Finally , a new blog post :)

Oh I've been off here for some time now. There's a few reasons for this, I've been spending a lot of my time on youtube and myspace like seemingly everyone else around me on the web. I now know how to fold shirts properly and have watched countless old music videos that I haven't seen in years. Youtube, love it and hate it at the same time, what a great waste of time it can be.

Life has been good and manic and horrible and great all at the same time. I have never been so busy in a really long time. There's my day job which is going through some major changes and a bit of financial trouble, lots of sleepless nights worrying about cash flows forecasts have resulted in baggy eyes. Add on top of that the club door job once a month and my new incarnation as one of the Darling Bears and bang, there goes all my free time. But I am loving it. I haven't enjoyed my job this much in ages, and its because we are working on resolving a problem and acheiving something better that I am again inspired. Doing the DBs has been great also, its weird having people always staring and I was scared shitless when we performed last week but so far I've gotten positive feedback.

I haven't slept well over the past week or so, and I think thats a good thing in a weird way. My mind is again being stimulated and I always get a bit restless during times like these, but I enjoy that. I've also slowed down on my partying ways and maybe my sleep patterns wil be a bit messed up for the next little while.

Thats it thats all, i might just go back to bed x

August Music Chart

Time for my monthly music chart listing. Enjoy.

1. Martijn Ten Velden - Wish U Would

This has been my song of choice for the month, I keep playing it all the time, its just so addictive.

2. The Age of Steam - Disco Mafia

Yet to be released and set to be massive, this has to be one of my favorite electro tracks in a really long time. And they're my friends, so props! Check the link.

3. This Is Rhythm - Please Don't Call Me

Another unreleased track, this one being championed by SSRadio's House Your Body Show and is a fantastic soulful house track. The opening hypnotic vocal will grab a hold of you and not let you go. Check their myspace page.

4. Tom De Neef - Adobe

I've only recently discovered Tom De Neef thanks to his fantastic mix of Lost by Roger Sanchez. Adobe is a great electronic house number, best mix comes from Bush II Bush.

5. Scissor Sisters - I Don't Feel Like Dancing

The Sisters pick up right where they left off with the first single from the new album. Best mixes come from Paper Faces and Erol Alkan.

6. Se:Sa - That High (Syke N'Sugerstarr Dub)

A nice follow-up to last year's Sun Rising Up.

7. Rocco Mondo and Uno - Je T'Aime (Jerome Isma Remix)

Deep house with a sexy french spoken vocal laid on top. In a word its Magnifique.

8. Outwork - Electro (Cube Guys Remix)

I can see myself getting sick of this very quickly, but for now its fun to dance to and it sure packs them in on the dancefloors.

9. Soul Avengerz Feat Javine - Don't Let The Morning Come

Straight up vocal funky house track, with remixes from Raul Rincon and Kurd Maverick.

10. Tom Novy - Uexpected (Paul Harris Mix)

Not sure if this will get a release in the UK but its Tom Novy's best track to date. Paul Harris almost charted this month with his own track Find Yourself A Friend.

Summer of 2004 - Lola's Theme Revisited

So I am having a fairly dull day at work, account for this and balance that while listening to my trusty itunes player on shuffle. What should pop on there but Lola's Theme by The Shapeshifters (or Shape UK if you will) and I get transported back to the summer of 2004. My very own summer of love if you will, and this song was EVERYWHERE. You would hear it first at A:M on Friday night through XXL/Crash-Afterhours/Beyond/RVT and end the Sunday night on it at La3.

It was discussed at length, arguments would erupt over which was the better version, the full vocal or the original dub. Anyone who liked the full vocal was a pretender (even though I sort of did), someone who only got the song AFTER the video was released, not a true blue clubber.

I remember the weekend when Lola's Theme hit number one in the UK charts, we just finished a fairly regular sunday afternoon at the RVT when someone suggested driving up to LA3 to finish off the night. Everyone agreed it was a bad idea, but we all managed to end up there anyway. My friend Nick who championed the song from its early days was getting texts about it hitting number one. We played it in the car twice, and this after we heard it at least twice earlier that day. Then the dj played it at la3, at least twice also. Yet no one got sick of it yet. I am not sure I every really got sick of it.

My point, its amazing how one song, one note of a song even, can bring such memories flooding back. It took me back to what was arguably the best summer of my life, one that I will probably re-visit on here from time to time.

The Joy of Makeup

I have been crap at blogging lately, and as a friend pointed out to me recently, putting up photos and music lists has been rather lazy on my part. So a real post, hmmm, what to talk about. Yes the joys of putting on eye makeup which ended up happening as part of a Pirates-themed party at my friends Mike and Steve who always know how to put on a great party. They live in west london and after the party Nick and I ended up in a cab travelling across town to Hoxton for Anti-social which was an amazingly fun night. The rest of the night is a bit of haze, I do remember one bartender telling me that the rule to make-up is that less is more (I think he was being sarcastic) and I do remember being in Crash and Area as well but the exact details of the night are a bit lost on me. I did manage to sleep all of Sunday so feeling popping fresh this morning.

Monthly Music Chart Returns - July!

I've been on a real music kick lately, I guess most of the stuff does get released around summer time or does it only feel like it. My top 5 for the month:

1. Beyonce - Deja Vu

She landed at #1 for my year end chart for 2003, will she repeat the feat this year ? She has a very good shot at it, her best track and video since Crazy In Love.

2. Deux - Xpand

Deep house goodness to follow up to the massive 'Sun Rising Up'. If a dance record would ever be described as glamorous, this would be it.

3. Paris Hilton - Stars Are Blind (Scumfrog's Extreme Makeover)

Believe it or not this works, fantastic dirty house remix the elevates our favorite blonde heiress bimbo's mediocre single from the ashes and onto the dancefloors.

4. Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back

Has our favorite N'Syncer been hanging out at The Cock lately(no, not Lance!) ? It sure sounds like it. Justin's new single is an amazingly non-commercial sounding electro-fuelled number, who knew he had this in him.

5. Christina Aguilera - Ain't No Other Man

Its feeling a bit like 2003 all over again, with Beyonce, Justin and Christina dominating this month. Xtina's track is definitely a grower, not her best effort but it works.

Places I've Been To in Europe

create your personalized map of europe

Oh, Jessica!

In what has to be the strangest marketing idea in music this year, Jessica Simpson is offering a personalized mp3 download of her new single with your name sung in the song. Amazingly neither Rami, Ramification or even Romesha are available as choices, The Swines!

Natural History Museum

Cher Bear = Genuis

In The House

I haven't done a music post in some time, but there are some great new house tracks out right now that I am absolutely loving. My current top 5:

1. Chris Lake vs Kings of Tommorow - Finally Changes

My favorite mash-up of the moment of two great house records. The beautiful soulful vocal from the Kings of Tommorow record laid on top of the gorgeous piano riff from Chris Lake.

2. Fireflies feat Alexandra Prince - I Can't Get Enough

Alexandra Prince did the lead vocal duties on Gadjo's 'So Many Times' and she sounds great as ever on this disco house number. Very summery.

3. Fedde Le Grande - Put Your Hands Up For Detroit

This record has got one of the chunkiest electro beats I've heard in a long time, will be massive on dancefloors.

4. Ian Carey Presents The Good Guys - Lose Control

This has Ian Carey's signature sound all over it and it is fantastic.

5. Tune Brothers - I Like It

Another great piano riff, with the best remixes coming from Wawa and Ian Carey.