Too late, I know, but this is not a zeiteist type of blog now is it?
Colin Ward had (has) a fundamental influence on my thinking regarding anarchism (Norman Dennis also being key, despite being an ethical socialist) - no longer was it some sort of utopian dream, which can so easily lead to theoretical escapism- but rather it can be a day to day method in practice.
It doesn't feel right commenting much more, given how little I do with regard to overt political activism, so read this nice obit from Stan Cohen:
http://newhumanist.org.uk/2269/diary-the-gradual-anarchist
And at the very least, read his books...
Friday, 9 April 2010
Friday, 19 March 2010
Monday, 15 March 2010
Me a go Bellevue
A weekend in Bristol, the Sun was shining, Rooted records was using Woofah 4 as a key selling point in their window display. They also have a nice garrard 4hf as shop turntable.
Walked past the skate shop where I got my first pro-deck when I was 14 (a Powell Peralta Tony Hawk, rather boringly). I probably bought some horrible garish Vision Street wear rubbish at the same time. Ah, the stupidity of youth.
We managed to miss both David Rodigan on Friday and what looked like a nice roots session on Sunday.
Had some lovely real ales though.
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Woofah 4 is out!
After much delay, the latest issue of the UK's (nay, the world's!) finest bass culture mag is out.
No doubt the best yet, crammed with obscure side roads and bye ways to explore at your leisure, a lovely design and suitably out of date record reviews.
As my contribution gets less (not that it was ever great), the mag gets better- I could track this on a graph. As the kids might say, shout outs to the Woofah fam.
Tribe in Leeds will have some next week, as the simple opportunity to get copies up north a couple of weeks ago was spurned in favour of pointless venting (me) and lazer targetted insight (Eden) at Exodus/DMZ, whilst Mr Meme got the local yoot doing gun finger.
Otherwise get it here, or at the most discerning of record outlets.
Be quick now:
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Fanzine Review: 'Reggae Hit the Town' by Jenni Stalmach
This one away, 30 colour page zine is a valient, if somewhat patchy attempt to map the history of reggae in Huddersfield, one of those oft forgotten mid-size towns that played no small role in the process of making reggae music the popular form that it is today in the UK (see also Southend and Bradford for potential alterative histories). It's not ALL about the London, See?
It does this by firstly discussing the venues where reggae could be heard in the 1970s and 80s (namely the now destroyed West Indian Social Club on Venn Street and Huddersfield Poly), before switching tack and briefly interviewing a number of people involved in the revive/dubstep scene in the present day (Axis Sound System; the people behind the Chicken Scratch and Powah nights).
The early material is a nice, though very brief overview over well trodden grounds, with a local twist- yep, Steel Pulse, Matumbi and Aswad all played the town, whilst Eek-a-Mouse shows his face; a sense of place is fleetingly touched upon, where 'commercial reggae' is the norm, but roots and culture could be found if one persevered.
Whilst in his interview, Dr Huxtable (Axis Sound System) mentions half a dozen, mostly long forgotten, sounds that have run in the town over the past 30 years, alongside some interesting additional miscellania.
The problem with this approach is that it begins to feel like an opportunity missed. It is well documented that sounds such as Shaka were playing in towns like Hudds in the 70s and 80s, but of this there is no mention and the interviews tend to focus on the issues surrounding white people playing reggae and incredibly cliched charts, rather than the role the music played (and plays) in the formation of community and identity in a cold, wet, northern mill town.
In Woofah 1, Mark Iration commented that Huddersfield was an important place in his development as a selector, but the period when sounds like Iration Steppas were playing in the town regularly (the 1980s and 1990s) don't really get a mention. These are the stories I would have really liked to be told. Given that figures such as Earth Rockers soundsystem and Dan Man are name checked, but not interviewed is an opportunity missed.
However, saying that, Reggae Hit The Town remains a nice primer on its subject and a potential starting point for more research into a much neglected area of UK bass music, for which the author should to be praised. Not to mention the joy of reading a paper copy of someone's labour of love.
Reggae Hit The Town costs £2.00, From Wall of Sound records in Huddersfield, or from their virtual shop.
Jenni Stalmach's Blog
This one away, 30 colour page zine is a valient, if somewhat patchy attempt to map the history of reggae in Huddersfield, one of those oft forgotten mid-size towns that played no small role in the process of making reggae music the popular form that it is today in the UK (see also Southend and Bradford for potential alterative histories). It's not ALL about the London, See?
It does this by firstly discussing the venues where reggae could be heard in the 1970s and 80s (namely the now destroyed West Indian Social Club on Venn Street and Huddersfield Poly), before switching tack and briefly interviewing a number of people involved in the revive/dubstep scene in the present day (Axis Sound System; the people behind the Chicken Scratch and Powah nights).
The early material is a nice, though very brief overview over well trodden grounds, with a local twist- yep, Steel Pulse, Matumbi and Aswad all played the town, whilst Eek-a-Mouse shows his face; a sense of place is fleetingly touched upon, where 'commercial reggae' is the norm, but roots and culture could be found if one persevered.
Whilst in his interview, Dr Huxtable (Axis Sound System) mentions half a dozen, mostly long forgotten, sounds that have run in the town over the past 30 years, alongside some interesting additional miscellania.
The problem with this approach is that it begins to feel like an opportunity missed. It is well documented that sounds such as Shaka were playing in towns like Hudds in the 70s and 80s, but of this there is no mention and the interviews tend to focus on the issues surrounding white people playing reggae and incredibly cliched charts, rather than the role the music played (and plays) in the formation of community and identity in a cold, wet, northern mill town.
In Woofah 1, Mark Iration commented that Huddersfield was an important place in his development as a selector, but the period when sounds like Iration Steppas were playing in the town regularly (the 1980s and 1990s) don't really get a mention. These are the stories I would have really liked to be told. Given that figures such as Earth Rockers soundsystem and Dan Man are name checked, but not interviewed is an opportunity missed.
However, saying that, Reggae Hit The Town remains a nice primer on its subject and a potential starting point for more research into a much neglected area of UK bass music, for which the author should to be praised. Not to mention the joy of reading a paper copy of someone's labour of love.
Reggae Hit The Town costs £2.00, From Wall of Sound records in Huddersfield, or from their virtual shop.
Jenni Stalmach's Blog
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
A couple of pictures
You can attempt to avoid all musics by an escape into the countryside, but sometimes, reminders remain:
A pretty picture:
A pretty picture:
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