Friday, December 21, 2012

Have a Fab Christmas



Well that's me done for the year - work is finished (and I'm not back til the 2nd). The shopping's shopped, the presents are wrapped, and the holiday handbrake has been firmly applied.

Although there will be one last blast before Santa's seasonal prowl-about - The Railway's Annual Charity Bash: The 2012 Beatles Convention - An all day event double-decking (the halls) across two floors

Upstairs: Southend's finest musicians will be putting their individual spins on the Beatles songbook 

Downstairs: Martian McNeill and his Bottletop Blues Band (With special guest West Weston and mystery jazzer TBA) - will be swinging through a Sunday afternoon session from 4

I'll be parked up in the downstairs bar spinning in Beatles themed covers, bootleg remixes, inspirations, and solo stompers

Ernie Garrett - Eleanor Rigby


And perhaps a handful of seasonal blues tunes

So until next year (or the 30th when West Weston brings his Bluesonics and Mud Morganfields guitarist to the The Railway) - have yourself a swinging little christmas

Sunday, December 16, 2012

The Annual Birthday Post



So, here we are - twelve months on from this and a run of extra miles clonked on the biological clock.

Instead of a mix of the years top tunes we've run out previously- this year, I'm submitting for your listening ears - the Podrophenia Annual 2012.

It's a best of year edition where Piley, the Podrophonic Listening Squad and myself - pick 'n' mix our favourite albums, singles, books, gigs and events of the last year.. With Podrophonic salutes and shouts going out to TV Smith, Thee Faction, Eight Rounds Rapid, Hello Phones, Zoƫ Howe and Syd Moore with Best Single and Best Album nods going to Blow Up records - but what for?

Find out within the grooves of ......

The Podrophenia Annual 2012

Friday, December 7, 2012

The Sunday Sessions - Mix 'n' Match


I've had something of a run of DJ sets at The Railway over the last few weekends, with every session having a different fitting, variation or twist

Mo Fingers - I leant heavily on the Hammond, soul and funk Last Friday - three and a half hours straight (with only 3 drinks and 1 comfort break) - was mostly a medley of Motown, New Orleans and northern until 11pm - followed by indie, 90s and assorted nuttery til 1 (including the Joe Loss Orchestra's Steptoe Twist)



While last sunday, for the Marc Cecil Soul Session, groovers and shakers with everything from AWB to Louis Jordan and Prince Buster were pitched into the ad-hoc playlist.


This coming Sunday, Martin McNeill is back for his regular residency with West Weston and his harp - (last seen on hooting and honking on Jools' Later).



So expect some bluesier tunes from me starting at 4 and high-firing live music from Martin and the Bottletop Blues boys from 4 30.