Mix)
Crookers – Remedy
Fake Blood – I Think I Like It
Dan Black Feat. Kid Cudi – Symphonies (Dada Life Remix)
True Pseudo – Freaking Me Out (Designer Drugs Remix)
MVSEVM – French Jeans (Dada Life Remix)
Far Too Loud – Bass Association

The Subs - Mistubitchi

2010-01-24T18:12:00.001Z

2010-01-22T20:52:00.003Z

Great remix for you today. We've never hidden our admiration for Ellie Goulding and now that everyones jumping all over her (so to speak) we can't just abandon her. Here at SS we just hope that some marketing 'genius' doesn't get hold of her and try and change her image - sex her up and fuck it up. Leave her and her drum alone, eh. This is hot from the guys at Neon Gold, a remix of 'Starry Eyed' that goes bonkers with the house piano and is genuinely uplifting. This is obviously going to be huge

Ellie Goulding - 'Starry Eyed (Russ Chimes Rmx)

2010-01-20T20:23:00.006Z

Buddhists have a term 'being in the moment', to describe when we are fully aware of our experience, rather than robotically feeling stuff though habit. We often live life in the past or racing into the future, but rarely experience the now.

I had a now moment today. driving a half ton of wood home, through snow covered hills. Deadmau5 'Soma' was on the stereo, there was mist hanging to the hills, as evening fell and I realised that this was one of those moments that would look great in the Movie of my Life. Perfect sound track, perfect scene and of course a handsome mother fucker in the lead role.

Of course, once I realised that I was in the now, pow!, I wasn't anymore. That's the thing with Buddhism, it's very frustrating. I gave up on Enlightenment when I found that not only did I have to give up desire, but wanting to give up desire was in fact a desire...Taking the piss a bit there I reckon

An Average Day At My House...

2010-01-19T15:57:00.001Z

This is how we roll

Fear of Tigers - I Can Make The Pain Disappear (video by Dream Boat) from Dream Boat on Vimeo.

2010-01-12T19:08:00.004Z

News comes to us of a new club opening in Manchestah. New Order's Peter Hook and Ben Kelly, who designed the original Hacienda, plan to start up the Factory Club (or Fac251 as I heard on Radio 6) in the old Factory offices. Speaking on Radio 6 Hook said that he wanted to open the club to give himself something to do 'in his dotage' and that they chose the Factory office 'because it's full of some lovely memories'. The building has previously been the venue for Paradise Factory and until recently the Warehouse Project. Hook plans to use all three floors of the venue, with the middle level hosting a club and the lower level used as a 'gigging venue' with a capacity of 350. There's a provisional plan to open the clubs doors on Jan 29th, with Hook himself playing live, along side a guest band.

More news as we get it

Hurts - Blood Tears and Gold

2010-01-11T17:30:00.006Z

Ok so this lot are going to do exactly what it says on the tin. We're not going to get colour video for a start (maybe stretch to sepia for the next one?) We're not going to get any funky disco, or a hammering electro number. There's a moment in the vid where the lead singer sneer/snarls the lyric and I find that fascinating. It marks the whole thing apart. Hurts are not Right Said Fred. Better learn to live with it...I think they're ace. And how cool do they look, eh?

2010-01-11T06:15:00.002Z

Tape picture by iri5

More on Iri5 later

Happy Birthday, Chips (and Fish)

2010-01-10T20:10:00.002Z

Fish and Chips is one hundred and fifty years old this week and as they've been such a constant companion in my life, I thought it was worth a mention.

Best eaten by the sea, splashed in vinegar and sparkling with salt, washed down with a chilled can of Pepsi. Maybe with some piping hot mushy peas or a choice curry sauce. Never to be eaten, clumsily, after a night on the lash, waking in the morning with half your face in the tray. You may be able to get posh fish and chips, but the best ones still come strewn in a tray, or wrapped in stained paper, hot and greasy on your finger tips.

A few fish (and chippy) facts:

1 - The UK fish and chip market is worth 1.2 billion

2 - There is an estimated 10,500 chip shops in the UK employing 65,000 people

3 - Charles Darwin wrote of fried fish warehouses in Oliver Twist, in 1838 (no chips though, but bread and boiled potatoes)

4 - More than half of the UK population visits a chippy at least once a month

5 - A fish supper has approximately three times less fat than a chicken tikka masala and rice

6 - A portion of chips contains less fat than a prawn mayonnaise sandwich

7 - The best variety of potatoes for chips is Maris Piper

8 - The Chinese serve fish and chips with sugar

9 - Michael Jackson liked his with mushy peas

10 - If you laid all the spuds grown in Britain end to end, they would reach to the moon and back three times

11 - A spud is actually a small narrow flat spade often used for digging potatoes

(amazing facts courtesy of The Independent)

Happy Birthday fish n chips x

Dan le Sac v Scroobius Pip - 'Get Better (Villa Vocal Remix)'

Ali Love - 'Love Harder (Tronik Youth Got The Love Mix Fix)'

Acid Girls - Lightworks

2010-01-09T14:30:00.004Z

Acid Girls - Lightworks OFFICIAL VIDEO dir. Steven Ilous from Steven Ilous on Vimeo.

Also a sweet Acid Girls remix of Ting Tings at Rcrdlbl

2010-01-07T19:44:00.002Z

Just a quick word on Tsutomu Yamaguchi who died on Monday, in Japan, of cancer. Yamaguchi was present at BOTH Nagasaki and Hiroshima when the Yanks dropped the A-bomb.Badly injured at Hiroshima on August 6th, he went home to Nagasaki and was relating the story of what had happened there, three days later, when 'The Fat Man' was dropped. He was either the luckiest or unluckiest man alive. When I'm sitting there sometimes, thinking I'm having a bad week, I think about Tsutomu Yamaguchi and realise that this shit really isn't all that bad.

Bowie Tribute

2010-01-05T20:14:00.005Z

Strange to have a tribute album released, when you're not dead, or at least on the way out. Bowies done it though, with an, as yet untitled, album being released sometime in May, with all proceeds going to Warchild. There's some interesting names in the list of contributors, MGMT, Vivian Girls, Carla Bruni (yum), but the one that's got us excited is Soulwax, whose cover is yet to be confirmed. What would the ideal Bowie track for Soulwax to cover, I wonder? I would have loved them to do 'Sound and Vision'

Tracklisting:

1. Exitmusic – Space Oddity
2. Vivian Girls – John, I’m Only Dancing
3. Megapuss (Devendra Banhart) – Sound + Vision (en espanol)
4. Carla Bruni – Absolute Beginners
5. Lights – World Falls Down
6. VOICEsVOICEs – Heroes
7. Duran Duran – Boys Keep Swinging
8. MGMT – TBA
9. Chairlift – Always Crashing in the Same Car
10. Aska w/ Moon & Moon – African Night Flight
11. A Place to Bury Strangers – Suffragette City
12. The Polyamorous Affair – Theme From Cat People
13. Keren Ann – Life on Mars
14. Swahili Blonde (feat. John Frusciante) – Red Money
15. Marco Benevento – Art Decade
16. Corridor – Be My Wife
17. Aquaserge – The Superman
18. Warpaint – Ashes to Ashes
19. Rainbow Arabia – Quicksand
20. We Are The World – Afraid of Americans
21. Laco$te – Within You
22. Ariana Delawari – Ziggy Stardust
23. Pizza! – Modern Love
24. St Clair Board – Secret Life of Arabia
25. Caroline Weeks – Starman
26. Amanda Jo Williams – The Man Who Sold the World
27. Mick Karn – Ashes to Ashes
28. Soulwax – TBA

Alphabeat - 'Hole In My Heart (Sound of Arrows Remix)'

This Is How You Start A New Year...

2010-01-03T14:59:00.002Z

With new Soulwax!

Happy New Year

2009-12-30T18:31:00.014Z

So the Noughties are almost over. What's the next decade going to be called, do you think? Answers on a postcard to some other fucker please.

What's this year brought? Good and bad, like every other year I've experienced, I suppose. Generally more good than bad, so that's a big plus. I've always had a problem remembering much past what happened last week, so I'm going to let 2009 just pour out and we'll see what I recall.

Arctic Monkeys third album, good - slow burner, but ace. Same for Kasabian. Jamie T was great, best so far, by far. Fukkk Off was wonderful, as was Fuck Buttons. Best album of the year was Phoenix 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix', which leaked for what seemed like a decade, so I heard and enjoyed it in bits for ages. The Hurt Locker wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be, Star Trek was brilliant (best line 'Get out of the chair!), Monsters versus Aliens was funny enough, kids loved it. Fear of Tigers did one of the best remixes of the year, with Sound of Arrows and then released one of the best albums, for free - sweet. Boys Noize finally got the recognition he deserved and 'Waves', with Erol was one of the best tunes of the year. Inglorious Bastards was weirdly great and like no war film I've seen before, or maybe it's a cross between The Dirty Dozen, Kelly's Heroes and Catch 22, but nastier. Viva Tarantino! The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassuss was my film of the year and also the one whose title I could never remember, Two Door Cinema Club and Crystal Fighters restored my faith in Kitsune (not that I actually lost faith in them, I just wanted them to do something). Ellie Goulding is just the female voice from my dreams (sorry Sarah Cracknell). Ed Banger did nothing (did they? apart from Mehdi), Poney Poney Run Run, Exit Calm, White Belt Yellow Tag, 3oH3! Acid Girls! Acid Girls were just brilliant - the video for 'Numbers' is one of the best videos of the year, only pipped by the Spike Jonze video for Unkle 'Heaven', because I can watch it again and again. I didn't see enough films this year. The Wire was the best thing I've EVER seen on television and I don't know why. DeadWood is the second best thing I've seen. Peep Show is consistently the best show on UK telly. Loved that RATM was Christmas number 1, just because it shows that with enough organisation we can turn back the tide of shit that sometimes threatens to swamp us. Politicians are fucking awful greedy bastards, but we have to vote for one of them, or stupid racist wankers like Nick Griffin will get more power. We don't want that to happen. Bankers royally fucked us and didn't even 'give us a reacha round' and we'll be paying for that for years. Twats. Grasshopper died (weirdly), as did Jacko. John Hughes died, Karl Malden died, Molly Sugden dead. Obama became president, which was a fucking brilliant (and I still owe Stu fifty quid, betting him that it would never happen), John Stewart the Daily Show is still good. Iyaz 'shorty like a melody in my head' was officially the catchiest tune of the year. As was 'shorty on the dancefloor' by Sean Kingston (a sharty theme?) Deadmau5 album was good ('Ghosts and Stuff', top), Joaquim wasn't that good. Vitalic delivered after four years, some misses on there, but mainly heeeets and beats. The Macabbees album was superb. Metric album, great. SMD 'Audacity of Huge', haven't given the album a proper listen yet. I've been busy!!

Christ I'm going to forget loads here...

Frankmusik...

Jay-Z 'Empire State of Mind' - never been to NYC, but when I do I want this playing in my headphones when I leave the airport. Hurts are going to be big, if the number of hits the video of 'Wonderful Life' has got is anything to go by. The Arthur Baker remix of 'Wonderful..' was triffic. Chester French and Erik Hassle were good. Renaissance Man, Laidback Luke, Burns, Riton, Primary 1, Run Riot, Brodinski, Soulwax, Felix da Housecat, Japanese Popstars, Designer Drugs, Fake Blood, Miike Snow 'Black & Blue', Echo & The Bunnymen, Kings Of Leon 'Sex on Fire' (sorry, but it's a sexy mother of a tune), Big Pink 'Dominoes'..fuck it was quite a year, all in all.

This post may well be a work in progress. I'll be crawling on line at 3am to add - Yuksek! Dada Life, D.I.M 'Lyposuct', Dizzee 'Bonkers', Calvin Harris on X-Factor, Don Rimini, Ian Brown album, ace. Prodigy killed it live, haven't danced so much in years. Tiga's album was ok, the SW stuff being the best. Van She album, was that this year? Oh I don't know - ha!

Have a great 2010. If someone could keep notes from now on, that might make things easier for me this time next year.

X

Run Riot Live (ish)

2009-12-26T20:58:00.002Z

Oh Alright...

2009-12-24T20:15:00.004Z

Merry Christmas!!

Dogs

2009-12-18T19:35:00.004Z

Dogs have been around for a few years now and they're still one of the best live acts I've seen. Their gigs are electric, incendiary affairs, enough even for Dave 'Don't Mention The Sex Pistols' over at shitboyfriend to imagine 'this what it must have been like watching the Pistols' when we saw them in a sweaty, fucking hot Bar Academy in Brum, just after the release of their debut album. 'Turn Against This Land' was released in 2005 and was a cracking gem of a release, full of punk indie tracks that were stripped of any bollox and just rocked out. Their second album 'Tall Stories From Under The Table calmed it all down a bit and featured Mr Paul Weller, no less. It featured some great tunes, 'Little Pretenders' is ace, but it didn't have the PUNCH of the debut.

They disapeared off the radar after that, for me anyway, but they're back now and they need our support, godammit. They're going to release an EP in 2010 and they're looking for pledges to make it happen. You can go here, make a pledge, be it a signed CD for 15 quid, a chance to drink the bands rider for 55, right up to them performing a gig at your house for a grand! Whatever it is you pledge, pledge something because we need to keep bands like Dogs around.

Pony Pony Run Run - Walking On A Line

2009-12-17T18:45:00.003Z

PONY PONY RUN RUN - WALKING ON A LINE [OFFICIAL VIDEOCLIP]
by 3emebureau

The Vault

2009-12-14T19:11:00.003Z

We have a vault here at SS, that doubles as a panic room. I quite often get a bit panicky. It's my age (and my doctors refusal to prescribe me diazepam anymore. Once every twelve months, apparently. Quibble, quibble...). We've decked the vault out with all the things you need if you're locked away for a few days, feeling a bit tense - beer, some food (crackers and yoghurt), DVDs and of course music.

I was in there recently, during the X-Factor final and happened to unearth a gem from a few years back. "Rocker' by Alter Ego was remixed by Erol Alkan in 2004 and appeared on the original 12" single. I remember the first time I heard it out and when I had it on repeat on the pod the other day, my jaw was grinding like a mother. Erol keeps you waiting for quite a while until he lets the thing go, but once he does it's still a monster. It's also one of the only 8 minute remixes I can listen to all the way through.

So - without more ado here's the first in, what I hope will be a series of In The Vault tunes. That's if the DMCA don't close me down...

Alter Ego - 'Rocker (Erol Alkan Death Disco Re-Vised)'

Just A Bit Of Christmas

2009-12-13T19:55:00.003Z

It would be remiss of me to ignore Christmas altogether, much as I'd like to. Not my favourite time of year, if I'm honest. Too much forced bohomie and pressure on the bank account to make it the 'season to be jolly' at SS. Get the fucker out of the way and get ready for New Year, that's my plan.

One of the things that pisses me off about this time of year is the Christmas WMD that is the Christmas song. There's been a few good ones I can think of, Kirsty Maccoll and Shane McGowan's 'Fairytale Of New York' of course, a few of the classics, 'White Christmas','Jingle Bell Rock' etc, but generally they're a big bag of shit. My worst nightmare is being stuck at work when the local radio station decides to dedicate the whole day to Christmas songs, 'to get everyone in the mood!!' For what? Shooting strangers?

Horrible.

Mew 'She Comes Home For Christmas' on the other hand is quite ace. It's not really got much to do with Christmas, as far as I can tell, apart from it was released around Christmas time in 2002, the title mentions Christmas and one of the final lines is 'she came home for Christmas'. Actually that's quite a lot of Christmas. It's enough for it to qualify as Squeaky Sneakers only, officially endorsed Christmas song. Here it is...

And that's enough Christmas...

This May Not Be Uptown Jamaica...

2009-12-09T20:13:00.003Z

Off to see Madness on the 17th. The first album I owned on vinyl was One Step Beyond, so the Nutty Boys and me go way back. They've been touring much of this year, with appearances at Glastonbury and Pinkpop. They performed twice at Rock En Seine festival when the Bonehead Gallagher brothers had a scrap and they stepped in to fill their slot. I'm looking forward to seeing them alot

Hurts

2009-12-09T12:36:00.002Z

Hurts are doing a session tonight on the Huw Stevens show on Radio 1 between 9 and 10. Catch them if you can.

2009-12-06T20:24:00.002Z

Right, so we've got mice. As usual I'm approaching the problem, as I have every problem I've encountered since moving to the country, with extreme violence. I've brought rat traps, because frankly mouse traps didn't cut it. We laid mouse traps all around the house to start with, but the crafty little rodents managed to snaffle the bait, without setting the traps off. I had to marvel at their ingenuity. How do they eat a lump of peanut butter without tripping the trap? If I walked passed it a little heavily, it snapped shut. My admiration quickly waned though, after another broken nights sleep, listening to them partying in the loft, so I went out and bought the biggest mother fucking trap I could find. It's a monster. If you mess up setting it, it will take off the top of your finger.

Anyway, we're getting a mouse a day with one trap. One day we got two, which was impressive and though everytime I place their little broken body into a plastic bag and lob it in the bin, I wonder if there might not be a more humane way to do the job, I remind myself that rodents carry germs and that if we just leave them to their own devices they will BREED. I don't need that kind of shit in my life. We've now got three traps, so expect lots of DeadMice ( I wish I had a tune by the rodent headed one to post now. That would give the story a point at least)

What I do have is Ponyrex, from Mexico, who have some great hooks and a love of synths. I gather this sound is known as dream wave. Whatever it is, I like it - it's good. See if you can spot the Paul Young homage in 'Hologram'.

Ponyrex - 'Hologram'

Ponyrex - 'Freq'

Technicolor Fabrics - 'Render (Ponyrex Remix)'

Fanny Funnel

2009-12-05T17:04:00.003Z

Miss SS Christmas present sorted

Strip Steve - Breakin'

2009-11-26T17:07:00.002Z

Strip Steve - 'Breakin' from Boysnoize Records on Vimeo.

Is It Ok To Like Tiesto Now?

2009-11-24T20:05:00.004Z

Every now and then the shit hits the fan. It hit here at SS about two months ago and needless to say it had quite a scatter effect. Metaphorically speaking, the shit was knee deep.

Through the worst of it now though, so time to post something.

I've always seen Tiesto in a vest, pumped arms raised, summoning his trance minions into a green laser torn cathederal and it always gave me the creeps. I realise that he's the biggest DJ in the world, but he just never pleated my skirt. There seems to be a shift of late, at least in the artists he's working with. We had a a rather cool remix of Tegan & Sara and, amid rumours of a move into electro territory, this sweet remix of Dada Life's 'Lets Get Bleeped Tonight' comes along. It takes a about 2 or 3 mins to get going, but when it does it gets really good. Poppers o'clock, in fact (at about 3.55).

I love Ellie Goulding. We posted her a while back (you'll have to go back and look, won't you...). There's something about her that makes me want to go ooh. Her voice, obviously, which shares a lot in common with Bjork in its childlike quality, laced with with an underlying petulance, but also her 'I'm a bit geeky' image. I mean that in a good way...Check out this if you don't know what I'm talking about. Her new song 'Under The Sheets' is out now on I-tunes, but I'm posting this one, because it's really nice. She's never going to set your house on fire, but she may well help lull the lady of your life into bed and that's bonus points.

Last, but not least, is Riton's remix of Kid Sister 'Right Hand Hi'. It's got class Riton all over it...

Ellie Goulding ' Fighter Plane'

Dada Life ' Lets Get Bleeped Tonight (Tiesto Remix)'

Kid Sister ' Right Hand Hi (Riton Vocal Redub)'

One for the dads -

Two Door Cinema Club - I Can Talk

2009-11-07T10:58:00.002Z

Booo!

2009-10-29T15:57:00.002Z

It's not Halloween yet (what are we celebrating anyway?), but any excuse to post some Designer Drugs. Here's one they made earlier...

2009-10-25T12:22:00.000Z

2009-10-24T23:00:00.003+01:00

I've got a bad cold and I'm not sure if this has anything to do with me seeing faces in the stone walls of my house, but it's starting to get a bit freaky. Whatever's happening in my feverish mind though this new Weezer collaboration with Lil Wayne has certainly brightened my night. Aceness

Weezer feat Lil Wayne - 'Can't Stop Partying'

My Tiger My Timing

2009-10-23T21:09:00.006+01:00

My Tiger My Timing - 'I Am The Sound'

Also some rather tasty breaks from Splitloop

Splitloop - 'Ghetto UK'

Dave over at Shitboyfriend draws our attention to Radiofail, featuring funny ass mess ups from, well, the radio - obviously. Loving these two in particular. You can just imagine the shaking head in hands moment that follows each

2009-10-16T12:44:00.003+01:00

DJ Mehdi has a remix album out on November 2nd. He's done a mix of tracks that couldn't feature on the album, because of copyright infringement, 'inappropriate tempo' and other such record label bollox. Here it is -

DJ Mehdi - 'Forbidden Mix'

1. Bless

2. BUSTA RHYMES ‘World Go Round’ Remix

3. GHOSTFACE KILLA ‘ Hey Hey’ Remix

4. XXXXX ‘Xxx Xxx Xxxx’ Xxxxx Edit

5. CROOKERS/KID CUDI ‘Embrace The Martian’ Remix Demo

6. MAPEI ‘Leader Of The Pack’

7. MIIKE SNOW ‘Burial’ Remix

8. NOTORIOUS B.I.G ‘Nasty Boy’ Le Cirque Mix

9. JUST JACK ‘Glory Days’ TV Track

10. BUMBLEBEEZ ‘Drop The Bomb’ Ed Rec Allstars Mix

11. MAPEI/SPANK ROCK ‘Public Enemy’

12. JAY-Z ‘I Will Not Lose’

13. NAS ‘Have Fun’

14. Peace

May68

2009-10-13T20:52:00.004+01:00

Manchester does it again with May68

Sounding a lot like The Whip, a little like Chromeo (a little, in their disco moments), a smidgeon like Klanguage and with vocalist Jude Wainwright sounding almost La Roux at times , May68 are destined for big stuff. Unless they go the way of Klanguage, of course, and dissapear off the face of the earth (note to self: find out what happened to Klanguage...).

Check 'em

May68 - 'The Duke Is Dead'

May68 - 'Carla'

May68 - 'The Last Mile'

The Sundays - Can't Be Sure

2009-10-13T08:49:00.002+01:00

This is such a blast from the past. Early 20s, drink and drugs, bored out of my head, shit job, playing away with the then girlfriend, room a mess, great tunes, no worries (apart from getting caught two timing the girlfriend), mammoth Mario Cart sessions, smash get mash, Britpop, Nirvana, dreaming of sunny climes, pissed in the Quarry, no sleep straight to work

New The Whip!!

2009-10-08T19:11:00.003+01:00

Excitement here in The Cellars as The Whip showcase one of their new tunes 'Secret Weapon'. Been awhile since I've heard anything new from them, so this has tightened my pants a bit.

Pay Attention...

2009-10-07T21:43:00.006+01:00

I only realised what an attention deficit I had after watching my kids get into music. They're into Arctic Monkey's, Kasabian and The Maccabees at the moment. My eldest is getting into The xx aswell, but as we've only got a couple of their tracks, it's a fledgling love. They can listen to an album over and over. And I mean over and over. It started with the last Kasabian album, which was in the car one day when I was driving them to school. I put on 'Fire' and that was it, nothing else was allowed for at least a month, until Miss SS hid the disc. They learnt the words, or at least approximated what the words sounded like to them and would sing them raccously when a bit they liked came on. My favourite moment has to be my five year old singing that he 'was the laaaast heretic', at the top of his voice. Or the three year old asking if you'd 'ever take a punch in the rib cage, sonny?' Probably bad parenting even letting them listen to it, but fuck it, they're teaching them hymns at school and we've never actually mentioned God to our kids.They don't know heretic, they don't know God.

Anyhoo what I mean is that when I was younger I used to listen to albums over and over again. I remember being given the Jam's back catalogue, on vinyl, when I was about thirteen and listening to them constantly for weeks. I knew every word to every song, I knew what chords were coming and where the beat came in and when it was ending. I absorbed those records as if my life depended on it. I still know them by heart now and hearing them is like a flashback to that spotty hormone ravaged time.

With the last Kasabian album I listened to it maybe three times, picked four or five tunes that I liked and labelled it a 'good album'. Then I slipped it away in the glove compartment of the car and probably wouldn't have listened to it again, if the kids hadn't claimed it and hijacked my listening for a month. Same with the last Arctic Monkeys album. It's a brilliant album, but on first listen I didn't really get it, wrote it off and packed it away.

Maybe it's the same with everyone these days, with the I-Tunes, pick the tracks you like, sort of mentality, but it worries me that I'm not really as 'into' music as I was when I was younger. It's all just snatch and listen nowadays. Get a tune, play it to death for a while, then find it on my hard drive six months later and probably not remember what it was, or even like it that much anymore. I can't remember the last time I listened to an album again and again, outside of the school run. Maybe it's just that albums aren't as good as they used to be. Maybe the acts know how we're listening to music these days and have adapted. Who know...

Right. This is a track by White Belt Yellow Tag. It's not their newest (that's 'Remains', which is released through Distiller Records on October 19th), but it's the one I like the most.

We Reinterpret This Program...

2009-09-30T15:46:00.003+01:00

A huge favourite back in 2005 Coburn's 'We Interrupt This Program' has been reworked by Tai (of DIM, 'Lyposuct' fame). I'd forgotten how good this song was and Tai adds some wonky bass to bring it crash up to date.

Coburn 'We Re-Interrupt This Program (Tai and Brave Remix)'

Amerie - Heard 'Em All

2009-09-26T22:15:00.001+01:00

FBS Chart

2009-09-25T17:02:00.004+01:00

Fatboy Slim has done an exclusive chart for...Beatport (got you worried there, eh Dave? That would be THE winner)

Fake Blood - 'Fix Your Accent'

Nadastrom - 'Pussy'

Hirshee - 'The Rinse Out'

DJ Gant-Man - 'Juke Dat Girl'

Ruff Driverz feat Arrola - 'Dreaming (Hoxton Whores Remix)'

Crookers - 'My Penny'

Stonewash & Fagault - 'Violet (Lazy Rich Remix)'

Dusty Kid - 'The Cat'

Funkagenda - 'Flauta Magica'

Miike Snow - 'Animal (Crookers Remix)'

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It's been pointed out to me that this is 'advertised' as an MP3 blog (it's on the tab description), so here's a few tunes that have been lighting my Rayburn (piece of shit).

Fuck Buttons - 'Surf Solar'

The Sound Of Arrows - 'Into The Clouds (Fear of Tigers Remix) On every blog around at the moment, but it's sooooo good. Neon Gold are geniuses

Rick Ross - 'Hustlin' (The Disco Villians Remix)'

Chromeo - 'Night By Night' courtesy of Green Label Sound

2009-09-24T21:10:00.005+01:00

Autumn's here and in the country I think you feel it more than in the towns. You look around and people and nature seem to be battening down the hatches. There's that sunlight in the evening now. The pale, almost dusty golden sunlight, that looks great if you're looking at it from some darkened glade, across a field dotted with sheep. It makes you feel poetic and calm. I like that a lot.

Pheasant's are looking nervous. I mean they always look and act a bit highly strung, but whether or not they can sense the shooting season approaching (and of course they can't), they seem to dive into a bush a lot quicker these days, when you pass by. The mess they made of my frigging lettuce, I reckon I'll be slinging some buck shot their way if I get the opportunity. They breed them round here somewhere and my normal rally to work was delayed by about five minutes, when I turned a corner to find about three hundred of the fuckers crowding the road. Stupid little things, darting this way and that like - well, chickens. They move like the Velociraptors move in Jurassic Park, but without the purpose, or, thankfully, the teeth.

There's a couple of squirrels that jump about in the walnut tree and they've started hoarding their nuts. I know where a couple of the stashes are and one night I'm going out and I'm going to move them. Just to mess with their little squirrel minds. You've got to find some way to pass the time out here.

Have I mentioned we have an Aga? A Rayburn to be exact, but much the same thing, as range ovens go. Absolute rubbish. If someone gushes to you that 'there's no better way to cook', then you know for a fact that, one they haven't got a job and, two, they've got more money than sense. The fucking things take about 3 hours to get to the right temperature for a start, which is triffic if all you've got to do is embroider all day, but a right pain in the ass if you're getting in from work at five and want to eat before eight or nine at night. Now, I'll admit that the Rayburn will cook the ass off a pizza (stonebake anyone?) and if you've got half a day, you can cook a lovely roast, but if you want to serve veg with that roast don't try and cook them on the top of a range, 'cause you'll be there for a week. At no point does anything actually boil. Pasta sort of goes soft, then wilts and gets all flowery, but the water never reaches boiling point. We wanted a chicken tikka last night and I, kid you not, had to cook it on the barbeque! You can't fry on it.

Economically too, you're screwed, because you have to have the oven on for an hour or two before you can cook anything, then once you've finished, all the heat just - does nothing. It's wasted. Well, actually it heats the water, but you might as well use a cigarette lighter to do that, for all the heat it generates in the water. And you know what the price of oils like nowadays., not to mention the £2500 you've already splashed out to buy an oven you can't fry chicken on.

Talking of ciggy lighters, don't light a fag after you've cleaned oil off the oven pipes (obvious one this), because you're fingers will, literally, burn. You'll look like Heatblast. I did.

No MP3s to post at the moment, or more honestly, that I can be bothered to post at the moment. Here's yet another video. Good one this. Not the sort of thing I'd usually post on here, but it'll get your feet moving. Mine are shuffling around, as I write. Check the styles...

Big Boss Man - 'Humanize'

2009-09-17T20:41:00.007+01:00

I'll be posting something hilarious and insightful soon, with some tunes, but for now get your funk on, imagine it's still summer and you're having Factor 30 rubbed into your buttocks by some buxom beauties (believe me, you do NOT wanna burn your ass).

O'Spada - 'Time'

Suddenly the buxom beauty flips you over and you're in a whole new ball park all together...

Health - 'Die Slow'

AAArgh It's Flashback Corner!

2009-09-11T21:29:00.004+01:00

The last good band to come out of Liverpool

I was going to say 'only good band', but thought that might be a little controversial...

Exit Calm - We're On Our Own

2009-09-10T20:53:00.002+01:00

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A new mix from Atomic Hooligan. Watch your bass bins...

Winning With Bass by Atomic Hooligan on Mixcloud

Don Rimini

2009-09-08T20:46:00.003+01:00

I've been following Don Rimini for a while now. In fact, since about 2006 when he complimented me on a version of a Para One tune I had on my Myspace player (I like him for his work, not his posted appreciation of my music taste, which coincidentally could get him arrested in some countries). He's been giving free mixes away on his page since about then and they're always a top notch selection of tunes, skilfully mixed. One of the highlights for me has to be Midnight Juggernauts 'Shadows' over the top of 2 Live Crew 'Face Down Ass Up', an audacious choice of tunes to open your set with. That's the great thing about his mixes, full of suprises. You can check out The Don Rimini Show on his Myspace, or download the most recent mix here. EDIT - Fairtilizer has THE most recent one here. This one's quite recent

Don Rimini - 'The Return Of The Don Mix'

Aside from the mixes and some kick ass remixes, for the likes of Count and Sinden and - err, Ray Parker Junior, he's released three EPs, the 'Time To Panic EP', 'Absolutley Rad', with the monster 'Let Me Back Up' and the 'Kick And Run EP', featuring 'Rave On'. He's at this minute embarking on a world tour, which even touches the UK...once, on a Monday night, in Manchester. Way to go Don. Make it a weekend next time, dude! Oh there is a Thursday night gig in Nottingham, but again...

Don Rimini - 'Karate'

Brave And The Bald (sorry)

2009-09-06T21:42:00.004+01:00

Much excitement here at SS Cellars at the news that Vitalic's new album, 'Flashmob', is out on September 28th (you have to wait until November, if you're in the States. I'm not laughing, honest) Easily one of the best electronic artists in the game, this will be his third album (including the live one). Amazing to think that 'La Rock 01' was released in 2001!

Vitalic - 'Flashmob Minimix'

From the sound of this 12 minute mix of the album, it's going to be worth the four year wait since 'Ok Cowboy'. Superb

Rodion

2009-09-05T22:32:00.001+01:00

Felix Cartal

2009-09-04T21:57:00.009+01:00

The first time I heard of Felix Cartal was when Erol Alkan dropped 'Moss vs Tree' during one of his sets a few years back. To say it blew my head off would be an understatement. It has such a driving beat, it feels like you're strapped to the front of a high speed train, flashing through unmarked stations on the way to fuck knows where.

He released his Skeleton EP earlier this year and he's got an album coming out soon. The first track off that album is 'Drone' and you can hear it just here. It's released on September 3rd

Also here's 'Moss Vs Tree'. If you haven't heard it before, strap yourself well in.

This is MASSIVE

MAN HUG!!!

2009-09-03T21:26:00.003+01:00

2009-09-01T22:07:00.004+01:00

Bernard Sumner's new band Bad Lieutenant has an album out exclusively on Amazon as a digital download on October 6th for one week only, then on CD, still only on Amazon, from October 13th. Never Cry Another Tear features Phil Cunningham of New Order and Alex James of Blur, along with the drumming skills of Stephen Morris. Jake Evans also provides vocals on the album.

The first single 'Sink or Swim' is available as a free download from the bands website.

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The Men Who Stare At Goats is a hilarious book by John Ronson, which has been adapted into a star crammed film. If they stick to the essence of the book (which the trailer suggests they have) this should be great. If they've fucked about with it, don't go blaming me...

2009-08-28T21:38:00.004+01:00

Between 1919 and 1933 in the USA the Volstead Act prohibited the sale, manufacture, consumption and transportation of liquor anywhere in America. Brought on by pressure from the temperance movement the Noble Experiment did little to stop Americans from drinking. In fact it's reckoned that in 1925 there was between 30,000 and 100, 000 speakeasy clubs in New York alone. The biggest single effect that prohibition had was to allow organised crime to flourish. It was in this period that, what we now know as the Mafia, really came of age, born and assisted by the huge amounts of money they could make from selling illegal booze.

Are you listening at the back!!?

In 1969 President Nixon (yes him) coined the phrase 'War on Drugs' to describe the action that the US was, for forty years, to take to prohibit the sale, manufacture (can you see where I'm going with this?), consumption and transportation of illegal drugs internationally. Brought on by pressure from...

Prohibition doesn't work. That's what I'm trying to say. It didn't work in the 20's and it hasn't worked in the 70's, 80's, 90's and the Noughties. Prohibiting drugs, booze, sex, gambling is never going to work, for the simple reason that people want to do these things - possibly and probably at the same time.

The US government has spent 33 BILLION dollars on the War on Drugs (though Obama doesn't want the phrase used anymore) this year. The drugs trade, globally, is worth $320 BILLION a year. If we were to legalise and regulate the drugs trade tomorrow, that's $353 billion you could give to the banks. (The $33 billion, by the way, doesn't include the money that's spent taking the 1 million plus Americans through the courts for drug offences every year). Legalisation would be more likely to ensure a safe product, cutting the chances of snorting coke cut with strychnine or dropping dead after swallowing an adulterated pill. Take the money and the control out of the hands of the dealers and you create a revenue stream that would be very welcome at the moment and stop shit drugs flooding the streets. There was a senior police man on the radio the other day who was explaining that the amount of shite or deadly cocaine on the streets presently was the result of successful operations against traffickers. He was contributing to a phone in about dealers making low supply last longer by cutting their gear up with boric acid and worming powder. The War on Drugs creates a twisted reality, to match the effects of the drugs themselves. Go back to the 20s for a moment, where they brewed up moonshine, when supply's got short and made every fucker blind.

The other parallel to be drawn is evil bastards with guns. In the 20s you had Al Capone and the like, roaring around spraying each other with tommy guns from the windows of Caddys. Now you've got gangsters hosing each other down from the back seats of beamers. In the words of the Propellerheads 'it's all just a little bit of history repeating'. We really should learn from stuff like this, it would save us a lot of time and money. Also if anyone wants to hose down the Propellerheads, feel free.

Why are we banning drugs at all? It can't be because of the risk factor.Last year 3000 people died from drugs. That's legal and illegal drugs. In the same period 7300 people died from alcohol related causes. 106000 people each year die from smoking related illness. What about a War on Fags (easily misconstrued?), what about a return to the Noble Experiment? If it's a question of taxation, then tax drugs. How's about we all sit down, skin one up, drop a little 'un or two and talk sensibly about how to get ourselves out of this mess. Stop banning everything! They're banning legal highs now. It won't stop me from doing drugs even if I end up going to a house where three men, in vests and tats, are sitting on deckchairs (the only furniture), watching a black and white telly, sipping super strength beer, while I shakily give them twenty quid for an eighth of shit slate resin. Lets take the discussion away from people who have no fucking clue about drugs and sort out a solution. Stop throwing money down the drain.

Anway - rant over. Sorry it's not more coherent, but I've been sitting in a room with an open fire all night and I think I may have got carbon monoxide poisoning.

Final thought. We're burning poppy fields in Afghanistan while at the same time experiencing a global shortage of opium for morphine. Ho hum

Some tunes

Burns - 'Teknique'

The Gossip - 'Love Long Distance (Fake Blood Remix)'

ALAN ALAN ALAN AL!

2009-08-19T15:53:00.003+01:00

Funny Marmot

2009-08-15T20:09:00.008+01:00

I love the Coen brothers, let me just start by saying that. Their films are consistently clever, funny, thoughtful and laced with the sort of dialogue I'd kill to be able to write. Beginning with Blood Simple, way back in '84 they've followed up with ever stronger films that I'll always find time to go and see. If you take a look at the roll call of their films, they could populate a list of Must See Before You Die movies on their own - Millers Crossing, Barton Fink, The Hudsucker Proxy, my personal favourite The Big Lebowski, Fargo, Oh Brother Where Art Thou, the underrated Lady Killers and No Country For Old Men. A lot of film makers would be pleased to have one of these films in their canon and I'm sure that behind those Hollywood smiles there's a few gritted teeth barbs thrown whenever the brothers walk in the room. No one likes a smart ass, after all. For me they're the movie equivalent of Soulwax, in that they just don't seem to be able to do any wrong and they do it with apparently effortless cool.

A Serious Man is released in October

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I signed up for Twitter last night. I suppose the incessant media coverage of it has infested my brain, like an annoying radio jingle. Radio One DJs must mention it at least two or three times an hour and everywhere you look someone is inviting you to add them on Twitter (or is it that Facebook?). I know when you post something, it's a Tweet, which conjures up an image of a trapped avian, calling for food. Which might not be too far from the truth.

At first glance it seems a bit pointless. I never do enough in my life to make it worth updating my Tweets on a regular basis and the people I'm following, a selection of DJ's and producers, all seem to lead depressingly interesting lives. This just leaves me feeling sad and unfulfilled. Is that what it's meant to do? I've tried my hardest to think of interesting Tweets, but 'Cleared more slug carcasses off the raised beds.' 'Had two bowls of Golden Balls for breakfast AND some toast', just doesn't compare favourably to say, for example. Brodinski's last Tweet 'BrodinskiOn the plane for Creamfield Andalucia w/ @ciaotiga, kevin saunderson & jeff mills.'. Why aren't I on a plane to Andalucia, with Jeff Mills? I could well be the first Twitter induced suicide. I wonder if Miss SS and the kids could sue them for Corporate Liability. Something to think about...

EDIT -In its current carnation, I give Twitter a year, tops.

Fukkk Off - 'More Than Friends (Omni's Vocal Remix)'

Erik Hassle - 'Don't Bring Flowers (Yes, Giantess Remix)'

I Wonder Why...

2009-08-15T10:27:00.002+01:00

This is a prime example of letting the music take you.

Boys Noize

2009-08-14T05:33:00.003+01:00

This is the first time I've heard this all the way through and man, it's been worth the hooplah. Fantastic tune from two of the best in the biz

Brown Noise

2009-08-13T21:06:00.002+01:00

Or near as damn it.

Out now on Beatport. General release 7th September

2009-08-11T20:36:00.004+01:00

Things you need to know about the countryside:

It smells like sweet death. By that I don't mean sweet death in an Emo 'Oh God wouldn't it be great to be dead' kind of way, but an all encompassing vaguely saccharine smell of decay. There's a lot of dead stuff lying around in the country, usually closer than you think, so it's hardly suprising. Sheep are popular. I've seen about three or four recently, in various stages of decomposition. They stink. Add to that dead leaves, dead birds, roadkill, dead flowers, horse shit, cow shit, sheep shit, dead rabbits, dead hedgehogs, dead pheasants. You get my point, the country smells like a carrion strewn battlefield.

You can drive along a straight stretch of country road for an hour and not see another vehicle, but the second you head into a blind corner, you're going to meet a gigantic wheeled tractor. Usually towing an oversized trailer. You will normally leave this encounter with a branch of some sort sticking out of your passenger window, a strange grin on your face and a stronger than usual smell of crap in your car. This will always happen - it's one of Murphy's laws. Fucking Murphy

Slugs are bastards. In fact all insects are bastards. I'm aware that a slug is a mollusc, but I'm corralling all garden pests under the Insect Umbrella, just so it's easier to WIPE THEM ALL OFF THE FACE OF THE PLANET. Before moving to the country, I held aloft a naive Buddhist philosophy that everything was one, living in perfect harmony, that could be my nan reborn as a moth. Now I'm Kilgore - ' I love the smell of slug pellets in the morning'. The first time I laid them and saw the resulting slug carnage in the morning, I jumped round the garden like I was holding the golden ticket to Willy Wonkas chocolate factory. My vegetable patch now is blue with pellets, with tiny shoots of green poking out amongst them at short intervals. It's like a cluster bomb dotted village in Lebanon.

People in the country are very friendly. It must be a shared sense of isolation, knowing that the only sucker that's going to dig your house out of a ten foot snowdrift is your neighbour, so best get the preserves out straight away and get round there sharpish. I had a welcome card off a woman I'd never met before, within the first twenty four hours, delivered in possibly the heaviest rain storm I've ever seen. I was showered with jam and chutney and complete strangers were lending me hedge cutters, for no better reason than I've got a MASSIVE friggin' hedge to cut. Coming from an urban situation I was quite freaked out by it all.

These are my first observations, after a month. I'll be sure to regale you with more when they strike me.

For now though, here's some tunes that have been drilling my seedlings recently

Tom Deluxx - 'Reactivate'

Acid Girls - 'The Numbers Song'

Riton & Primary1 - 'Who's There (InFlagranti Rmx)'

Jupiter One - 'Countdown (Designer Drugs Remix)'

Thieves Like Us - 'Your Heart Feels (Designer Drugs Remix)'

Back Once Again...

2009-07-29T18:46:00.003+01:00

Back but haven't got back in the groove again yet. Waiting for SB to hit me up with some good new stuff.

Stay tuned

2009-07-04T11:18:00.001+01:00

The house move is upon us and now I must throw myself at the mercy of the telecommunication's industry, relying on them to reconnect me when and where they said they would. I'm not holding out a lot of hope, so in the words of Scott -

'I am just going outside and may be some time.'

Do You Know This Man?

2009-07-03T20:52:00.006+01:00

I can't find out much about Dave Scorp. I don't even know which one he is in the above photo. He might have been taking the photo, as far as I know. What I do know is that he's Hungarian and that he released a minimal track, '11th Blast', on Twister Tunes last year. Since then, it seems, he's realised that minimal is basically bollox and got himself a nice pair of electro trousers. Good job too. Welcome to the family, Dave!

He's going to be one to watch,

Ursula 1000 - 'Star Machine (Dave Scorp Remix)'

A Girl And A Gun - 'Teenage Blitz (Dave Scorp Remix)'

Talking of things to watch, or listen to, Erol Alkan has taken up a Saturday night residency at BBC 6. He's promising a 30 minute mix in the show, so that's worth your time on its own

Vitalic - Your Disco Song

2009-07-02T14:20:00.002+01:00

Acid Girls

2009-07-02T13:21:00.008+01:00

Acid Girls seem to have been around for an age, DJing, remixing and for a while writing the one of the best, most eclectic blogs around. Acid Girls Blog was one of the first blogs I read, it was what got me into blogs in the first place (Amen).
Anyway they've finally got round to releasing one of their own tunes 'Wake Up', teaming up with Classix, for a two track EP Cobrasnake, out on Kitsune. 'Wake Up' features another SS favourite, Frankmusik, who seems to be popping up everywhere this year.

Acid Girls - 'Wake Up (featuring Frankmusik)'

Also loving this remix

3OH!3 - 'Don't Trust Me (Acid Girls Remix')

------------------------------------------------------------

This is not Acid Girls related at all, but a bit of a wizard mash-up from BRAT, melding Duran Duran's 'Hungry Like The Wolf' and Unkle 'Morning Rage'. It works quite well, gives DD a new, larger set of balls

BRAT - 'Raging Like The Wolf'

You can check out the video here

Dada Life

2009-06-30T17:54:00.003+01:00

Dada Life are Ollie Corneer and Stephan Engblom from Sweden, one of my Favourite Five music countries at the moment, along with France, Australia, Belgium and of course good ol' Blighty (still the dada-dy). Their album Just Do The Dada is out September 8th, so make sure you buy it

Dada Life - 'Lets Get Bleeped Tonight'

Dada Life - 'Don't Feed The Dada'

The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition

2009-06-28T10:54:00.004+01:00

Saw these on the Glasto highlights last night and Miss SS loved it, so this is dedicated to her

The Temper Trap - 'Sweet Disposition'

2009-06-27T18:10:00.007+01:00

Thanks a load to those lovely Japanese Popstar fellas for sending us this spanking new chart. Cheers lads

The Japanese Popstars "We Just Are (Finalizer)" [Gung-Ho! Recordings]
Sydney Samson - "Riverside" [White]
NuFrequency "Passage Of Time (Freeform Five Mix)" [Rebirth]
The Japanese Popstars "F19b (Droppin' Bombs)" [Gung-Ho! Recordings]
Depeche Mode "Peace (The Japanese Popstars Mix)" [Mute]
Loco & Jam "Medusa" [Rekluse]
The Japanese Popstars "Face Melter" [Gung-Ho! Recordings]
Brodinski 'Oblivion' [Turbo]
Beyonce "Single Ladies (The Japanese Popstars Mix)" [RCA]
Dance Area "AA 247 (Original Mix)" [Phantasy Sound]
Tom Madicott "Ravor" [Gung-Ho Recordings]
Zoo Brazil "Ten Inch Nails" [Gung-Ho! Recordings]
The Japanese Popstars "The Rise Of Ulysses" [Gung-Ho! Recordings]
Bertrand Dupart, Gwen "Lolita (Beatless Mix)" [Space Breaks]
The Japanese Popstars "Catapult" [Gung-Ho! Recordings]
Shinichi Osawa "Star Guitar (The Japanese Popstars Mix)" [Data]
Ebony Bones "The Muzik (The Krays Mix)" [Sunday Best]
A-Trak & Laidback Luke "Shake It Down"[Fools Gold]
Fancy Beat "Funk In (Telespazio mix)" [Rebirth]
Grand National "Cut By The Brakes (The Japanese Popstars Dub)" [Microrave]

-----------------------------------------------------

In the pub last night, talking music. Brother Stu put forward the notion that, if everyone stopped making music today, he would be happy with his back catalogue. He admitted that his knowledge of new music was getting increasingly limited, but didn't seem to be all that bothered.

For myself, it's all about the new. I have an obsession now with finding stuff that's totally fresh, that very few people have discovered. I trawl blogs and record label sites, like I used to pore through record shops, when there still were record shops. Every now and then I'll stumble across something that hits me in the gut and I'm buzzing for hours. Gut plays a big part in my appreciation of music. I've never been the sort of technically minded person that can admire production values (though I can pick out a Spector tunes at forty paces). I can't describe music very well, I barely know a 303 from an 808, but when I hear something I like it gives me a jolt and a rush of joy, that's quite similar to a mild drug rush. I get excited (you get excited too).

Here's a couple that have stoked me in the past few days. They all differ in style, but they share one constant and that is that they grabbed me first time and stayed with me.

Enjoy

Awesome New Republic - 'Birthday'

Awesome New Republic - 'Magic City'

DIM - 'Lyposuct (Set Rip)'

Paul Oakenfold - 'Perfecto Vegas (Teaser Mix)'

2009-06-26T05:34:00.004+01:00

"I truly hope he is memorialised as the '83 moonwalking, MTV owning, mesmerizing, unstoppable, invincible Michael Jackson."

John Mayer

Love It Or Hate It

2009-06-24T16:29:00.007+01:00

Reverend & The Makers - Silence Is Talking

We've got people looking around our house at the moment. All part of the fun of moving. It's not a great experience, having someone you don't know nosing around your house. Especially when you've got everything packed in boxes and everywhere is a bloody mess.

At the best of times, I'm what could be described as 'touchy'. Not in a tactile way either. More a 'What the fuck do you mean by that?' kind of deal. As I'm getting older, I'm becoming less tolerant and if you consider that, in my teens, I was known as Mr Intolerant, you can imagine where I am now. Strangers in my house 'hmm'ing and 'Oh, you've got that there'ing is testing my limited patience to the max. One bloke came round the other day and he was, shall we say, a bit portly. He was fat actually. Morbidly obese as opposed to Wholesomely obese. Now this isn't a problem to me - you can do what you want with your body, get really fat or get really thin, but don't come into my house, stinking and sweating and proceed to turn your piggy little nose up at my front room. He had one of those shrewish little wives, who didn't speak, but just giggled when he said something. I ended up showing him the kitchen and larder and asking him if he thought they were going to be BIG enough. No room was going to be substantial enough for this behemoth.

Get out of my house!

Everyone else has been really nice...

New Boys Noize

2009-06-21T20:13:00.004+01:00

A big WORD UP to Saintwoods for the exclusive (for me anyway) on these. Two new Boys Noize tunes. Very excited about these. Can't wait for the new album, due in autumn

Boys Noize - 'Starter'

Boys Noize - 'Jeffer'

Hurts - Wonderful Life

2009-06-21T15:16:00.007+01:00

I love the look and sound of this (is that the new Chris Lowe on keyboard?). What am I hearing in the chorus? Roxy Music? Savage Garden? I dunno, but I love it anyway. Check out Hurts at their Muhspace They're from Manchestah, dontcha know...

2009-06-21T07:13:00.001+01:00

2009-06-20T19:51:00.010+01:00

Strange the things you do, when you've got a spare minute. You're sitting there, possibly baby sitting the kids on a Saturday night, and you think ' I'm going to make a bicycle, for a fly'. And you get up, you find some pipe cleaner and you fashion an inch long cycle, lovingly painting the wheels with a thin topped paint brush, even making a seat for the fucker. Even making a stand for it, so that the fly doesn't tip over!

Only one problem - how do you make the fly stay on the bike?

Well, you're going to have to kill it, aren't you? Little bleeder is never going to sit still. You've made a mini bicycle for a fly, but the fly doesn't want to ride it. It's not even about whether he wants to or not, the fly has no concept of what a bike is. How could he possibly decide if he desires a bike, or if he'd rather eat a bit of pooh then secrete it on someone's food? He can't be expected to want or not want a bike at all, but you're still going to have to kill him, because now you've made the bike and you want to put a fly on the bike, probably with a pin or a bit of blue tac. It would all be waste of a Saturday night otherwise. You, alone in the house but for the sleeping children, sitting at the dining room table, scissors, pipe cleaners, tiny fucking bike. What was it all for?? Has your life come to this??

So the fly will die, on your whim, and nothing will change. You've got a dead fly, on a miniature bike, on your carpet and you've taken a picture of it and now you've posted it on a blog and told people that this is what you get up to on a Saturday night.

Herve - 'Who Da Champ (Original Mix)'

The Proxy - 'Who Are You (Trump Disco Edit)'

Zombie Nation - 'Worth It (Arveene and Misk Remix)'

SMD - Audacity Of Huge

2009-06-19T20:31:00.003+01:00

Very possibly written about me...

The Answering Machine - Obviously Cold

2009-06-16T07:22:00.004+01:00

One for a sunny morning.

The album Another City, Another Story was out on June 15th, on Heist Or Hit Records

It's A Motherfucking Rave, Dave

2009-06-15T20:35:00.002+01:00

Bong Ra - 'Ra is for rave, E is for Ebeneezer'

Fukkk Off

2009-06-14T19:48:00.007+01:00

I've noticed Fukkk Off a lot recently, on various blogs I peruse, but for some reason I've never really given him a go. Maybe it's the name. With a name like that you're either really sure of how good you are, or you're really bad and you hope the name might get you some undeserved attention. I thought it was some hardcore punk band when I first read it. Anyway, thankfully the former applies here. Fukkk Off, aka Bastain Heerhost, is very very good.

'Rave Is King' was a big tune last year, along with 'I'm A Freak' from the year before and the debut album Love Me Hate Me Kiss Me Kill Me lives up to the promise of these two tunes. It's the way we like it here at SS - DIRTY and LOWDOWN. Definitely going to be featuring in the Album Of The Year section (we won't be having one...I hate lists. 1. I can't ever remember anything well enough to compile a definitive list 2. This has just turned into a list, hasn't it...?)

FUKKK OFF - 'Love Me Hate Me Kiss Me Kill Me'

The album is on Coco Machete Records and is available for download at Beatport. Pop over to his myspace for a taste of the album

Cicada

2009-06-14T11:15:00.005+01:00

Cicadas new album is out now on Critical Mass Records. We've got the video to the 'new' single 'Metropolis' and a nice remix the band have done of Paloma Faiths's ' Stone Cold Sober'. Their remix of Thirteen Senses 'Into the Fire' still rates, along side TWD's remix of 'Mr Brightside', as one of the best reworks of a song EVER. Check them out at their myspace

Paloma Faith - 'Stone Cold Sober (Cicada Remix)'

White Lies 'Death' Crystal Castles Remix

2009-06-12T21:45:00.003+01:00

White Lies - Death (Crystal Castles Remix).

Due for a re-release later this month

A House In The Country

2009-06-12T19:48:00.004+01:00

Well we've managed to get a place in the country, replete with raised growing beds and a small orchard. Upping sticks, for the sticks. I've had a yearning for the Good Life (see picture) for a while now and it looks as if I'm about to get it. Expect some 'amusing', Alex James/Elisabeth Hurley(NO!) style country commentaries in the future. Or a last screaming post, as the axe murderers burst in and hack me-to-bi-t.........

I am obviously pro-hunt from this moment on - pip pip.

Do you think I should get some chickens? I'll name them Gaspard and Xavier.

On the subject of chickens, Dj Hell's (wha?) new album Teufelswerk is out now on Gigolo Records. It's a great slab of intelligent techno, split into two CDs - 'Night' and 'Day' with tracks featuring, amongst others, Diddy and Bryan Ferry. I've only just got my hands on it, but it's definatley on repeat In The Van at the moment. I'm posting the Bryan Ferry featured 'U Can Dance', 'cause we're all fans of the Fez (Uh?) and this is such a great use of his vocal style. You really can imagine him 'in a discotheque at dawn'. Probably with his bow tie hanging down and a stain on his shirt that could be vin rouge, could be lipstick or may be blood.

Loving these too -

Fao Vs Chuckie -'Bass Kick In Miami (DJ Inphinity WMC 09 Mix)'

DOGS - 'Into The Garden'

Japanese Popstars - 'We Just Are (F19B Dropping Bombs Remix)'

I'm amazed that these haven't been banned. What with the 'PC GONE MAD!' world we ,live in. Me and the Better Half have been having a real good chuckle as she 'sucks on a Nigroid' to soothe her throat

Skill...

2009-06-11T20:56:00.003+01:00

This is an oldy, but it's fucking ace, so 'ave it

2009-06-11T09:41:00.002+01:00

For our friends at Shitboyfriend

Sneaky Interview

2009-06-10T09:03:00.005+01:00

Tom Young aka Run Riot has negotiated his way through the jasmine and vine strewn hanging baskets to take his place upon the comfy chair.

SS: You've got a steaming Radox bath ready. What's going on the stereo?

TOM: I hardly ever take baths but I reckon I would stick on Leftfield – Rhythm and Stealth.
There are some great atmospheric, chilled tracks on that album.

SS: The crowds a bit restless, what tune are you going to drop to get their attention?

TOM: If I were a DJ, it’s gotta be Warriors Dance by The Prodigy. BIG track!!

SS: It's your birthday and a very rich relative has told you to book any three acts you want. Who's playing at your house?

TOM: The Prodigy, Queens Of The Stone Age, Muse

SS: What's your first musical memory?

TOM: Hmmm....I used to dance around like an idiot to Michael Jackson when I was really young, that’ll do!

SS: The power's gone out at the club you're playing!!! What talent do you have that could stop the fractious crowd smashing the place up?

TOM: Nothing, I’d join the crowd...rock n roll!!

SS: Someone gives you a cinema for the night. What films are you going to show?

TOM: Lock, Stock..., The Matrix, Fight Club, 300, Anchorman

SS: Beatles or the Stones?

TOM: Neither... a lot of people pretend to like old bands to sound cool. Generally, there is very little music I like before the mid 80’s...of course there are lots of exceptions!

SS: What has Run Riot got coming up?

TOM: I’m playing a few festivals this summer. Headlining a couple which is a great privilege as I haven’t been around for long. A few remixes. I’ve also started work on my next EP planned for a September release with some big name remixes ;)

Thanks to Run Riot for withstanding that grilling. I thought he was going to crack there for a moment, but it was just some allergic reaction to the hanging vines. Kill to find out who those remixes are. The EP Charge is still available on I-Tunes, Amazon, Juno, Rhapsody, DJ Download and E Music

Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work

2009-06-09T22:26:00.002+01:00

The Week That Was...

2009-06-09T21:16:00.006+01:00

So I've had a week without tinternet. I've got to say that I was like an amputee, feeling that missing limb, but unable to scratch it. You don't realise, until you're without it, just how much you take being 'honline' for granted. God bless the internet.

Anyway three things have happened during my week in the wilderness, that I just want to comment on briefly.

Number One - David 'Kung Fu' Carradine died, in suspicious circumstances in a Thai hotel. Was he giving it a bit of autoerotic asphyxiation? Who knows - but what a shitty way to go. Or at least what a really bad way to be found. Dead, tied up with shoelaces, in the bottom of a cupboard. "Under these circumstances we cannot be sure that he committed suicide but he may have died from masturbation." said one police officer. Funny, if it wasn't so sad. RIP Caine

Number Two - a doctor that performed abortions was shot dead by a pro-lifer...Go fucking figure

Number Three - The BNP won a couple of seats at the European Parliment. So way to go you mainstream politicians, so wrapped up in your greedy, self serving, out of touch lives that you let the bastards get a foothold. Even Mosely and his Blackshirts didn't manage to actually get anyone elected! I just hope that now they're in the mainstream, someone can take the opportunity to show them up for the vacuous fearmongers they really are. For a start, ask them how they're going to fill the hole in the economy they create, when they kick all the 'none indiginous' folk out. Is Nick Griffin really the poster boy for 'real' Britishness? I prefer John Lydon

How do you like your eggs, Nick?

Down with that sort of thing.

The Pet Shop Boys have got a new album out. Yes was released on 23rd March and is very good, if not a classic. Fair does to them for still knocking them out (so to speak) after twenty three years.. I've got a soft spot for PSB because they were a band that completely changed my taste in music. At sixteen, I was a denim jacketed rocker, into my Saxon and Slayer. I thought pop was...I can't even imagine what I thought pop was. If it didn't scream and have a guitar solo, I wasn't interested. Then, on the coach to Manchester, some ill advised visit to an art gallery with college, I was handed headphones and told to take a listen to this...

Pet Shop Boys - A Man Could Get Arrested

I did and it, as they say, totally blew me away. From the soaring synth, to the punchy beat, to the cut up vocals, I'd never heard anything like it. I was snared, like a gerbal up your...B-side to West End Girls.

Never looked back.

Pet Shop Boys - I Get Excited

Pet Shop Boys - The Way It Used To Be (Richard X remix)

Next week: My first experience of Danny la Rue...

L-Vis 1990 - United Groove

2009-06-08T21:18:00.003+01:00

And I'm back in the room...

Cheers Dave!