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I’ve been thinking, a dangerous thing I know but 2011 has been the sort of year that could make anyone take stock. We have seen popular revolutions in North Africa, economic strife on a global scale and major environmental emergencies in America, Japan and Australia. It was also a year in which we made some substantial technological [...]

Reasons to be cheerful, part one: ‘On Tensions and Transition’ »

Live at the Strip Club

By Simon | Published: August 21, 2011

Many moons ago StyleFree helped organise a cracking New Year party at The Platinum Bar nr Old Street, London.  I think it was 06/07 but I’m not entirely certain of that. Anyhow I recorded one of my favourite sets of all time that night and I just gave it another listen and decided it was well worth resurrecting. The mix features one hour of jackin, electro and minimal house and in case you are wondering The Platinum Bar was normally a den of iniquity and licentiousness, hence the name.

Have a listen, I hope you enjoy it

Stripclub – New Year at The Platinum Bar by antsinmypants

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Really Recommended Reading

By Simon | Published: April 17, 2011

I tweeted out a book recommendation this morning and made the statement ‘if I were curating the books that people should read’. As soon as I clicked send it occurred to me that no-one was stopping me doing just that. So I sat down and produced a short selection of great books that I’ve enjoyed. Naturally I’ve already read these so please leave a comment if you have any recommendations of your own!

Girlfriend in a Coma – Douglas Coupland

This is Coupland on fine form though I gather it was written at a low point in his personal life. His beautiful tale follows a small group of teenagers whose directionless lives pivot around the coma of their best friend. As they grow to become adults they mature but something seems to be missing and eventually each returns dispirited to the town of their childhood. We are exposed to an all too familiar and disturbing vision of lives lacking any substantial meaning or purpose. The climax of the story arrives as the friend emerges from their coma only to predict the end of the world.

Last Evenings on Earth – Roberto Bolano

I hesitated to add this book to this list as whilst the writing is beautifully crafted it can be damned hard work to read. However its merits are such that it would be criminal not to recommend it. As with many of my favourites it was a gift from my good friend and writer Alex Paknadel whose eclectic choices are extremely reliable. As for the book it is really a collection of disjointed but connected stories making it tricky to create a meaningful synopsis. I can say though that it offers an amazing perspective into a surprisingly rich and complex Mexican literary scene with plenty of art, sex and politics thrown in for good measure. Bolano has been feted as the greatest modern Spanish language writer by some but make your own mind up.

Rendezvous with Rama – Arthur C. Clarke

This is an old school sci-fi classic and for fans of the genre it is well nigh perfect in execution and a wonderful example of Clarke’s art. Rama is an alien object of mysterious purpose headed for our solar system from the far reaches of the galaxy. It provides a wonderful vehicle for a beautifully paced exploration of how man’s first alien encounter might pan out.

Ratner’s Star – Don DeLillo

From one master of the written word to another – Don DeLillo requires no introduction but Ratner’s Star is probably not his best known work. Again centred on a phenomenon from outer space this book explores the interactions between some of the world’s greatest scientists who have been gathered together and tasked with the purpose of explaining an astronomical puzzle. Aside from being an entertaining experience you will undoubtedly emerge  from reading this novel having gained a greater understanding of of some of science’s big ideas.

Stone Junction – Jim Dodge

Stone Junction is a rollicking read and arguably my favourite book of all time. It even once contributed to getting me a job as my interviewer was also a massive fan. Stone Junction is a celebration of outlawry and of an almost noble life lived beyond ordinary moral and legal constraint. The complex and twisting plot takes the reader effortlessly from scene to scene, leaving you breathless and demanding more. The only disappointment is that eventually the adventure has to come to an end.

The Gone Away World – Nick Harkaway

Another friend Drew also has a helpful tendency to pass on his favourite reads. He is responsible for two of the books on this list including this one.  The Gone Away World is set on a dystopian world where much of the territory is deemed unliveable and communities are restricted to areas close to a pipe carrying a miraculous substance called FOX. FOX keeps the poisonous world at bay and production is controlled by the massive Jorgmund corporation; an entertaining analogy for corporate greed and executive corruption.  The adventure centres on the exploits of the narrator Gonzo as the corporation’s ultimate secret is slowly revealed.

The Terror – Dan Simmons

My copy of The Terror is extremely well thumbed and had been given a thorough scrutiny by three or four friends before it landed with me. I feel slightly guilty that its travels ended there so perhaps I should find someone to hand it on to. The Terror is a weighty novel and is based on the true story of one of countless expeditions sent to explore the North-West passage  during the 19th Century. Predictably the expedition founders amongst the icebergs and this leaves the crew to navigate their way to safety across cruel icy wastes. However what lifts this book from historical narrative and makes it almost impossible to put down is  the introduction of an unknown but malevolent force that begins to pick off members of the crew.

The City & The City – China Mieville

What struck me about The City & The City is that it makes little fuss about the fact that a fictional Eastern European City has somehow become split into two distinct but partially merged territories. Skipping past this rather miraculous circumstance it uses the juxtaposition of the two cities and the inevitable tension between them as a fertile backdrop for a cracking detective story. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely be reading more of Mieville’s work.

Transition – Iain Banks

Most of you will be familiar with Banks’ dark and gritty stories and his equally imaginative sci-fi incarnation with an M but Transference doesn’t sit comfortably in either box. The premise of Transition is that certain individuals have developed the ability to flit between infinite parallel worlds by jumping into the minds of their inhabitants. These illicit activities are used to change the future and governed by the seemingly benign organisation The Concern. Transition deals with some big ideas and raises some moral questions about interference in other people’s affairs, benign or otherwise. Transition is a thrilling fantasy lived through some great characters; arguably one of Banks’ finest books to date.

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60 Minute Fluffer

By Simon | Published: January 22, 2011

Procrastination is fun.

I was supposed to be working so I spent the morning surfing the Hype Machine and made a mix instead. 60 Minute Fluffer does exactly what it says on the tin. Play it loud one hour before going out and I guarantee it’ll put a spring in your step and send you out on the town in the perfect mood for a lively night out.

Enjoy!

60 Minute Saturday Night Fluffer by antsinmypants

Download Link

Tracklisting:

Wise Blood – Loud Mouths
Caesar ft Robyn – I blame Coco (Miike Snow Mix)
White Nights – Oh Land (Twin Shadow MIx)
The Phenomenal Handclap Band – Tears (Stallions Mix)
Amadou & Miriam – Sabali (Vitalic Mix)
Boy 8-Bit – Restricted 18 Pt 1
Tom Tom Club – Genius of Love (The Pinker Tones Mix)
Vandroid – Master & Slave (Boy 8-Bit Mix)
Fenech Soler – Demons (Yuksek Mix)
Gorillaz – Stylo (Alex Metric Mix)
Daft Punk – Around The World (Kid Dub Mix)
Team9 v Chemical Brothers – Saturday Salmon
Aeroplane – Superstar
Martin Solveig ft Dragonette – Hello (Team Jaguar Combination Mix)
Fake Blood – I Think I Like It
Vampire Weekend vs Miike Snow – The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance
The Doors – This Is The End (Dirty South Remix)
Freestylers – Say Yes (Raw As Fuck Mix)
Adele – Home Town Glory (High Contrast Mix)

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Robot Fashion Pt.5: Star Ranger

By Simon | Published: January 22, 2011

Star Ranger proves that beauty is more than skin deep, it’s what’s inside that counts!

In the fifth of our series focusing on the world of Robot Fashion, we feature Star Ranger from Japan’s Metal House Star Star Ranger. Standing 12″ tall Star Ranger is a limited edition of only 50 Hadukaya style robots.  Like Robot 2008 it is battery operated and features bouncing lighted pistons in his chest and a coquettish side to side head motion as he walks. Whilst Star Ranger is a good looking robot there’s no doubt that it’s his flashing mechanical insides that steal the show and prove that beauty is more than skin deep. Take a look at this video to see it in action.

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Robot Fashion Pt.4: Robot 2008

By Simon | Published: January 22, 2011

Even super-models have bad days!

Amongst his peers, Robot 2008 can definitely be classed a super-model. This battery operated beauty is the most formidably equipped robot in my collection and has become the iconic face of robots everywhere. His picture even comes as a standard profile icon on Macs! It’s not just a pretty face either, switch Robot 2008 on and its chest opens as it strides forward to reveal two guns that make a loud rat-a-tat-tat sound then it rotates from the waist upwards to display this fearsome array to all around.

Robot 2008

Robot 2008 a rotat-o-matic robot from Schylling Co.

Regrettably reminiscent of Naomi Campbell’s famous catwalk fall even super-models can have bad days and Robot 2008 had something of a tumble over Christmas and before I could film it in all its rotating glory. So now Robot 2008 is in two pieces awaiting some TLC.

Robot 2008 out of action

Robot 2008 out of action

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Ten records to listen to if snowed in (or simply fancy some new music)

By Simon | Published: December 18, 2010

Far be it from me to break from the tradition of end of year round ups and lists of ten. These are some of my favourite albums from 2010. Owning them is likely to improve your life considerably and if you are snowed in and in need of entertainment they will provide many hours of aural pleasure..

The National are the biggest unknown band I’ve seen. It’s hard to believe a band that can sell out Brixton Academy four times this year has so little profile outside the genuine music press. New album ‘High Violet’ is a triumph of a record and if I owned it on tape I would have worn it out by now. The track I have selected is ‘England’ because I once used the beautiful but melancholy lyrics in a rather cheesy attempt to woo a young lady.

The National – England by antsinmypants

The Generationals will go far, that’s my prediction for 2011. Their latest EP ‘Trust’ outshines their excellent debut ‘Con Law’ but it is still a record worth owning. Hailing from New Orleans this groovy little album is considerably more downbeat than the catchy single When They Fight They Fight might suggest. Have a listen.

When They Fight, They Fight – Generationals by christiandaniel

The Besnard Lakes are an epic prog rock outfit who have a devoted following. I was lucky enough to have a front row spot when they performed an intimate gig at The Legion. Aside from the lead’s hair the most remarkable thing I noticed was their pedals. Each guitarist had a mess of leads and a dozen different effects that gave them the ability to coax amazingly complex sounds from their instruments. ‘The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night’ won’t be to everyone’s tastes but for me personally it is an epic winner.

The Besnard Lakes ‘Albatross’ by PIAS UK Sales

Surprisingly The Tallest Man on Earth is Swedish, I say surprisingly because he sounds just like Bob Dylan. That’s not to say his music isn’t amazing and unique but he he does and it is a good thing too. His album ‘Wild Hunt’ is simply brilliant.

Burden of Tomorrow — The Tallest Man on Earth by tomshone

Broken Bells are a late entry into my list of the year’s best albums. Having worked on projects including Gnarls Barkley and The Black Keys Hip Hop producer Danger Mouse’s ability to reinvent himself seems to know no limits. He is one half of Broken Bells and his signature beats are combined with the indie sensibilities of James Mercer formerly of The Shins. I only bought ‘Broken Bells’ today but it is a well crafted album that has earnt a well deserved Grammy Nomination for Best Alternative Album and the single ‘Ghost Inside’ is the standout track.

Broken Bells – October by mydarlingmusic

I accidentally confused Deerhunter with Deerhof the other day, quite embarrassing really as I was pulled up on it by a friend in public. I blame my enthusiasm for what is possibly my album of the year. Described as ambient punk ‘Halcyon Digest’ hits the sweet spot between pop, indie and alternative if there is such a thing. ‘Helicopter’ is the most recognisable of the tracks but frankly they’re all pretty great. I know very little about the band but they come from Atlanta, Georgia and this is their fourth album.

Deerhunter – Helicopter by bryan579

Veteran rockers The Walkmen released new album Lisbon in September after doing the rounds of the UK festival circuit over the summer so chances are festival goers will know of them. Lisbon is their fifth album and feels like the product of a mature well developed group of musicians. The single ‘Stranded’ is the one everyone has raved about but I have to admit I’ve chosen the title track ‘Lisbon’ because its latin stylings make me feel all fuzzy and romantic.

The Walkmen – Lisbon by donknox

Broken Social Scene are something of a Canadian supergroup, on stage in London’s Koko last month they had fourteen band members. They are well known for rotating in all sorts of Canadian luminaries including that girl from Feist but nowadays the curiously named Lisa Lobsinger seems to own the female lead. I would be remiss not to mention her fabulous hair which resembles an untidy bird’s nest. As you can probably gather she had quite an impression on me and that’s probably why I selected the track ‘All to All’.  The presence of so much talent on stage makes for a fabulous live show and I cannot recommend them more highly…what’s more the album ‘Forgiveness Rock Record’ is not bad either. Thanks BSS, keep up the good work :-)

Broken Social Scene – All To All by artsandcraftsmx

I’d never heard of Warpaint until I was tipped off to their fabulously brilliant Billie Holiday video. It predates their new album ‘The Fool’ which could almost be a different band but is still worthy of a mention. I’ll be honest and say upfront this album’s not going to knock you out with excitement as there are no catchy singles but it is a grower and perfect for whiling away time on a bus. The track I have selected is call Undertow and if you listen carefully you’ll notice it is a homage to Nirvana’s Polly.

Warpaint – Undertow by everythingstartssomewhere

Last but not least it is hardly worth me trying to tell you anything about Arcade Fire but I will say that the Suburbs is a great album. Instead I’ll mention the coolest thing about the album which was in fact the crazy HTML5 and CSS3 video experiment they made with Google for their single The Wilderness Downtown. Here’s Sprawl II.

Arcade Fire – Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) by MCMLXXXVIII

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Life inside the bingo hall

By Simon | Published: November 6, 2010

What started out as a joke mission to capture the desirable Foursquare Badge ‘Warhol’ led me to a rather unexpected find today. By way of explanation the Warhol is earned by visiting ten art galleries and today’s six art check-ins inched me that little bit closer to the pointless award. After a fabulous afternoon cruising the back streets of Shoreditch with iPhone in hand it also provided some insight into what Foursquare is all about, making life a little bit more fun simply by making it a game.

Today’s find was an exhibition at the tiny Outside World Gallery on Redchurch, a street about 500m long that offers enough diversions to occupy an entire afternoon. At first glance Michael Hess’s collection of photographs seem loosely arranged and unassuming. My first impression was Las Vegas but it turned out that the bright lights had more humble origins and the characters’ lined skin owed less to the Nevada sunshine and more to a lack of expensive skin care.  Bingo and Social Club‘s inspiration was in fact closer to home. The beautiful photos were captured in visits to more than 60 Bingo halls across the UK in a project lasting over four years.

Michael Hess’s photos were beautifully crafted but it was the short handwritten notes posted between them that really brought home their meaning. Credited to Maxine Gallagher the powerful quotes taken from the subjects spoke with a rare authenticity.

“I kissed her hand last week. We danced and she said it was lovely, told all her friends she was dancing. She’s 75, I know I said I was looking for a 25-year-old but I’d make an exception for her. There she is, now there’s perfection.”

“There’s nobody working for me here. They either work with me or against me. I make sure they work with me.”

Bingo halls represent a way of life and a mode of thinking that is far removed from my life and probably yours too. As these institutions gradually fade away Hess’s photographs remind us that their denizens warmth, wit and humble philosophy is something worth preserving.

I’m not sure how long the exhibition will run in its current home but for those unable to see it I highly recommend that you buy a copy of the book and with Christmas not too far away I can think of no better gift for anyone who enjoys the visual arts.

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The League of Extraordinary Poets

By Simon | Published: October 9, 2010

This month I ran a night called Silly Billy presents The League of Extraordinary Poets. I’ve been to few ‘performance poetry’ gigs over the past couple of years and loved them. I am also lucky enough to know a couple of good poets. This gave me the urge to put on a poetry event of my own so I was delighted when The Silver Bullet in Finsbury Park asked me to get involved with their comedy night Silly Billy. The League of Extraordinary Poets is the bastard son of comedy and poetry forced together in unholy communion. Here are the first couple of videos from what turned out to be the most fun I have ever had on a monday night.

Byron Vincent on marketing

YouTube Preview Image

Byron Vincent on religion

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Five amazing albums from across the pond

By Simon | Published: September 4, 2010

This summer I’ve mostly been listening to some rather good albums originating across the pond in America. You too should own these records, go buy them without delay! Creds to Drew, Caroline and Dillon for putting me onto them!

King of The Beach – Wavves

Nathan Williams has been around a while but being a laggard I’ve only just stumbled onto him. Just in time apparently, after a fairly checkered start to his career King of the Beach is his third and most critically acclaimed album. This beautifully crafted album combines surf pop with skate-punk and makes me want to up sticks and move to California right now.

Wavves – King of the Beach by Bella Union


Fool’s Gold – Fool’s Gold

Fool’s Gold should not work – an album combining afropop with mostly Hebrew lyrics should be a definite #fail but it does and thank god. The world would be a less shiny place without this oddly gorgeous and laid back album. If you like the mesmerising groove of bands like Chk Chk Chk then you’ll love their live set. Be careful if buying on iTunes in case, like me, you end up buying cheesy romance with Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson instead.

02 Nadine by Fool’s Gold


Crazy for You – Best Coast

This has been on at every opportunity recently. Best Coast rock out a sound best described as indie surf pop recorded with a distinctively fuzzy low-fi edge – the album is neither big nor clever but full of catchy numbers and there are some really stand out tracks like Boyfriend and title track Crazy For You.

Best Coast, “Boyfriend” by HuffingtonPost

Spoon – Transference

Did I mention being late to the party, well Spoon started out in 1994 and I only just found out how awesome they are. Dillon came back from Coachella raving about them when I realised I already owned a dubstep remix but listening to recent release Transference was an epiphany. Spoon’s simple stripped back rhythmic rock is a revelation and single Got Nuffin an absolute cracker.

Spoon – Got Nuffin’ by gpferrero

Astro Coast – Surfer Blood

More indie surf pop, are you discerning a trend yet? Well it is Summer, the luscious sound of America’s surf scene has been rocking my world and in my opinion Astro Coast is the best example. Surfer Blood used to be called Jabroni Sandwich, I’m glad they changed their name.

Surfer Blood – Floating Vibes by HighVoltageMusic

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Robot Fashion Pt.3: Hexhead

By Simon | Published: August 21, 2010

Fashion is about more than simple style. It’s the way you carry yourself that counts!

This month’s featured Robot is Hex Head the Mechanical Walking Robot. Dressed in classic red and blue with a hexagonal shaped head and exposed clockwork innards Hex’s design is a minimal classic. Set next to my other robots Hex’s 9 inch stature also makes him comparatively tall for his class. But, the really striking thing about Hex is the way he walks nay strides along with the sort of understated confidence that really turns heads and makes robot girls swoon. Hex proves that all important principle of fashion, whatever your style or look, it’s not what you wear but how you wear it.

Hex Head, Mechanical Walking Robot

Hex Head was purchased at Thus on Cheshire Street, just off Brick Lane in London.

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Fool’s Gold at The Borderline

By Simon | Published: August 20, 2010
Fool's Gold

Fool's Gold

I like gigs I haven’t planned for – those ‘come to this gig there’s this band, you’ll really like them’ moments are the best. I hadn’t heard about Fool’s Gold until a few days before so having listened to their odd album several times on Spotify I had little idea what to expect.

This was a night of new experiences. Firstly The Bordeline has had something of a refit. Whilst I shed a little tear that some of the wooden shack like elements had gone it was great to see an extra bar making it unnecessary to cross the crowd for a drink. Then there were Fool’s Gold…

Whilst most bands tend to shuffle on stage and only come alive with the first riff, Fool’s Gold swaggered onto the stage one by one, playing their instruments in true showman style. They were dressed like they were headed to the beach and I think there were Fez’s too.

The crowd was clearly full of fans and they got right into it with opener Nadine and never looked back. I had no idea there were so many Jewish hipsters in London but as most of the lyrics were in Hebrew they probably had more of an idea of what it was all about. The rest of us had to make do with the groove which was fortunately incredibly, well, groovy.

Fool’s Gold’s sound is utterly unique, fusing African rhythms with funk but the relentless almost jam style set was reminiscent of a Chk Chk Chk gig. Sometimes it drifted into head nodding/toe tapping territory and didn’t suit my companion who prefers her songs a little shorter and catchier but the majority of the crowd had no complaints.

The best part of the evening was the end of the show and I don’t mean that in a bad way. The band left the stage but the crowd kept on singing the chorus of Nadine which eventually coaxed them back out of the dressing room and into the crowd with sax and drums in hand.

I have to hand it to them these guys really know how to party and if you’re not convinced then listen to this…

Fool’s Gold at The Borderline (Crowd Singing) by antsinmypants
Fool’s Gold by Fool’s Gold

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Love is in the ear

By Simon | Published: July 25, 2010

Sometimes a play list just deserves to be shared. Last year I played an Unplanned Afternoons gig at Inn on the Park to one couple and a dog in the garden. To make things worse it was raining occasionally so I was playing off my laptop with a coat over my head. It was a shame so few people heard the set as I had spent hours researching a play list built on the theme of love. My efforts didn’t go entirely unnoticed though, despite the weather, the couple seemed to take the hint and smooched their way through it. So, if you need some love inspiration have a listen to these ten tracks from the list:

‘I wish I could have loved you more’ by Candi Payne
a big sounding love song that captures the sound of the 60′s yet was only recorded only a couple of years ago. myspace.com/candiepayne

‘Let your love flow’ by The Bellamy Brothers
A classic country track you’ll recognise from a certain credit card advert myspace.com/thebellamybrothers

‘Lover’ by Kish Mauve
Catchy – these pop rockers are awesome live. myspace.com/kishmauve

‘It’s all about love’ by Lazyboy
A strange collection of thoughts on the subject of love from these Rob Da Bank favourites – beautiful. myspace.com/lazyboy

‘A walk in the Black Forest (Our Walk of Love)’ by Salena Jones
If anyone is daft enough to marry me, this is my nomination for first dance. Find Salena Jones on Itunes

‘Te Quiero Mucho’ by Mexican Institute of Sound
South America’s finest get all smoochy, check out their excellent Soy Sauce album. myspace.com/mexicaninstituteofsound

‘Love your bum’ by Eberg
a lovely Icelandic oddity, how come Andrex never ran with this…. myspace.com/eberg1

‘Lover’ by Devendra Bernhardt
Devendra Bernhardt is a musician par excellence and this track exposes a slightly funkier edge to his usually folksy sound. myspace.com/devendrabanhart

‘Wanna get back your love’ by Flayer
Creds to Manchester’s Moonboots and Balearic Mike for pointing me in the direction of this cracker on their now seemingly impossible to buy compilation Originals, released by Claremont.

‘Love is the drug’ by Roxy Music (Greg Wilson’s Credit ToThe Edit version)
Another Manchester legend gives Roxy Music’s classic a rerub. Greg still plays with tape to tape, it is something to behold. I know I carried it across Camden Market once. Greg Wilson on Itunes

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Byron Vincent on salad, religion and social networking

By Simon | Published: July 12, 2010

I first saw Byron Vincent a few years ago in the upstairs bar at Soho’s legendary Madame Jo Jo’s (or somewhere around there). My friend invited me to come and see an old Uni mate perform poetry. This intrigued me as I’d not given much consideration to poetry since GCSE English classes and the last I’d heard Byron was promoting club nights in Lancaster. A few quips and a Haiku about Tesco bags later I was utterly converted, it was a fantastic night.

A few weeks ago, after having ignored countless Facebook posts about far away gigs like the Ledbury Poetry festival, Byron suddenly appeared again on the bill for Pop Up Poetry at Udderbelly. Pop Up Poetry ran for two nights and was promoted by Luke Wright, publisher of the imprint Nasty Little Press which is home to poetry titles including ‘What If Men Burst In Wearing Balaclavas’ and Byron’s own collection ‘Barking Doggerel’.

E4′s Udderbelly is an upside down inflatable purple cow temporarily posing as a  live venue. It starts life  in London each year before heading North to the Edinburgh festival. Drinkers should note that it will most certainly be back next year, has several good food stalls and boasts the best and possibly only astro-turf beer garden on London’s Southbank.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, we went, we ignored the cheers emanating from the beer garden where the World Cup semi final was being played out and we had a bloody good time listening to poetry. Luke and Byron were accompanied by actor Chris Addison who you may know from The Thick of It. Chris, a virgin poetry performer read from his excellent book  Cautionary Tales. Luke compéred and delivered a selection of poems that conveyed the real and mundane with great humour whilst Byron’s brilliantly funny set could just as easily be described as an excellent stand up routine in its own right with some great poetry thrown in for good measure.

Fortunately I captured Byron’s set rather amateurishly on video using my camera. Whilst the cinematography leaves something to be desired it is well worth watching as he meanders through subjects like Elton John’s salad preferences, why religion deserves a good ribbing, internet based social networking and the perils of shopping online.

People who like this may also like Ben Mellor who I saw last year in Notting Hill at the fantastic Sabotage comedy night.

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Robot Fashion Pt.2: Sparkling Mike

By Simon | Published: July 12, 2010

Mike is no seasonal fashion fad but a true modern classic you can return to year on year.

In stark contrast to last month’s feature on Mechanical Robot, Sparkling Mike sports a futuristic yet retro silver tin shell. His shining paintwork, hypnotic eyes and clean lines offer up a refreshing minimalist alternative to gaudier attention seeking designs. It is simultaneously suggestive of the bright future envisaged by his creators and representative of his authentic retro origins.

Boldly looking to the future and indicating this season’s trend for the latest accessory, Mike is pictured with not one but four new Ipads. A sight so rarely seen it is likely to make many readers very envious. It certainly makes a statement and that is the way Mike rolls.

Mike stands eight inches tall and with wheels attached to each foot, he also boasts a distinctive gait that is reminiscent of skating. When not busy tweeting on his Ipad, or checking into toy shops on Four Square, he’s also been known to show off the amazing capability to project sparks from his chest. He is an almost exact replica of the original 1950′s classic, with a box that is almost as desirable as the robot itself. Mike is no seasonal fashion fad but a true modern classic you can return to year on year.

Sparkling Mike

Sparkling Mike sports a futuristic look with his Ipad accessories.


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Soft Rock Calling

By Simon | Published: July 1, 2010

Last week’s Hard Rock Calling was fairly typical of events at Hyde Park. In a typically corporate fashion the misnamed global music franchise managed to suck much of the joy from what might otherwise have been a memorable event. Fortunately amongst some poor and uninspired performances there were some highlights and the beer queues were a shining symbol of the efficiencies marketing men focused on the bottom line can bring to the festival scene.

The Gaslight Anthem opened up with a solid and inoffensive set built largely on the premise that sounding like Bruce Springstein is a pretty good bet. Then The Hives proved once again that they are the best warm up act in the world. On stage antics and a set brimming with antics made for an early bout of enthusiasm from the crowd who happily clapped and shouted on demand.  The excitement was short lived though as Ben Harpur trotted out an insipid and forgettable set of otherwise perfect music and people drifted off to get a rat meat burger from one of the awful food stalls. Happily the promise of a Gomez set lifted our spirits so we shifted our attention to the 2nd stage only to be sorely disappointed by a shambolic performance.

Eventually though, the main event arrived and all was forgotten in the battle to secure a good spot. Pearl Jam are a band I’ve wanted to see for most of my adult life. Not that I can claim to be a serious fan as only one album ever really received much of my attention. However, like Nirvana and Sonic Youth, the very name conjures up a romantic nostalgia for my adolescent years and I needed very little convincing to summon up the required £40 for the ticket. Unfortunately though I have to admit I did not throw myself into the gig or the crowd and the sound system did little to broadcast the impressive set emanating from the stage. Hence, despite the quality on show, I bobbed and nodded my way through a few songs I recognised and a few I didn’t before politely excusing myself as the band withdrew backstage to pave the way for a predictable encore.

To close then, I probably deserve what I get for being an old git and not getting stuck in. Blur similarly failed to move the needle last year despite the rave reviews but Neil Young knocked my socks off so it can be done. Will I go back for more next year, most likely. Will the food still be dreadful and the festival have no soul, definitely!

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Senser at Islington Academy

By Simon | Published: June 20, 2010


I’ll be upfront I have a vested interest in Senser through past association. Still my companion agreed that last night’s show at Islington Academy 2 was a cracker. Her only criticism was that there were not enough tattoos on show but I’ve always felt that Senser’s distinctly atypical look is a large part of their appeal.

Senser are touring their new album How To Do Battle, released last autumn. They’ve been invited to Greece and Spain as well as appearing at this year’s Download festival. Much of the new material has actually been part of their set list for almost 3 or 4 years but the songs have matured and developed and the audience now mosh along to tracks like Resistance Now and 123 with the same abandon they used to withhold for the classics like States of Mind. New and old material now blends seamlessly into an intensely enjoyable hour long set and I would recommend anyone try and catch them on the remaining dates of the tour.

Failing that the album is pretty good too and worth getting hold of. Produced by New York hip hop producer Scott Harding and Neil Mclellan who is best known for producing The Prodigy, there are some really standout tunes and the album has a polished and more up to date feel than predecessor Schematic. The artwork’s pretty good too and makes this an album worth buying rather than downloading!

Here’s some unofficial remixes
Senser 2 3 Clear (FireFarm and Peak remix) by k-Lapse
Senser – End Of The World Show – Machine Code – Subviolenz Rmx by deanrodell
senser.co.uk

myspace.com/senserband

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Robots on Cheshire Street

By Simon | Published: June 16, 2010

This week I was wondering the streets around Brick Lane and stumbled across the most fun shop I have ever visited. Thus is a tiny little boutique shop with an amazing collection of clockwork and battery operated robots. Owner John Kelly clearly loves his job and spent thirty minutes introducing me to dozens of his amazing machinoids. Before long there were Japanese Fighting Robots with guns blazing, Roger the Robot drunken dancing and Sparkling Mike predictably sparkly. John did such a good job inspiring me that I have now committed to start collecting these toys and I bought my first one there and then. Check out Robby the Robot in the first of my new Robot Fashion series of articles.

Thus the Robot Shop on Cheshire Street

Thus the Robot Shop on Cheshire Street

Pay THUS a visit at 20 Cheshire St, London E2 6EH

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Robot Fashion Pt 1: Mechanical Planet Robot

By Simon | Published: June 13, 2010

Robby’s sense of style is clearly defined by his ample curves and irreverent wonky antennas.

Welcome to the inaugural post in the Robot Fashion Show series in which we explore the season’s styles as worn by discerning mechanised toys everywhere. Who better to open the series than perhaps the most celebrated robot of them all – Robby the Robot.

Robby was made famous by the cinematic classic The Forbidden Planet in which he starred as a servant of the protagonist Morpheus. In the film Robby drove around the deserted planet of the Krells, carried 10 tonnes of lead with one arm and even brewed 60 gallons of bourbon whisky.

Robby’s sense of style is clearly defined by his ample curves and irreverent wonky antennas. Of course no Robot would be replete without a special power and Robby’s face sparkles as he walks.

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The Acorn, Hoxton Bar and Grill

By Simon | Published: June 8, 2010

I’m not big on nuts, never have been but I found myself quite partial to The Acorn when they paid a visit to The Hoxton Bar and Grill this week. The whole evening was a pleasant surprise, I arrived fairly red faced having spent 5 hours trying to get back from a meeting in the Cotswolds. The first cider was one of those ‘aaahhh’ moments, sorry Strongbow it was an Aspall’s. Stepping into the venue I found it almost completely bereft of Shoreditch Twats – could it be, has the HB&G actually established itself as a proper live venue? Dammit I’ve seen the listings but never really considered the venue after that night out with angry Portuguese ex-girlfriend so many years ago.

I digress, so the Acorn. They are Canadian and quite clearly so, from Ottawa to be precise. Rolf Klausener’s banter was charming, and the songs have a little more bit more edge than they their recorded sound. Apparently they locked themselves in a remote Quebec cottage to record new album ‘No Ghost’. I’m not sure anyone purposefully records in a busy distracting place but I get the point and so do apparently a number of people who know what they are talking about – Bon Iver’s allegedly a fan but they are label mates so I’ll take that on advisement.

So, the music! Its great, its folk, there are ukelele moments, what more can you ask for? To be honest I don’t know their music well enough to tell the difference between old and new material but I was definitely having fun. I got the general impression that the new album is a little rougher edged than its predecessor Glory Hope and I’m going to buy a copy when I have some cash in the bank. One guy loved them so much he took umbridge and poked me in the chest when I asked Drew how the guitarist was achieving a particular sound. Apparently there is etiquette to be observed but for f*cks sake, one question.

To summarise, they are nice, the new material is good, the album most probably worth buying but don’t talk if you are near the front – old guy will tell you off.

The Acorn – No Ghost by Bella Union

The Acorn – Restoration (Four Tet Remix) by Bella Union

www.myspace.com/theacorn

The Acorn live at Hoxton Bar and Grill

The Acorn live at Hoxton Bar and Grill


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Silver Bullet arrives at Finsbury Park Station

By Simon | Published: May 31, 2010
The Cuban Brothers at the silver bullet

The Cuban Brothers at the Silver Bullet

The Silver Bullet arrived at Finsbury Park station this month to replace empty boozer The Gas Light. Run by the team behind Holloway’s popular Hideaway Bar the new pop-up venue promises an impressive line-up of live music in an area where such things have been remarkably hard to come by.

This original and unique venue will be a one-stop-shop for music lovers and followers of the best club nights that London has to offer, courtesy of high profile live acts and DJs, accompanied by the cream of the crop in blossoming talent.

Thanks partly to a rather well connected promoter the first month’s events have welcomed a plethora of talent through the doors.  Appearances have included the hotly tipped Foreign Office, local surf noir kings The Bikini Beach Band, Bestival favourites The Cuban Brothers, James Yuill doing a Moshi Moshi label showcase and legendary funk DJ Keb Darge.

Last week saw the venue besieged as 40,000 fans descended on Finsbury Park for the Rage Against The Machine thank you party and I enjoyed playing a set with Laurent from Gallows and XFM’s Eddie Temple Morris. A great crowd, a loud sound system and lovely friendly staff made for a memorable night.

Ed. Since writing this I’ve been back for a cracking Moshi Moshi night with Slow Club and laughed my chops off at their inaugural weekly Monday night comedy affair The Silly Billy.

Keep up the good work fellas

Listings can be found here www.thesilverbullet.co.uk/listings/

This sweet love (prins thomas sneaky edit) by moshi moshi music

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A funeral in my mind

By Simon | Published: April 16, 2010

A new mixtape to download, have a listen and enjoy. In case you are wondering about the name I was looking through my collection for a nice sample to kick off this dreamy, tripped-out, electronic, meandering mix when I chanced across a collection of quotes from poems that the Guardian published a few years ago. ‘I felt a funeral in my brain’ by Emily Dickinson traces the speakers decent into madness and seemed to fit the bill very nicely!

Download ‘A Funeral For My Brain’

Tracklisting:

  1. Solid Gold – Who You Gonna Run To
    Electronic glam rock from this hotly tipped Minneapolis band myspace.com/solidgold
  2. Bear in Heaven – Lovesick Teenagers
    Psychedelic minimal pop from Brooklyn myspace.com/bearinheaven
  3. Million Young – Recess
    Beautiful and hypnotic synth pop  last.fm/millionyoung
  4. Small Black – Despicable Dogs – Washed Out Remix
    Sweet hazy lo-fi electronica myspace.com/smallblacksounds
  5. Yacht – Psychic City (Classixx Remix)
    New DFA signings Yacht with their catchy art school sound myspace.com/yacht
  6. Appaloosa – The Day We Fell In Love (Ted and Francis Mix)
    Electro house from yet another quality Kitsune outfit myspace.com/intimate
  7. Skeleton Boy (Air France Remix)
    Lovely remix of this Foals track, their new album Total Life Forever is well worth a listen foals.co.uk
  8. Goldfrapp – Happiness (Beyond The Wizards Sleeve Re-Animation)
    Classic Goldfrapp from the amazing remix due Erol Alkan and Richard Norris beyondthewizardssleeve.co.uk
  9. Fenech Soler – Stop and Stare
    The UK’s bright young things set to steal thunder from the likes of Friendly Fires and Klaxons myspace.com/fenechsoler
  10. Superpose – The Queen of the Night
    A nice slice of electro pop from Brazil myspace.com/superpose
  11. Fear of Theydon – Disxotek Suixide
    Poorly spelled, superbly done – from Rob Da Bank’s  Sunday Best label  myspace.com/fearoftheydon
  12. Delphic – Acolyte
    Bloc party meets Friendly Fires – brilliant album out now myspace.com/delphic
  13. Crystal Castles – Black Panther
    Bonkers electronic scenesters  in good form. New album is surprisingly low key in a good way myspace.com/crystalcastles
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Bacon, Apple and Cheshire Cheese Quiche

By Simon | Published: March 8, 2010

Further evidence of my ultimate rock and roll lifestyle. I’ve decided it is time to share the amazing quiche recipe I made the other day.

Ingredients / equipment

    1 packet of cheshire cheese 250g
    1 packet bacon lardons or pancetta approx.100-150g
    1 packet shortcrust pastry or two packets pre-rolled (enough pastry to make two rounds approx. 12?)
    2 x 10 inch baking tin/dish with round, crimped edges
    One large onion
    One large Bramley apple
    6 medium eggs
    Small pot cream

Step 1: warm the oven to 175 degrees and using a scrap of baking paper grease the tins lightly with a little butter

Step 2: scatter flour over a large kitchen surface and roll two rounds of pastry to 12 inches in diameter. keep adding flour as you turn the pastry. Line the tins with pastry ensuring plenty of overspill as it shrinks. Place in the oven for 15 mins to par cook. Ready when firm, overdone if hard like a biscuit.

While the pastry case bakes:

Step 3: fry the lardons to brown and put to one side. Chop the onions in long thin strips and cube the Bramley apple. Fry in the bacon fat adding a little sugar until both apple and onion are lightly caramelised.

Step 4: Cube the cheshire cheese and add to the pan with the lardons and leave on a low heat whilst you prepare the egg mix.

Step 5: crack 6 eggs into a bowl and a little splash or two of cream – beat together until you have a creamy liquid. Don’t overdo the cream!

Step 6: remove the pastry cases from the oven, pour in the contents of the pan and spread evenly. Then pour over the egg mix to almost cover the bacon, cheese and onion mix (1.5 inches), place back in the oven and cook until firm and browning on top.

Serve hot or cold with a bottle of dry cider for extra pleasure.

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Sex Education Ghetto Style

By Simon | Published: February 16, 2010

It being rather rainy and horrible outside so I thought it would be good to lighten the mood with something funky. Here’s a mix  of Hip Hop / Funk and Breaks to inspire your inner Easter Bunny. Named after the intro by Gill Scott Heron it features  Origin Myth by Joe Driscoll, How to Exercise a Turntable by DJ Vadim and Sexy Coffee Pot by Tony Alvon & The Belairs. Other artists include The Herbaliser, RJD2 and DJ Shadow with a special mentions for Hot Chip’s mix of The Pharcyde’s ‘Passin Me By’.  Enjoy…

Get Some ‘Sex Education Ghetto Style’

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Date night dinner for two

By Simon | Published: January 16, 2010

Credit to Gino D’Acampo for this recipe, but here’s my simple version. This dish is really quick to prepare and cook and looks fantastic on the plate. Make as suggested or go for broke and take the principle of poaching fish wherever it takes you – I’ve already made a Thai version of this dish.

What you’ll need

  • Two Seabass fillets
  • A handful of black olives (mild tasting)
  • A bunch of curly parsley
  • Tinned anchovies in olive oil
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic
  • A lemon
  • New potatoes pref baby
  • Mini bottle of white wine
  • Cocktail sticks (long)
  • Sweet cherry tomatoes
  • Capers

Cooking Instructions

Step One – First put the new potatoes on to boil and heat up the oven to roasting temperature.

Step Two – Next blend up the black olives into a paste and paint onto the skin side of the fillets. Roll the fillets tightly and spear through with the cocktail sticks so that they stay rolled up. Place them in a non stick pan with a lid and poor over the mini bottle of white wine.

Step Three – Now place the tomatoes in a roasting tin with some olive oil and mediterranean herbs and roll around so that they are coated in oil.

Step Four – Finally blend the parsley, anchovies, a generous squeeze of lemon juice, some lemon zest, a generous pour of olive oil and a pinch of black pepper into a sauce.  Add oil until it is loose. This a Salse Verde sauce apparently but we can call it Green Sauce.

Step Five – Now you are ready to cook the fish. Simply place a lid on the pan and bring the white wine to simmer, turn down and allow about two minutes before removing from the pan using the cocktail sticks. Save the wine and throw in a few capers.

Serving Instructions
To plate drain the potatoes which should now be cooked and put a handful on each plate. Place the fish on top and the tomatoes circling the potatoes. Pour over the wine liquor and capers taking care not to splash the edge of the plate. Take a tea spoon and drip green sauce around the edge of the plate and place a large dollop on top of the fish. Serve to your guest a nice Chablis or Sincerre.

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A Pants Christmas

By Simon | Published: December 16, 2009

Idle minds make for endless fun when it comes to music blogs so my seasonal gift to the world is A Pants Christmas. Almost 100 tracks compiled from seasonal tracks I have found whilst trawling the Interweb. The track-listing includes Reuben’s industrial ‘Christmas is Awesome’, Sonic Youth’s grungy Santa Don’t Cop Out on Dope, Bob and Doug Mckenzie’s boozy take on Twelve Days of Christmas and Bootsy Collins’ funkadelic Merry Christmas Baby. Of course Christmas would not be complete without appearances from family favourites like Cheech and Chong, Spinal Tap and Billy Idol plus of course Father Christmas himself Lee Scratch Perry. It features hours of festive pleasure you won’t be hearing at a shopping mall near you and will knock the socks off the usual office playlist.

Download ‘A Pants Christmas’

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