So late night AutoCAD sessions aren’t good for many things, but hearing new tunes adds a little silver lining. Whether you love or hate him Zane Lowe persistently throws new music out there, granted not all my cup of tea but a fair amount of time he uncovers a gem. I like the Maccabees and I really like Roots Manuva, wasn’t sure whether the two would mix well but it’s impressed me enough to part with 79p on iTunes.

click here to go to Zane Lowe’s Hottest Record page where you can hear a 30 sec clip of The Maccabees feat. Roots Manuva – Empty Vessels

This is a very delayed blog! Went to see The Cinematic Orchestra at the Roundhouse on the 6th Nov 09 – and despite being misinformed that there’d be cushions on the floor, it was still an amazing experience. It was a bit more classy compared to most gigs I’ve been to. And the crowd were the older sort.
They explained that they’d be playing their album “Man With a Movie Camera” while accompanying a silent Russian silent film, also called “Man With a Movie Camera” (with no storyline).
It was a very trippy experience, and at the same time very moving. It was nearing the end of the gig and everybody was in high spirits listening to some of their older songs, once the film had ended. And it was as if God himself answered my prayers when I heard an introduction for Roots Manuva. He joined the Orchestra on stage, in a swanky white suit. It sent the audience into a euphoric state, I saw business men, bums, grandpas and teenagers… all chanting along with Manuva. Such an amazing gig. If you ever get the chance to see them, jump at it! I’ll leave you with some poor quality pictures I took, and a youtube clip I found of it!

The Introduction.

A blurry Roots Manuva performing with The Cinematic Orchestra.

I hope you enjoy!

Mit ihrem Debüt-Album „Speech Therapy“ rettet uns Speech Debelle den Herbst – und zeigt nebenbei dem Hip Hop neue Wege auf.

Mann hat seine Probleme mit ruhiger Musik. Mag sie auch noch so sehr die eigene Stimmung treffen – wenn wir die Platte jemand anderen als unserer Freundin empfehlen oder gar schenken, endet es meistens damit, dass Mann sich rausredet. Mann spricht dann davon, wie gut die Platte produziert ist, wie toll die Frau singt und überhaupt, Mann erfindet Ausreden anstatt einfach zuzugeben, dass auch er den Gefühlen im tristen Nebelwetter nicht immer widerstehen kann.

Was Speech Debelle vor einigen Wochen in England auf dem Markt gebracht hat und in Deutschland (zum Glück) noch recht stiefmütterlich behandelt wird, rechtfertigt das Eintreten für die großen Gefühle: Ruhige Musik mit Streichern mit Frauengesang, voll Pathos. Perfekt arrangiert und doch authentisch und erdig. Und: Es ist Hip Hop.

Der Prototyp der männlichen Kampfsau, die alles, was nicht bei Drei auf den Bäumen oder hinter den Boxen ist, flachlegt bzw. gegen die Wand spielt, Keith Richards von den Rolling Stones, sagt über Musik: „Meine Leinwand ist die Stille. Wenn du diese Stille zu sehr ausfüllst, fangen die Probleme an, und am Ende steht nur noch alles dumm im Weg herum.“

Richards war in den 1960ern mitverantwortlich für die Revolution nach außen, dass auf die Straße gehen bei „Street Fighting Man“, die Verruchtheit der Drogen bei „Sympathy for the Devil“ oder die Hymne an die Zerstörung „Gimmie Shelter“ – dutzendfach eingesetzt durch Regisseure wie Martin Scorsese bei Filmexzessen.

Speech Debelle, bürgerlich Corynne Elliot, nimmt sich die Leinwand des Keith Richards und zerstört sie. Sie greift auf die gleichen Zutaten wie der Stones-Mann zurück, vermixt Folk und Blues, greift auf die klassische Liveband aus Gitarre, Bass und Schlagzeug zurück und versetzt sie ins Hier und Jetzt. Was sie aus der Stille der Musikgeschichte schafft verdient es, gehört zu werden.

2009 im Juni bringt Elliot ein Album heraus, was nicht ohne Zufall erst jetzt im Herbst die Menschen erreicht. Die 26jährige, gerade als Sensationsgewinnerin des renommierten Barclay Mercury Prize bestätigt, macht den aufgeblasenen Hip Hop, der seine Proletenlektion von Richards gründlich gelernt hat, zu einer Therapiestunde der privatesten Probleme.

Aufgewachsen in South East London bringt die Rapperin so ziemlich alles mit, was einen kredibil macht, um ein HipHop-Star zu sein: Eine verpfuschte Kindheit, ein Vater, den sie nie richtig kennen gelernt hat, mit 19 Jahren dann der Auszug aus dem Haus der Mutter, vier Jahre auf der Straße angefüllt mit Drogen, Gewalt, Verzweiflung.

Doch der Bruch in der steilen Gangster-Rapper- Karriere a la Missy Elliot und Konsorten wird gebrochen, als Debelle mit 23 Jahren zu ihrer Mutter zurückkehrt. Ihre Musik, und dass ist Debelle extrem wichtig, liest sich wie eine Biographie der dunklen und der hellen Seiten dieser Zeit. Was verhindert, dass wir so ein typisches „Ich-erkenne-mich-selbst-und-muss-es-der-Welt-unbedingt-mitteilen“- Ding haben, ist, dass Debelle ehrliche Texte mit exzellenter Musik verkleidet. Die Leinwand der Stille wird gefüllt durch eine hervorragende akustische Gitarre, treibende Hip Hop-Beats, die live eingespielt sind und ab und zu eine zusätzliche sparsame Instrumentierung.

Ihr Alter ist dabei Debelles größte Stärke: Hier rappt eine Frau über Eifersucht auf Facebook, die Xbox des Exfreunds, die Hektik der Großstadt und über die Suche nach der eigenen Identität. Als Hörer packt einen der Beat und man gleitet in das Innere der Sängerin, verfolgt ihre Lebensgeschichte zwischen Verzweiflung, Wut, Aggression und Liebe, ohne das die Texte in die Peinlichkeit abgleiten.

Für den im Hip Hop so wichtigen Respekt sorgt dabei die Zusammenarbeit mit Großmeister Roots Manuva. So verneigt sich die Gegenwart des Hip Hop schon einmal vorsorglich vor einer Frau, die durchaus dafür sorgen könnte, dem inzwischen leicht angestaubten Mainstream- Hip Hop neue Lebensgeister zu verpassen.

„Speech Therapy“ beginnt ruhig: Lose finden die Instrumente und die Stimme im ersten Track „Searching“ zusammen und formen eine Einheit. Ein jazziges Schlagzeug untermalt die sphärische Akkustik-Gitarre, während der Gesang von fragmentarischen Raps ausgehend sich eingroovt und zum charakteristischen HipHop-Sprechgesang übergeht.

Beim vierten Lied „Spinnin“ findet die Platte endgültig ihre Form, zwischen jazziger, groovender Instrumentierung gibt die Stimme den Druck vor, mit unglaublicher Intensität zwischen Zorn und Traurigkeit, pubertärem Trotz und intelligenten Beobachtungen. Es folgen autobiographische Stücke über verflossene Beziehungen, den Vater – und schließlich „Wheels in Motion“. Kaum ein HipHop-Stück, dass über Streicher und Klavier so erdig, so gerade daherkommt und einen mitnimmt, über die Gesangslinie auffängt und fort trägt.

Ab „Wheels in Motion“ festigt sich die Platte, jedes Lied ist eine Steigerung hin zu „Finish this Album“, dem vielleicht großartigsten Hip Hop-Lied dieses Jahres. Wieder trägt nur die Stimme das Lied, während die Musik zwischen Klassik, Jazz und HipHop schwebt. Musik, wie ein sanfter Weckruf am Morgen, ein Tag alleine am Strand, um Schönheit aber auch die Abgründe der Welt wahrzunehmen.

Die größte Gefahr, die bei dem Debütalbum „Speech Therapy“ immer mitschwingt, ist gleichzeitig auch die Stärke des Albums. Es ist zwar zornig, es ist Hip Hop, es ist aber auch ruhig und kommt somit im Mainstream an. Dadurch bleibt offen, was man Speech Debelle wünschen soll, denn der ersehnte Chart-Erfolg bringt zwangsläufig eine Heavy Rotation in Schlecker-Filialen, Karstadt- Aufzügen und Restaurant- Toiletten mit sich.

Die Platte eignet sich sowohl dazu, alleine durch den Hamburger Hafen zu laufen als auch dazu zu feiern – und leider auch, um im Balzac einen Coffee-to-go zu bestellen. Und wenn Mann mit seiner Vorliebe für ruhige Musik permanent in der Öffentlichkeit konfrontiert wird, bleibt es eine kurze Affäre – ein Schicksal, dass diese Platte nicht verdient hat. Sven Hirschler

Sven Hirschler, freier Journalist.

 Run ‘Em Out (Benny Page Remix)/Hard by Roots Manuva

2009 (2 tracks, 9:00)

dance/electronica

The Maccabees have teamed up with Roots Manuva on new track “Empty Vessels.” While essentially Manuva has only added some kick ass new vocals to “No Kind Words,” the track is not a  remix but rather a collaboration, hence the new title. The Maccabees have been fans of the South London rapper for a while, with the collaboration in the works since meeting at one of the big summer festivals this past year (Reading? Glasto, maybe? I can’t exactly remember.)

The track premiered today on Zane Lowe’s radio show, which you can stream for free RIGHT NOW and listen to “Empty Vessels”. Sadly, if you’re outside the UK that link will do diddly squat for you. There’s no word on what the band plans to do with the song (b-side to the next single? single of its own?), but you’re going to want to have a listen. Seriously. At the risk of sounding like a dj on some crazy hip hop/r&b station, the track is hot!

Yeah, I said it.

And if you haven’t heard, The Maccabees are headlining next year’s Shockwaves NME Awards tour and playing with Bombay Bicycle Club, The Big Pink, and Drums. Check the myspace for dates/details: http://www.myspace.com/themaccabees

For more on Roots Manuva:
myspace
official website
last.fm

This week’s program delves into space.

Usually the week of Womad Las Palmas the program is kinda dedicated to the festival, but change is good, so we’ll save the muesli-eating, sandal-wearing stuff for another time okay.

As I was saying, space….the result of speaking with the Bugman Martian over the weekend. We spoke of influences, gigs we’d like to witness, the death of record shops, blah, blah, blah.  Adrian Sherwood was/is a major influence on us both and the work he did on the Primal Scream album ‘Echo Dek’  is a favourite without a doubt.  Speaking of Adrian, then you have to mention Prince Far I.  Through his work with Adrian I was introduced to the voice of Prince Far I.  Yeah, he was the man too, however he was senselessly cut down over some stupidness in Jamaica. Bloody annoying, finding out about an artist, musician, writer, politician whatever, wanting to find out more, to see them live, and to find out they are six feet under…bloody annoying indeed.  But I digress…so we have more explorations from 4Hero, from the Macro Dub Infections album that Mr. Martian compiled for Virgin Records.  4Hero weren’t ones to play safe, and witnessed by their contribution, The Paranormal in 4 Forms, not your typical drum and bass fare, at all.  Which reminds me, Roy Ayers, with whom 4Hero collaborated several times will be at this years Womad Festival, so if your in the area and fancy some quality, get your butt down to Las Palmas, it’s free.

• King Midas Sound – Outer Space (Hyperdub)
• Augustus Pablo – Pablo in Moonlight City (Pressure Sounds)
• Roots Manuva – Tears (Big Dada)
• Matty G – 50000 Watts – Loefah Remix
• Mark Stewart – Loner (Crippled Dick)
• Salvador Dali
• Flying Lotus – Parisian Goldfish – Take Remix (Warp)
• Paul Schultz – Throat Full of Stars (Virgin)
• King Midas Sound – Earth a Kill Ya (Hyperdub)
• Primal Scream vs. Adrian Sherwood – Wise Blood (Creation)
• Prince Far I – Shuffle and Deal (Blood and Fire)
• Dr. Alimantado – Mash It Up (Blood and Fire)
• 4 Hero – The Paranormal in 4 Forms (Virgin)
• Asian Dub Foundation – Witness – DJ Scud Remix (Nation)
• Prince Charming – Transcendental Expectorations (Wordsound)

This episode of Ear Conditioning is ‘earable at Sunhole Radio, tonight 22h00 (GMT), and repeated weekday mornings at 11h00 until next Tuesday.

‘TRILL LONDON’ is back to smash it up once again just like we did before the unfortunate fire at Plan B earlier this year. The Trill London DJ’s are waiting in the wings with a brand new selection of the illest and trillest joints from the South and The West Coast in preparation to tear it down like only Trill can!

Also in Room One we get a line-up that reads like a whose who of UK Hip-Hop DJ’s, as we get Kiss FM’s Shortee Blitz, Roots Manuva’s DJ MK, alongside DJ 279 from Choice FM and the well-respected Spin Doctor from the legendary The Doctor’s Orders nights.

All coasts, all styles covered, Plan B is the without the club to be at on Friday November 20th 2009 if you are in England’s capitol city!

The re-launch is going to be huge and we can’t stress how important it is to buy an advance ticket or get your name down on the guest list as this promises to be road block and one of the best Rap events of the year! Contact them for guest-list enquires or book you ticket now. Don’t sleep!!

DATE: FRIDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 2009
LOCATION: ROOM 2 @ PLAN B, 418 BRIXTON ROAD, LONDON, SW9 7AY.
ADMISSION: £5 ADVANCE / £7 GUEST LIST / £10 ON THE DOOR
FEATURING DJ’S… ROB BREEZY, DJ FUNKEE & CWD
HOSTED BY GENESIS ELIJAH WITH PHOTOGRAHY BY PETER BESTE.

Contact trilllondon@gmail.com or call 07940 182 605

Trill-London.com

MGMT проговорились, что собираются выпустить новый альбом в начале 2010 года, и называться он будет Congratulations и по звучанию он будет более мрачный, чем дебютный альбом. “Песня Congratulations сама по себе мрачная”, – комментирует участник группы James VanWyngarden: “Она о нас, пытающихся справиться со всем безумием, что происходит вокруг нас тех пор, как вышел первый альбом. Зачастую все вокруг становиться настолько искусственным”. Альбом пишется уже на протяжении последних 9 месяцев в Малибу.

Drum’n'bass диджея и продюсера Mistabishi обвинили в том, что он в своих сетах играл заранее смиксованные треки. На него тут же набросились братья по оружию, такие как DJ Hype, к примеру, чем вынудили его принести публичные извинения. А лейбл, на котором выпускается этот примечательный артист и вовсе подумывает с ним распрощаться из-за этого инцидента. По-моему, заняться им там больше нечем.

The Prodigy выпускают deluxe-версию своего последнего альбома в вариантах на 3х CD и DVD. В релиз войдут: новые ремиксы от Liam Howlett, Yuksek и Bang Gang, а также все ремиксы официальные, что были сделаны на данный момент – Josh Homme, Sub Focus, Chase & Status, Benga, Herve и Rusko, live-версии треков, видео и 48-страничный буклет. DVD будет содержать видео Invaders Must Die, Omen, Warriors Dance, Take Me To The Hospital, плюс live-видео Worlds on Fire, Warrior’s Dance, Run и Take Me To The Hospital. Ищите на торрентах с 9 ноября 2009 года.

Мне очень понравился ремикс Boy 8-Bit на La Roux.

La Roux – Quicksand (Boy 8-Bit Remix) (alt)
Au Revoir Simone – Another Likely Story (Aeroplane Remix) (alt)
Beyonce – Broken-Hearted Girl (Alan Braxe Dub Remix) (alt)
Breakage Ft. Roots Manuva – Run ‘em Out (Benny Page Remix) (alt)
Lisa Mitchell – Coin Laundry (Starsmith Remix) (alt)
Drop The Lime – Set Me Free (Harvard Bass Remix) (alt)
LCD Soundsystem – Bye Bye Bayou (alt)
Lindstrom and Christabelle – Baby Can’t Stop (Aeroplane Dub) (alt)
Little Boots – Earthquake (Treasure Fingers’ Epicwave Mix) (alt)
NightWaves – Fascination (ODahl Remix) (alt)
O’Spada – Time (alt)
Riva Starr – FanfarOne (alt)
Walter Meego – Forever (alt)
White Lies – Death (Chase & Status Remix) (alt)

HOT.LINED#5: MGMT, The Prodigy, Aeroplane (zip)

released this week on Shy FX’s Digital Soundboy label, “Run Em Out” combines the unique voice of Roots Manuva with production from jungle/dubstep producer Breakage.

Proper soundsystem business

MNP KHNO

Maroseyka Road, Moscow, Russia

We spy this store one afternoon, on a wander  towards Moscow’s post office, almost missing it entirely thanks to its dull facia boasting the usual Prussian  mixture of baby blue and peach.

The  shop, like nearly all music outlets in Russia, is a multimedia retailer, not solely a record store, stocking everything from cutesy coffee-table art books to Hitchcock DVDs. And, like the majority of such Russian stores, its  collection of musical gems are piled in the basement, an Aladdin’s den of bootlegs and imports waiting to be discovered.

Descending down the corrugated steel steps into a myriad of CDs, we realise we could spend the entire day rooting about amongst the records and not find anything, thanks to its unbelievably bad categorising. I laugh aloud at the section labelled reggae, which should in truth read ‘black people’, since it lazily stocks everything from Roots Manuva to Marvin Gaye.  Apparently soul, house and R&B are simply extensions of the Jamaican sound.

Towards the back of the shop, past broken floor tiles that slip when you stand on them and  water pipes that jut from the low ceiling, we find the store’s collection of imported and bootleg CDs.  It is a treasure-chest of semi-legal releases.

Radiohead’s ‘Live In Germany 2001’ bootleg, the crown of the band’s live discography, along with the Japanese compilation Com Lag and the three-disc edition of Pablo Honey (which has just been released, officially, in the UK), fill a section dedicated to the band. Elsewhere, the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s live at Reading Festival 1994, and Joy Division live in Paris have me looking for a shopping trolley, until I spot their price labels. The cheapest CD I can see is £20,  £15 more than I have. A solitary tear rolls down my sunburnt cheek.

Passing a bargain bin on the way out, I look for something cheapnd cheerful to console myself.  With little to choose from other than a Hot Joints compilation and Jay Z’s Greatests Hits, I grab a random compilation CD entitled  ‘Mix In Motion’, mixed by Hardy Heller. With rerubs on Timo Maas and James Holden tracks, I gamble that it won’t all be posh-trance (its released on Tiesto’s  Black Hole label) and decide to give it a go.

I pay the typically ill-mannered Russian behind the counter the fifty rubles, and carry on to the post office, where, along with yesterday’s Breakfast, I send the CD home, to await my eventual return.

Purchase:

DJ Hardy Heller – Mix In Motion – £1 [Tracklisting]

Total Purchases:

Club Azuli 1 – Mixed By Dave Piccioni – £0.48 [Tracklisting]

Club Azuli Part 2 – Mixed By Dave Piccioni – £0.79 [Tracklisting]

Chemical Brothers, The: Brothers Gonna Work It Out – £2.77 [Tracklisting]

Defected In The House – Mixed By Copyright – £0.79 [Tracklisting]

DJ Hardy Heller – Mix In Motion – £1  [Tracklisting]

DJ Shadow – The New Collection – £2.38

Le Le – Breakfast 12″ – £8.24 [Tracklisting]

Samim: Flow – £1.98 [Tracklisting]

Total Spend: £18.43

Jag har diggat Roots Manuvas “Witness the fitness” sedan den kom (Guds år 2002, om jag inte misstar mig). Däremot hade jag inte sett videon förrän i går (då jag hade en fantastiskt oproduktiv dag framför datorn). Riktig skönt att få se profeten i hårdträning för att spöa några dagisbarn i ägg-och-skedlöpning och andra subolympiska idrottsgrenar. Den gången jag såg Roots Manuva live var han tyvärr ganska kass, uppbackad av ett sunkigt liveband samt med extremt dåligt minne för sina egna texter. I och för sig var det på Roskilde, så han kanske hade tagit lite väl intensivt sällskap av Christianias finest innan.
Han borde ha hållit sig till armhävningar och råa ägg, kanske lärt sig av en professionell entertainer som Will Smith:

[Κυριακη σημερα...] σημειωσα το ονομα της διπλα στην αγαπημενη μου Ursula Rucker. οποια κριτικη αναφορα για το ταλεντο της μονο σαν εφαπτομενη του ηλιου που καιει το στομα της μπορει να αποτιμηθει. η ξεφρενη γεωμετρια του μολυβιου μου σκαρωνει μουτζουρες μπροστα στο ολοστρογγυλο συμπαν της, που αρδευεται απο καθαρες και θολες ηχητικες συγγενειες ακτινοβολωντας τσαμπουκαλεμενο ακατεργαστο προσωπικο φως.

δισκογραφία:

2008> searching [7'', limited edition]

2009> speech therapy [album -της κυκλοφοριας προηγηθηκαν 2 cd singles]

αδιαμφισβητητα μια ξεχωριστη μουσικη προσωπικοτητα. μια προσπαθεια προσεγγισης του δισκου:

στο συνολο του ανισος, με εμφανες το αγχος για αποδοχη απο το πλατυ κοινο, χωρις αυτο να σημαινει πως θα ακουσεις κομματια που την προσβαλλουν. υπαρχει μια πολυσυλλεκτικη διαθεση ηχων η οποια φανερωνει καποτε το αναφομοιωτο του χαρακτηρα τους και την ελλειψη μιας στιβαρης κεντρικης ιδεας. ελπιζω με την προωθηση που της εδωσε προσφατη βραβευση, να αφαιρεσει απο τον εαυτο της την ψυχαναγκαστικη υποχρεωση να σαρωσει τα γουστα των ακροατων -hip-hop, pop, rnb, jazz- χωρις την ωθηση παντα καλλιτεχνικου ερεισματος, και να εστιασει στο δυνατο της σημειο που ειναι ο ελευθερος απο μελωδικα-ενορχηστρωτικα-παικτικα στολιδια λογος και ο, τι αυτος επιβαλλει στο μουσικο πεδιο. με αλλα λογια χρειαζεται φορτισμενες μουσικες κι οχι διακοσμητικες, ανεξαρτητα απο το υφος τους. ενα ντεμπουτο αναφορας που θα περιμενα απο την Debelle θα ηταν κατι αντιστοιχο με το Original Pirate Material των Streets [του Michael Skinner κατ' ουσίαν]:

και

ελπιζω στο μελλον να την ακουσω σε μια κυκλοφορια  γεματη αγυαλιστες κι αδιαφορες για εμπορικοτητα ηχογραφησεις, οπως το υλικο που μας χαρισε ο Skinner στο ξεκινημα του. παρολα αυτα αν κλικαρεις εδω http://www.myspace.com/speechdebellemusic θα εχεις την ευκαιρια να ακουσεις το searching και το speech therapy δυο πλεον του better days κομματια οπου αναδεικνυονται ατοφιες οι δυνατοτητες και οι αρετες της.

η Speech Debelle κυκλοφορει τα δισκογραφηματα της στην big dada recordings. συστεγαζεται μεταξυ αλλων με τον Roots Manuva:

ενα σημαντικο κεφαλαιο που κατα τη γνωμη μου ακομη δεν εχει βγαλει το δισκο που του αξιζει. αν τον αναζητησεις προσπερασε το πιο προσφατο album ως μια αποτυχημενη προσπαθεια προσδεσης στο οχημα του dubstep. προτιμησε τα παλιοτερα οπου προσφερει εκλεκτικο hip-hop η ενα ιδιοτυπο και ακρως ενδιαφερον hip-hop – dub μειγμα [σε ενα επομενο ποστ πληρεστερη αναφορα]. στο δισκο της debelle συμμετεχει σε ενα απλως συμπαθες κομματι.

μια περιγραμματικη σκια στην Ursula Rucker:

φλογα, μητροτητα, μουσικη, ποιηση, σκοταδι

δισκογραφια [albums]:

2001>supa sista

2003> silver or lead

2006> ma’at mama

2008> untitled flow (Kenny Dope & Franck Roger Remixes)

εγκαινιασε τη δισκογραφικη της πορεια το 1995 συμμετεχοντας στο single supernatural του Firefly [King Britt]. ακολουθησαν συμμετοχες σε κυκλοφοριες  των Jazzanova, των 4hero και αλλων καλλιτεχνων. καταφερνει παντα να γειωνει ακομα και τις πιο γυαλισμενες παραγωγες σε βρωμικες ιστοριες δρομου υπο τη σκεπη μιας μυστικιστικης πνευματικοτητας.

Massive thanks to Zoe Griffin for putting up some seriously cool videos from the Mutate Britain launch last night.

We’re not quite sure where you get the energy from, but we love it! Hope you had a great time.

You can check out the full post on Zoe’s site here…

Dan

pressrelease_mutatebritainlaunches_9-10-09

Ето поредната колаборация между рапър и бледолики. На групата и Руутс им се искаше да сътворят нещо заедно още от фестивала Гластънбъри насам и творението вече е факт. Записана е нова версия на песента ‘No Kind Words’ от тазгодишния албум на групата наречен ‘Wall Of Arms’. Според изказване на китариста Хюго Уайт  пред ББС “Руутс направи вокали към песента и звучи изумително”. Уайт обаче още не е сигурен кога феновете ще могат да го чуят.

Amid all the customary bickering about this year’s Mercury Prize nominees, bloggers had their knickers in a twist over Kasabian gatecrashing the so-called cool list but fewer bemoaned Toddla T’s exclusion. The 24-year-old Sheffield whizzkid’s debut album Skanky Skanky seemed to be a shoo-in on the token ‘urban’ ticket, an achingly cool mash-up of grime, digital dancehall beats and parochial rhymes. The Mercury doesn’t always hit the nail on the head though – see M People for details.
Toddla’s infectious party doesn’t really belong on an industry podium though. He’s from the Diplo school of cultural cross-pollination, throwing enough crazy shit into the mix to see what sticks. This latest set differs from other genre-bending Fabric collections from the likes of Jacques Lu Cont, Simian Mobile Disco and Spank Rock – it relies less on quirky forgotten gems and taps into the present.
The mix may be a showcase of just-forged beats, but there’s plenty of cheeky plundering. Philly’s take on the Human League’s ‘Love Action’ is a spacey ragga shaker that segues into Caveman’s bouncy remix of Duffy’s ‘Stepping Stone’ before Monkey Steak’s bollywood bhangra freakout.
Overall though, it’s a hip session of bassline namedropping, a line-up of usual suspects like Deadmau5, Caspa, Youngsta and Geeneus. It flits between remixes of Skanky Skanky tracks to dubstep exclusives from Skream, electro dancehall and frenetic drum’n’bass. It’s all tied together by Toddla’s main hypeman MC Serocee, whose random autotuned toasts add the illusion you’ve taped a late night pirate radio broadcast from some warehouse party. Roots Manuva – who hired Toddla for production on last year’s Slime and Reason album – returns the favour here with his playful cod-spirituality on Stone’s ‘Amen’. Manuva’s rhymes even manage to sound half-sensible compared with the Oompa Loompa references, manic patois and general MC craziness that peppers the disc. And full marks to ‘Fill Up Mi Portion’, surely the daftest tune about stuffing your face since MF Doom cooked up his tasty MM..Food? album.
Sure, there are a few duds along the way – ‘Baddest Ruffest’ from Backyard Dog is shouty ragga by numbers and Alex Mills’ ‘Beyond Words’, with its bland warbling vocal, has a fairly descriptive title. Still, Toddla’s hyperactive mixing means these are fleeting dips – with 31 tracks over 70-odd minutes there’s no hanging around.
Who knows how this latest mix will age – it’s hardly a chin-stroker a la Villalobos or Audion, but Toddla T isn’t going for cerebral sophistication, he’s dropped a snapshot of unabashed club music in 2009. And if you feel like turning your flat into a disco with a sticky dancefloor, heed MC Serocee’s sign-off: “The Fabric mix… make sure you get it in your life…”

Happy Diageo Day – and the greatest Irish marketing campaign of all time by the multinational owners of Guinness. The 250-year anniversary of the birth of the Black Stuff has been counting down for months, and it’s good copy for papers everywhere. Portraits of Arthur Guinness have been beaming out from behind bars all over the country, and he’s been turned into some lovable old uncle. Thousands of online campaigners have even signed a petition to turn September 24 into a national holiday, a Paddy’s Day II. Cynicism aside, Guinness have lined up an impressive range of acts for intimate gigs around the capital’s pubs and clubs, with David Gray, Razorlight, the Kooks and Richard Hawley among the big names. They even organised a proper piss-up in a brewery – Tom Jones and Kasabian are playing a one-off show in the legendary Guinness Storehouse at St James’s Gate. Tripod gets seven top acts for a ticket price of EU17.59 (of course), and there’s already a buzz when the doors open at 5pm.
The Harcourt Street venue has been turned into a TV set for the evening, so Dublin can link up with simultaneous gigs in Lagos, Kuala Lumpar and New York for the toast at 17.59. The host MC makes invites the crowd to toast for the camera – “and make sure it looks like this is the biggest party in the world”. Glasses are raised, Arthur’s name reverberates around Tripod, and after a few attempts it’s deemed worthy for broadcast. Tonight’s host is model and TV presenter Michelle de Swarte, who poses with a perfectly poured pint of stout, while her new male fans in the front row engage in some good-natured hormonally-charged heckling. The MC reads out the list of acts performing tonight, and there’s a huge roar when Kelly Rowland’s name comes over the PA – it seems like the US starlet was a late addition t the bill.
Jamie Cullum, who still looks like he’d need a fake ID to get served a pint of plain, opens up proceedings by playing snatches of the ‘Imperial March’ from Star Wars, before kicking things off with a bluesy cover of Rihanna’s ‘Please Don’t Stop the Music’. He then gets the cliché-generator out for new number ‘I’m All Over It’, a Queen-esque piano stomper with lines like “I cursed and I cried and I said I would change but I lied”, before tossing aside his suit jacket to the swoons of the ladies in the front row.
Cullum is a gifted pianist all right, never missing a note while battering the keys. But his voice is so polished and clinical, so X Factor, we half expect one of the TV cameras in Tripod to very slowly zoom in to a close-up of a single tear dripping off Cheryl Cole’s eyelid. You can’t really fault his enthusiasm though, there’s plenty of pleasant banter and he even leaps off the piano as the band close with a jazzy version of Jimi Hendrix’s ‘The Wind Cried Mary’. He was teetering for a good minute though, as if he was about to jump off a skyscraper. Sort it out Jamie – 60-year-old Bruce Springsteen pulls off that piano-jump stunt 10 times a night.
After Jamie exits stage right, we get the first ‘interval’ of the night while the stage is prepared for the next band. With seven acts playing 20-minute sets there’s an awful lot of hanging around between bands. Just as well there’s a certain beverage to keep the crowd occupied.
If there was any justice, Soul II Soul would be higher up the bill, but the London soundsystem collective say they’re proud to be invited along for the toast. Caron Wheeler’s soulful voice is still perfect, while the two girls on electric violins add some atmospheric touches to Jazzie B’s dubbed-out beats. Jazzie has settled nicely into the role of soundsystem elder statesman, and even though he keeps telling us, “we’re gonna take it back to 1990”, it’s hard to believe dance anthems like ‘Keep on Moving’ and ‘Back To Life’ are 20 years old. It’s positive vibes all round as Jazzie takes the mic for ‘Feeling Free’, and when they finish with ‘Get a Life’, as Wheeler sings “elevate your mind”, Soul II Soul already have. It’s all too short of course – promoters should get them back on the Irish festival circuit next year.
After Soul II Soul’s positive raps and reminiscing, Mongrel are here to tell us what’s wrong with the big bad world. “Mongrel is a celebration of everything that is good about Britain at the same time as pointing out its flaws,” according to their own blurb. The UK indie-hip-hop crossover act is a super(ish) group featuring members of Arctic Monkeys, Babyshambles, Reverend and the Makers, Lowkey and whatever other MCs they can nab. Tonight they’ve brought along London female rapper Tor Cesay and two local Dublin MCs for the “soundclash”, a word Reverends singer Jon McClure says about 20 times in their short set.
They definitely look the part and get the crowd going, especially when the Dublin MCs do the pogo thing while telling the “people on the left and right to say ho-oh”. McClure, wearing a builder’s donkey jacket with the collar turned up, has the indie wide-boy Liam Gallagher/Ian Brown swagger down to a t, and for some reason keeps cocking an imaginary pistol and pointing it at the crowd. The cringey soapbox politics of their debut album Better Than Heavy is a lot better live, a raspy “soundclash” of grimey squelches and clipped indie riffs. Barcode and Hit From the Morning Sun even get a minor moshpit going for a few seconds, and Mongrel win the crowd over. They’re good, if a little self-important – McClure said recently they were “kind of like Public Enemy or something”, and wants to record their second album in Venezuela and work with Hugo Chavez. Sure why not rope in Castro on decks as well.
“It’s four or five years since I was here – the energy is always the best” gushes Kelly Rowland – a true superstar in the eyes of this crowd – and only one degree of separation away from a certain Beyonce, the high priestess of R&B herself. She’s genuinely taken aback at the adoration as fans roar her name, a touching bout of humility from Ms Kelly. The former Destiny’s Child star’s dishes out slick pop candy like ‘Love, Need & Want You’ while all the (single) ladies holler out the words karaoke style. It’s just Kelly, two dancers and a blinged-up hip-hop dude on decks, a more pared-down affair than she’d be used to. She drops the hit ‘Daylight’, before the DJ ushers in the piano intro to her David Guetta collaboration ‘When Love Takes Over’, and with a whoosh we’re transported into an Ibiza Uncovered montage on the crest of a cheesy synth wave.

Without a big dumb summer smash to coast along on, Roots Manuva has a tough job following Kelly. It also doesn’t help when the host MC’s mic cuts out as he comes on stage, so the crowd miss out on his introduction. He walks on during the mass exodus to the bar, and one girl beside State asks her pal: “Is that Dizzee Rascal?” Things aren’t looking up for the Banana Klan. It’s a pity – Manuva MC has dressed for the occasion, wearing a white shirt, bow tie and a skull cap. He trades rhymes with legendary reggae toaster Ricky Ranking on a reworked version of 2001’s ‘Bashment Boogie’ from the Run Come Save Me album, before a rare live outing of ‘Colossal Insight’. It’s all good from one the UK’s most gifted rappers – his trademark stoned flow is bang on, his goofy dancing is in check and Ranking is hitting all the high notes in ‘Again and Again’. This is a singalong crowd though and he just doesn’t have the hits. He’s saved by the faithful at the front pulling all sorts of shapes, especially during the crazy dancehall workout ‘Butuff Nuff’. He leaves without playing his biggest song ‘Witness (1 Hope)’, which is a bit of an oversight. Still, he was having the banter and supping the Black Stuff. He even posted a bleary-eyed update on his website the morning after: “Here’s to 250 more years of Guinness… phew… Dublin is up for the crack…”
More karaoke shenanigans as local heroes Republic of Loose take to the stage, with the ramshackle gang looking more and more like the Irish Blockheads as time goes by. Singer Mick Pyro doesn’t exactly have Ian Dury’s roguish charm, but he wins the award for outfit of the night – he’s wearing a miniature dress coat that looks like it’s made out of clumps of grass, or maybe the Guinness is taking over.
Pyro’s pretending-to-be-pissed or plain pissed schtick is getting a bit tired, but at least the Loose have the decency to play songs people can sing along to. They even have a hit called ‘You Know it’. They kick off with ‘Aaagh!’, their raucous call to arms with its overblown heavy metal breakdown and dirty funk bass. The one-two pop punch of ‘Comeback Girl’ and ‘You Know It’ does the business as usual – two perfect soul numbers that will always be aces up their sleeve. Still, you get the impression they’ve been treading water with these two songs for a few years now.
With the crowd getting increasingly tired and emotional, it’s up to electro pop pin-up Calvin Harris to spike Arthur’s Day with a dose of glowstick-waving pseudo rave. He nails the crowd straight away with his insanely catchy ‘Acceptable in the 80s’. He has a full band in tow, playing live keys, guitars and drums, while he’s flailing about twiddling knobs, singing and getting very sweaty. ‘Ready for the Weekend’’s nursery rhyme piano and croony chorus is beefed up for the live show, while ‘The Girls’ has all the girls chanting along. It’s funny, I’ve never realised the song’s casual misogyny before. “I like them black girls/ I like them white girls/ I like them Asian girls/ I like them mixed-race girls” could be straight from the filthy mouth of NWA’s Eazy E, but it’s not really offensive, just a bit stupid. The trancey keyboard stabs of ‘I’m Not Alone’ might reek of Euro dance cheese like Cascada, but it’s the perfect floor-filler. It’s the biggest song of the night and has everyone in Tripod pogoing, from the dancefloor to the balcony. Hands are in the air, Guinness is spilled, and it’s a rousing finale. There’ll be a huge clean-up, there’ll be some hangovers in work the day after, and the cloud of Guinness farts could lead to toxic smog over the capital, but Arthur’s Day has been a big hit. Let’s sign that petition.

After this year’s successful Days Like This! festival they are back with another strong line-up that mixes electronic with indie, hip hop with funk and promises to be a fantastic day. Sunday 10th January is the day to soak it all in at Moore Park in Sydney.

• Roots Manuva
• Cat Power & Dirty Delta Blues
• The Black Seeds
• Pivot
• LTJ Bukem & MC Conrad
• Joker
• Micachu & The Shapes
• Harmonic 313
• Amp Fiddler, The Cat Empire, Ugly Duckling, The Bamboos, Dilated Peoples, Quantic, Marva Whitney, TThe Nextmen, We Have Band, Thunderheist, Nickodemus, Cassette Kids, Pepe Bradock, Tom Ugly, Teenagers In Tokyo, Brennan Green, Matthias eyer, APSCI, Lee Douglas & Lovefingers, The Swiss.

Those that are followers of this blog will know that I generally post an Eclectic Mixup when I am short of substantial subject matter to discuss. However, this Mixup 4 comes at the start of a new time in my life, a change of city, and a change of daily routine. The selection below are (some of) the tunes I have chosen to soundtrack this change.

Warren Zevon – Johnny Strikes Up The Band

A fine composer of cynical yet acutely observational rock, Warren Zevon released his most succesful album to date, ‘Excitable Boy’, in 1978. He selected this musical call to arms to open the LP, an intelligent choice with its driving verse rhythm and infectious use of the title line.

Paul Simon – Can’t Run But

Continuing with the theme of great American songwriters, ‘The Rhythm of the Saints’, Simon’s 1990 followup to ‘Graceland’, extended the artists previous African meanderings by incorporating Latin-American influences. ‘Can’t Run But’, perhaps the best song ever written about Chernobyl, begins with a beautiful bit of harmonic interplay between three mallet instruments and the bass. The song is simultaneously frantic and relaxing, with Simon’s harrowing vocal winding in and out of licks from guitarist J.J.Cale (I think…)

Amadou & Mariam – La Fête Au Village

Malian couple Amadou & Mariam had been working away on the West African music scene for a while before they were approached by esteemed World/Latin music star Manu Chao, who produced their 2004 album ‘Dimance a Bamako’. The album made little impact in the English speaking world outside of the exposure it received from Chao’s loyal following. However, success in France and West Africa led to a ‘World Music Best Album Award 2006′ from the BBC. It is an album full of simple and poignant songwriting, delivered beautifully by the pleasing vocal mix of the couple (as well as contributions from Chao himself) and uncluttered production. Amongst the more upbeat tracks lies ‘La Fete Au Village’, a slow and soporific song with a harrowing high melody sung between verses. Village sounds are present in the background to add context.

Roots Manuva – Inna

Roots Manuva – Strange Behaviour

It is hard to believe that ‘Brand New Second Hand’, the trailblazing debut from the supreme talent that is Roots Manuva is now 10 years old. I have included two tracks from the album that for me have always gone hand in hand, both in terms of mood and content. Both tell stories in the artist’s irresistable prose, and further justify the critical acclaim the leftfield UK emcee has received throughout his career.

Milton Nascimento – Lilia

A haunting, wordless piece from Brazilian singer/guitarist Milton Nascimento. Melodies are wrapped around a hypnotic 5/4 rhythm played out by a band including contemporary Lô Borges.

ISAN – Still.blue

British electronic duo ISAN take their affection for analogue synthesisers and produce some great stuff. Still.blue is one of many tracks I could have chosen.

Its good but its not right is it?? What you lot sayin?

Congratulations to Speech Debelle regardless. Respect to Big Dada each and every time too.

In the Mercury Music prize UK Soul and Hip-Hop has had the unlikeliest of allies, long may the award continue

I’m not even gonna sit here and lie by saying I was on Speech Debelle from day…  I wasn’t.  I can tell you the exact date and time I became a Speech Debelle fan, 2pm on July 30^th, I had listened to Searchin’ for the millionth time on Spotify, and at 5:32pm that same day I ran to HMV to buy the CD!

For this reason I have to thank the Mercury Prize because without it I would not have heard one of the most groundbreaking moments in UK Hip-Hop.

The premise of the Mercury Prize, to celebrate the best British music irrelevant of record sales is a great one and has surprisingly supported the UK Hip-Hop and UK Soul scenes over the years when other mainstream awards have shunned the best examples of the respective genres; Terri Walker’s Untitled, Sway’s This Is My Demo, Flotery’s Floetic and Roots Manuva’s Run Come Save Me all received Mercury nominations in years they were shunned by the BRIT Awards and MTV Europe Awards.

And let’s not forget Dizzee in 2002, and Ms. Dynamite in 2003 who won the award, which in doing so  forced the hands of the other awards to include them on thier nomination lists.

What makes people buy music no one really knows, however it is clear that sometimes the best albums never get the awareness or recognition they deserve.  The Mercury Music prize has served to introduce some great albums that would have otherwise passed you by so long many it continue to do so.

Soulside Funk

Having retreated to my surprisingly habitable tent at 6.00am this morning, well and truly exhausted after the “rave in the woods” I treated myself to a well earned three hour sleep. With the sun beating in on our tent at 9.00am, my roommate and I had little option but to get up, pack up and hit the road after a thoroughly enjoyable and fulfilling weekend in Stradbally. A quick nap, a lot food and much needed shower later I find myself sitting here trying to document the weekend and wondering where to start…. 

Essential to any festival is obviously the lineup, though some attendees will go simply for the experience, the lineup is always the deciding factor in my book. That said, some festivals boasting excellent artists are worth a skip, Oxegen comes to mind. Though the lineup is impressive year in year out, the army of belligerent 16 and 17 year olds are a formidable repellent. Electric Picnic ‘09 had a lineup too good to miss and attracted a refreshingly diverse crowd. With an emphasis an the acoustic, indie and electro/dance genres as well as other strands of alternative music one could expect to see all sorts of music lovers donning the wellies, from the families pushing buggies to the lads with the glow-sticks and sunglasses moving to the pace of the strobe lights.

With our tents and gazebo pitched and our stage route planned we set off to see what the Friday acts had in store. After a hugely entertaining performance by the infatuating Lykke Li came my personal highlight of the day, a frantic and energetic showing by Danish outfit Efterklang. Their on-stage exuberance allied with the nature of their orchestral/experimental rock sound really got the crowd going and even those who happened to stumble upon this gem by chance were soon jumping and chanting with the rest of us. Two fantastic electro sets were provided by Fake Blood and Diplo before Seasick Steve and Rodrigo Y Garbriela capped the night off with two memorable performances.

Saturdays festivities, for me began with some old school hip-hop in the form of Roots Manuva before Jape gave an inspiring performance.  A massive high point in the weekend was the electrifying display of London electro-rockers The Klaxons, renowned for their on-stage energy and cult following put on a show that really sapped the energy. A personal highlight came in the form of Texas post-rock legends Explosions in the Sky, one of my favourite bands. They didn’t disappoint and played a set with the perfect blend of eerie silence and ear-crunching distortion. The day was capped off with 2 Many DJ’s performing on main stage. The duo threw up some amazing compilations and remixes which ensured the huge crowd was kept dancing from start to finish.

Having seen most of my main attractions in the first two days I was left with a freedom to roam on Sunday and encountered some magnificent live displays most notably from Florence and the Machine and Passion Pit who were for me the surprise package of the weekend. Having listened to their ‘Chunk of Change’ EP a few times I knew what to expect in terms of  sound but their stage presence, interaction with the crowd and overall vigour were unparalleled and had the entire crowd bouncing and jumping and screaming for more. With Basement Jaxx and Flaming Lips attracting the masses we opted for something a little different and hit up Erol Alkan. The London based electro-king served a suitably hectic showing to end proceedings with mash ups of New Order, Justice and many more. With reality beckoning at dawn we refused to give up there and waded through the woods to cap the weekend off in a rave of what can only be described as filthy techno.  Let’s hope for more of the same next year.

MySpace blog – Wednesday 6 August 2008

For a disconcerting period of time an uneasy relationship has developed between me and new music. For years it’s been one of my biggest interests, but that passion which used to lead to me catching the first train home after been out clubbing until 6am, regularly reading a whole host of music magazines or spending what limited money I had on expensive vinyl has all but ebbed away.

I feel confused. What type of music am I really into? Who would I say is my favourite band or artist? Am I getting old too quickly or have I taken a wrong turn that I can’t put right? It’s become a vicious circle; stop going out to live music as much and you’re not seeing new influences and ideas for the next act to check out; stop listening to specialist radio shows and start believing the style of music you like is running out of ideas; see a festival line up and instantly rule it out on the grounds the acts you have heard of have done something to put you off and the rest are just names which mean little.

When on the second day of this year’s Big Chill Festival one of the stage comperes tried to rile us in the crowd by reading an exert from The Independent’s review of the first day, which stated the festival is “for people who used to be cool”, I realised I was in exactly the right place to find some answers. This was the third straight year I’d attended and the first traces of my music-loving issues could be found just before my first visit.

The line up featured a smattering of acts I knew I’d enjoy seeing, but the majority were unknown until a read of their online biography and visit to their MySpace page. It was a great opportunity to experience not only the tried-and-tested but, been there with two people not suffering the same music issues I am, test if the unknown could still excite and whether my life-long love affair with seeking new music could be given the kiss of life.

The festival began with a trip to the recent past in the shape of the new Rizla dance area and Annie Nightingale. From aged 20-24 I had been hugely into clubbing before it suddenly and unexpectedly stopped been enjoyable. I’ve not been properly clubbing for over two years - just seen some DJ sets at the last two Big Chills - and recently have perplexed one of my best friends with my reasons for refusing to join him on his sudden rebirth of loving it again. Annie Nightingale had been one of those specialist radio DJs who had given me hours of enjoyment and to see her live proved a fantastic moment.

The area was beautiful, with Annie playing in a small camper van overlooking a crowd who at the back were on a raised platform. Ignore the fakeness of the palm trees and, as the sun glared down with hundreds of people going crazy to Annie’s mix of breakbeat and dub-step, it felt like we could have been in Ibiza on the Space terrace. I danced in my undignified-but-having-a-good-time-way and a flood of great memories came back. She even ended with a Prodigy record – the band which first got my into dance music. And it was 4.30pm on Friday and I could have been at work, beautiful.

Then the modern confusion came back as we went to see Roots Manuva. I’ve recently developed a taste for Hip Hop and to see one of the people who helped me make the natural leap to it from breakbeat was exciting. He came on over an hour late and performed a reasonable but flat set which failed to live up to the high expectations I had. Our evening was concluded by seeing a disappointing set from The Orb, which we had sacrificed watching The Thievery Corporation for, and a downtempo performance from Future Loop Foundation that enthralled everyone but me. Only a promising set from Daedelus in the Club Tent stopped me from giving myself up to the old people’s home for past-it music fans there and then.

But there was hope for me. Saturday began with the beautiful Swedish voice of rising star Lykke Li which had me adding her to my mobile phone wishlist of music I need to download. I saw Beth Orton for a second time, the first in Leeds nine years ago had been boring and this was no better, but a lively festival-friendly breaks set from A-Skillz had me back on my feet dancing while trading sips of my can of cider for a jig with someone’s glow stick. It wasn’t enough to get me checking out any breakbeat nights locally, mainly because I’m the only person I know who loves it, but it just maybe, maybe might make me consider a clubbing night out when it’s next offered to me.

Next up was Trentemoller, an act who’s MySpace page had convinced me were worth seeing over Mr Scruff. At last here was a hairs-on-the-back-of-the-neck-and-big-beaming-smile-moment to add to my pile of musical highlights. Each song would begin melodically slowly before building up into a full on dance piece, while the supporting visuals added to the entertainment.

This was special. Thank goodness my top ten live music moments of all time has not been completed like I feared, as this was a strong contender.

It rained Sunday afternoon, so we found sanctuary in Media Mix tent where stand up comedians performed – a wonderful mix of clever humour and cringe-worthy awfulness depending on who’s turn it was. In the evening came more wonderful music; first from the Buzzcocks, who attracted a very un-Big Chill mosh pit that was great fun, then an hour and half of blissful crooning from Leonard Cohen.

The Bays ended my Big Chill weekend – and blew me away – for the second year in a row. This time they played with an orchestra to music composed live – no rehearsing, completely improvised. I made my way to the front and proceeded to dance like a loon. I may not see much live music over the next year, but if The Bays manage a tour in the North I’ll be somewhere near the front again.

And that concluded another amazing Big Chill Festival experience. I don’t know if one of the many friendly people I chatted to over the weekend included that journalist from The Independent, but they were describing me. The Big Chill allowed me to rock and rave at different times, lie in the sun and dance in the darkness, a mashed up bloke told me he’d found a shortcut home around some bins and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz was upset that I didn’t realise who she was, I laughed hard – and I was stung by a bee.

Perhaps it didn’t give me all the answers I wanted, but this is a festival that can be what you want it to be and at the moment that’s perfect for me. I was 22 again dancing like an idiot on the dancefloor, I was 17 rocking in the mosh pit, I was 45 watching an old man sing wise songs about war but most importantly I was 26 years old having a fantastic weekend. I may not get out much these days, but I’ll be back next year.