Tuesday, December 30, 2014

The Planet Mondo Annual 2014


It's the annual Sadlads CD swap tonight, and my contribution -volume Five (we started back in 2010 with this) of the Planet Mondo annual brings you my favourite finds of 2014, threading together new nuggets and vintage discoveries. Although this is possibly the most contemporary-heavy set to date. Soul, funk, electro and power-mod and acoustic tunes are all in the mix. Along with a solid spread of Southenders: Wilko Johnson, Howling Black Soul, M G Boulter, West Weston & Martin McNeill and The Ends

And behold - two PM exclusives from Dave Woodcock, and Steve Weston with Martin McNeill - live in session versions of unreleased tracks.


It's yours to grab/stream  below

The Planet Mondo Annual 2014




A couple that I just didn't have space to squeeze in were ...



Friday, December 19, 2014

My Top Five from 2014....


An annual tradtition at Vive Le Rock HQ is the writers' Top Fives of the year. No surprises from me really - as these are names getting mutiple mentions on the blog, podcast and various scribblings and mags for the last four years...

Dig around the back pages and you'll also find reviews from for  Marriot and Lane's Magic Mijits and The Quireboys

In case you have hadn't had the chance to check out any of the above - dig in below....
























Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Saturday Night Tweeter - Happy Holidays in The Sun (aka Jehoovers Witness)



So, sitting in the kitchen of a Saturday evening with a few scoops, a few tunes, and thumbing through Facebook updates - I stumble across this picture of a local electrical shop (Sales Appliances, Westcliff) by Sam McDonagh, and, within a blink, share Sam's shot on the Twitter. Which, at the time - seemed to be probably the most flat-line time to repost, with bods either being out and about, or tucked up indoors for cozier doings

I couldn't have been more wrong - a few clicks of the clock later, and notification alerts were pinging in by the second.. comments , responses and retweets. By Sunday and with a run of Celtic flavored names commenting on the picture, noticed the story had been picked up by The Daily Edge in Ireland... 

Monday saw usvsth3m feature my pictures (now with added a stable and star) and an interview with the shop owners. Shortly after that - The Poke The Scotsmen were on it,  BBC local  and BBC national



By Monday evening and nearly 3,500 RTs and 300,000 views of Sam's original picture later - London paper The Metro were checking in on our festive chums. And today sees the Essex Chronicle The Huffington Post ,Charlie BrookerCaitlan Moran  - and The Sun spotlighting the nativity scene  (with self and Mrs M reflected in the window)


I wouldn't normally endorse anything to do with the shadowy world of  Murky Murdoch - but as the picture supports a local electrical business, was originally shot by Sam from Argosy Toys and most importantly the display is in aid of HARP - Southend's Homeless Charity -  that pretty much seems to sum up the essence of Christmas to me.

As a festive epilogue, why not donate to HARP hereabouts 






New testimonials...... from the Daily Mirror (top) and Metro. - shouts on Chris Evans breakfast show, the Express and ITV News and local paper The Echo confirms Henry is viral:official


Today's #nationalanthem is about a Henry Hoover Nativity Scene in a shop window. Can you think of a song? The link: http://t.co/gYdZdVUAvH

Friday the 12th - Henry makes HIGNFY...



Thursday, December 4, 2014

Radio Podrophenia - Duets edition. Now up for download



It’s a fully loaded edition for the last Podrophenia of 2014 (theme: couples, team-ups, duets)

In the folk and acoustic corner: a suite and sweep of five songs from the fantasticus Matt Boulter – three newbies getting exclusively aired for the first time hereabouts. So freshly pressed one track is still untitled…

In the effing and jeffing corner: Sadie Hasler with tales of her TV and festival work, book news and background on her award laden newspaper column. Plus a surreal reveal on Mount Rushmore…

Quotes from this edition include .. ‘

'You wouldn't get me doing that into a kettle’ ‘Squinting through a different eye’ ‘he had the biggest tomatoes I’d ever eaten’ But who said what – find out below…

Download here

Stream
Or via iTunes..

And behold the Rattus edition cushions from Paisley Power