Author Archives: Simon

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

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 [...]

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Live at the Strip Club

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 [...]

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Really Recommended Reading

Screen shot 2011-04-17 at 17.52.18

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!

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Tomorrow’s World Today and Today’s World Tomorrow…

Are we already living in tomorrow’s world and if so what might today’s world look like tomorrow?

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60 Minute Fluffer

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 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!

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Robot Fashion Pt.5: Star Ranger

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 [...]

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Robot Fashion Pt.4: Robot 2008

Robot 2008

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 [...]

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

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 [...]

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Life inside the bingo hall

A review of Michael Hess’s photography exhibition ‘Bingo and Social Club’ now showing at The Outside World on Redchurch Street in Shoreditch, London.

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The League of Extraordinary Poets

Some clips of Byron Vincent performing at my recent event Silly Billy presents The League of Extraordinary Poets.

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Five amazing albums from across the pond

Five of 2010′s greatest albums including Wavves, Best Coast, Spoon, Surfer Blood and Fool’s Gold.

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Robot Fashion Pt.3: Hexhead

Hex Head, Mechanical Walking Robot

This month we feature Hex Head the Mechanical Walking Robot who shows us that fashion is about more than simple style. It’s the way that you carry yourself that counts.

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Fool’s Gold at The Borderline

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 [...]

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Love is in the ear

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 [...]

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Byron Vincent on salad, religion and social networking

A review of Pop Up Poetry at Udderbelly in London this month featuring video of Byron Vincent’s performance.

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Robot Fashion Pt.2: Sparkling Mike

Part Two of our Robot Fashion Series, introducing Sparkling Mike the Mechanical Robot.

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Soft Rock Calling

pearl_jam

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 [...]

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Senser at Islington Academy

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 [...]

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Robots on Cheshire Street

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 [...]

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Robot Fashion Pt 1: Mechanical Planet Robot

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, Forbidden Planet Star, Robby the Robot.

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The Acorn, Hoxton Bar and Grill

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 [...]

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Silver Bullet arrives at Finsbury Park Station

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 [...]

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A funeral in my mind

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. [...]

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Bacon, Apple and Cheshire Cheese Quiche

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 [...]

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Sex Education Ghetto Style

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 [...]

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