For this month’s Podrophenia show we are playing tunes discovered so far in 2024 (be they released, or we stumbled on them this year).
Plenty of natter, 2 quizzes (guess the spoken song intro and football music). Plus news of a special 15th Anniversary live event....
Our debut album is out now - Missus Jo and I are super chuffed and buzzed with it..
Recorded while being bunkered up during lockdown - it's a sequence and cycle of digital trips and visits to favourite and far away places..
Opening with a rainy night in Wales and closing with synthized approximation of a west coast sunrise and dawn chorus.. Inbetween we ramble around valleys, fields and footpaths, taking the odd city and waterside stroll..
Musically, most of what I'd been repeat playing before recording has filtered into the influences. From Hall and Oates to Tycho (Hallow), Thundercat to The Beatles (Sugar Palm), Oddisee, Elaquent to Boards of Canada (Rambling Rocks) and Potatohead People to Stan Tracy (Milk Wood)
Only 100 hard copies are available - you can join us on our Buskr wanderings from the 19th November.by ordering a hard copy here
The second single, from our Buskr project is up for download - Numbers and Codes is a home-spun slice of lo-fi, trip pop, night vibes - getting repeat plays in Canada (Radio Coolio) and Canberra (Liquid Sunshine)...
As the clocks go forward, Soundr steps into the new season with a fruity bouquet of blossoming breaks, blooming tunes and mellow beats -from trip hop to sunny lectro pop to breezy nu jazz..
Something to lively up your playlists - the Soundr Hour - Cover Stars....
60 solid minutes of uptempo covers: disco refits, funky reduxes and latin reworks - all contained herein. From Steely Dan to Rod Stewart, from the Average White Band to Ashford and Simpson - they all get rung and respun with fruity new versions...
Rockers, rollers, new romantics and old romantics - settle in for Podrophenia's Love-in podcast. Where Piley, Lord Hastings and Mondo will be pleasuring your lugs with two hours of tuneage - themed around, hearts, flowers and Champagne.
There'll be a Valentine's quiz, love songs rendered to 8 bit Sega style editions, and smoochy tunes played on a tuba.
And a live a 'performance' of three eighties hits on a 1982 Casio VL Tone keyboard......
The latest Podrophenia is up for download. where Piley, self and Lord Hastings spin in a playlist of lockdown listens: from Peaches to Public Service Broadcasting, newbie tunes from Bob Dylan and The Damned, Southern soul from Elvis and The Everlys. And two quizzes Nut or No Nut and Rotten Film Songs. Dig in and DL below
And behold a play of the new single from m'self and Mrs Mond' (Buskr - Back in this Place out 4th December Hottwerk) as heard on Janice Long last week ...
The second edition of the digital C-60 is up for download. Night Vibes, wherein we take a drive through the backwaters and byways of Lo Fi, Trip Pop, Lectro and Chill Hop - with Nu Jazz and Broken Beats along the way.
Settle in and stream below - a couple of the sessions and vids mentioned are rendered 'neath the mix...
International DJ, radio presenter and reviews editor at Vive Le Rock and Louder Than War - DJ Paula Frost, drops in to give us the lowdown on her explosive new single Oxygen Tank out on the 20th March......
Hey Paula - how would you introduce yourself to the PM blog readers?
I’d say I’m a DJ from London who used to play drums in bands. I’m also the reviews editor of Vive Le Rock and Louder Than War Magazines. I’ve been DJing for three years now and I have been on a world tour playing in 14 countries including New Zealand, Croatia, Russia and Japan. Right now I’m about to drop my debut single ‘Oxygen Tank’ on 20th March so pre-order here!
Did your parents records or music you grew up on have influence on you?
Yes definitely. My parents are music lovers but not musicians. My mum got me into reggae and indie like Bob Marley and The Cure. My dad got me into punk like Killing Joke, The Clash and Crass. I asked for a harmonica when I was about 4, a guitar age 6 and a drum set age 7. But I had to show I was serious by practicing every day on pots and pans and taking lessons at school until they got me the drum kit! There’s a musical bone in my family, my uncle is a great guitarist and my Irish grandma was a fantastic piano player. Both self taught.
What inspired you to start Doing and was there a lightbulb moment?
I was working as a radio show producer on Kane FM and all my friends were DJs. When my band split up and I wasn’t drumming anymore, the DJs encouraged me to get my own radio show and start learning the craft. I was interviewing at first and just playing records one after the other. Then I started to pick up the techniques and get serious. Now I’ve played all over the world and had loads of amazing shows so I decided to start writing my own music.
What was your first gig?
My first show was actually a really great ‘I was there’ gig because it was the first ever Art’s Cool in Margate held at a pub on the seafront which is now part of Dreamland. I DJed old school tunes like The Clash and The Jam and people loved it. Then a new band played called SLAVES. They are major label big shots now signed to Virgin Records. Art’s Cool has now become a club called Elsewhere. So I consider that gig as a very good starting point of inspiration because everyone there has gone on to great things.
Is there a country where you especially connected with the audience?
I have played a lot of shows in a lot of different countries over the years so I’ve picked up a lot of new music and I feel that I can connect with audiences wherever I go. Its about doing your research and putting your own stamp on it. People abroad want to hear the kooky British records they’ve never heard before so it’s a bit easier! I definitely connected with audiences in Russia and I find European audiences absolutely brilliant. But shows in England are always wild too. We like to let go at the weekend! I’ve had a guy come up to me after a show and say “Tonight was special. I haven’t connected with my wife like that in years.” Moments like that are amazing to think you’ve got these people on the dance floor who are in their late 30s and have been working really hard to raise their family and you’ve just given them a night to really let go any enjoy each other’s company completely. That’s beautiful!
You’ve gigged globally - do you have many places left on your checklist?
I do have a lot of countries left on my checklist! It’s endless really. I’d love to spend the rest of my life playing shows all over the world. An American tour, Mexico, China, more countries in Europe and all the incredible festivals that pop up each year. You can never say you’ve done it all. There’s always a way to raise the bar!
Do you see crossover between the energy of punk and electro/drum n bass?
The crossover is that its rebel music. It’s party music and its youthful. I love big gatherings of likeminded people, they are so powerful. Peace is the most powerful tool we have and music seamlessly brings us together.
Have you got any tips for aspiring DJs?
I get asked this fairly often and I’d say it helps to build up a collection of the very best music from each decade and genre. Like I have a disco and funk playlist up my sleeve as well as a punk ’77 playlist. You never know. Also just be a decent, humble person and be tolerant of others. I don’t like diva DJs who need this and that and demand creature comforts. As long as I have food in my tummy and bottled water on stage I can’t ask for much more so lets rave :D
Buckle up Pod-pals as we bring you a fully loaded 150th edition of Podrophenia.. We've a trio of exclusives (David Woodcock Leo Leo and Steve Hooker). Special guests Joe and James Michael Clarke from Stackfest Central about the due soon gig And Paul Tunkin from Blow Up, bringing us the background on tracks from the label's catalogue..and the Blow Up Easter Special at The Railway 20th April..
Plugged and Unplugged is the theme of the latest Podrophenia - Dave Livings lays down an amazing live session, while Lloyd Price spins in some digital winners from his band The Frixion - listen carefully Podpals and you may even spot them teaming-up for an improv Goldfrapp cover..
Playlist-wise we bring you the new single from Leo Clemenson , Bowie's acoustic demo of Ziggy, a rare Goldfrapp session track and two tunes touched by the hand of Tronik Youth..
Plus possibly our best run of puns yet...
The March Madness edish of Podrophenia is up for download, and it's possibly our most eccentric session yet..
Mae West goes Rock ‘n’ Roll. Petula Clark goes disco, Reginald Bosanquet goes funky, Hawkwind get schlagerd and there's a space-pop nugget wherein aliens land looking for new life in Northampton!See the info-tainment clip on the single below...
Special guest Grant Philpott brings in some of his spoken word mash-ups (including Jimmy Smith meets Mark E Smith and Pam Ayres with Roy Ayres) and talks about his television work on The Word, the Big Breakfast and his ten years on TV Burp…
There's Essex Films, Kitchen bands and Shart songs - and an 8 bit quiz based around rock classics getting digitised
All here, all yours and all free
The latest Podrophenia is up for download and features Piley and m'selfs fave finds of 2016, plus - an interview with Paul Fleming of Baltic Fleet on the new album (some of the tunes you may recognise from Top Gear and Grand Tour). We've Star Wars songs contributed by the Podrophonic Massive, a stage invasion from some SFOB chums, news on a Southend themed wallaper- and an unreleased Howling Black Soul rarity- grab your copy hereabouts
Was this the incident that got Dave Gahan on the long road to ruin - find out in Podrophenia..
The Lectro edition of Podrophenia is now up for download – with guests Lloyd Price of Massive Ego and Barry Cain ex-Record Mirror punk reporter and former Flexipop boss..
Wherein you’ll hear new tunes from Massive Ego and Barry's twin-fisted tales of Rat Scabies transatlantic raffle, Dave Gahan bothered with dead bodies and bananas (not at the same time tho), Ian McCulloch being a grumpy bunny and how Zodiac Mindwarp killed of Flexipop...
Plus a couple of exclusive Flexipop editions of Depeche and Marc Almond tunes
For further reading you can grab the Flexipop Annual here, and buy tickets for the upcoming Flexiparty..
And check in with Massive Ego here...
Download hereabouts or stream below
What a bundle of beauties and beats we bring you in that latest Podrophenia.
Tune-wise, you'll find tracks from The Stands, The Supremes and Sue Records.
Session-wise: we bring you four Glass Brides exclusives. Both sides of the due-soon single 'White Gold' B/W 'Seven (PartII)'. Also live acoustic refits of a Chaka Khan classic - and a stripped down version of 'Parasite' appearing on the Glass Brides EP Nature of the Beats
Natter-wise: expect some hash-tagging on lazy bands and songs, and Scottish Bowie songs.
In October 1993 Southender, Paul Tunkin hosted his first Blow Up night at The Laurel Tree, Camden. An event, that after two decades of hard graft and consistently hi-quality output has developed into a globally known identity - with Blow Up events in Japan. Europe and the US - becoming the coolest indie label in Britain, and the source of chicest vintage beats and hippest new musical finds.
Paul cut his clubbing teeth locally with a DJ residency at the Pink Toothbrush alongside running a series of self-promoted nights at shifting scenes and locations (The Monkey House, The Wasp Factory and The Periphery) eventually moving and settling into the London scene with Blow Up, debuting at the Laurel Tree, Camden. A move that in a moment of musical synchronicity caught the upswing of the Britpop explosion. Blow Up later relocated to the Wag Club in Wardour Street and became the clubhouse and HQ for all ace faces of the indigenous music scene -Blur, Pulp, and Oasis.
Fast forward. to February 2013 and Blow Up celebrates its twentieth anniversary as a record label, with the Southend circle (or roundel) becoming complete as man-about-the-Southend-music scene David Woodcock has become Blow Up's latest signing, sitting alongside established acts such as Big Boss Man, The Bongolian and the Yoko-endorsed Baltic Fleet.
A prolific songwriter and performer, with a pacy workrate of new material and gigs, Woodcock is possibly the hardest working man is showbiz since James Brown. Dave's self-penned songbook is both instantly accessible and equally broad-ranging enough to entertain salty British Legion boozers or Brick Lane's swishy-set. .
Within a week of his debut single Same Things being released last summer, hipster site Brandish described the song as ‘a distillation of everything that is great about quirky English pop music’ while it’s also been receiving plays on XFM, Radio London and spins on BBC 6Music. A strong start for a first single - Dave’s take..
The second single Beggars Can't Be Choosers/Tease - has been getting some hefty nods from Steve Lamacq.
For a listen to both sides of the new single, the low-down on twenty years of Blow Up the club and label, a run through on some rarities, new releases - and a chat with Blow Up's Big Boss Man, Paul Tunkin tune into the latest Podrophenia
Let's put the keys in the ignition - ZZ Top style, rev the engine, pump that pedal and head out on the wild and unknown highway of 2014 with a soundtrack on the stereo that's blazing and blasting a best of - errm, well 2012 *cue the furious squealing of brakes and burning rubber* 2012? - they chorused
Yes, somehow - I just plain forgot to post up my collection of fave finds from that year. But here it is, 23 tracks of fresh-pressed tunes from vintage names (Hugh Cornwell, New York Dolls, Glen Matlock) Some international newbies (Hello Phones, François & the Atlas Mountains, Matsuki Ayumu) best of breed from that year (Eight Rounds Rapid, Thee Faction, Alfa 9, Fay Hallam) and as always rediscovered nuggets..
Scan the list below, then fill your booties, ipos and ears at the bottom. Salut!
So what's been bubbling up over at the House of Blow Up? Long haul PM favourites Baltic Fleet were on the bill for the opening night of Yoko Ono's Meltdown last Friday. Playing two sessions - an early ambient/downtempo drift from 6pm, with a bulkier, beatier, bruiser of a do at around 9:30
A rotation of roaring performances that pulled in a playlist from both albums and had Bloomberg describing the Baltics as 'the psychedelic mid-point between Joy Division and Daft Punk'
Personally, I can't wait to see them belting out their unique brand of electrickery to a field full of festival-heads bouncing about to those Baltic beats.
On Tuesday the 18th June - Dave Woodock a Southender you may have read about on this blog first (or perhaps heard on our Podrophenia outings) released his debut single Same Things on the Blow Up label. An absolute stomper of a song, which two years back was my intro to the Boy Wonder that is - Dave Woodcock. But don't just take my word for what a walloper of a tune it is - behold the review from swish-hipsters at Brandish who claim...
Same Things reinvents Brit Pop, but in a good way, a wonderful distillation of everything that is great about quirky English pop music.
Same Things can be downloaded for free right here (and listen out for the line where this blog heading is lifted from)
Hang on a mo' - who's this ol' schmoozer hanging off of Sean Lennon
Tonight Piley and the other one will be reeling in the years picking one year a'piece and pitching in plays for Britpoppers and punks, disco dancers and glow stick ravers, indie kids and the Bowie brigade.
We're also hoping to be joined be a special guest Christian Philips, who's been part of almost every Radio Podrophenia by way of our intro jingle, played on the opening track of our very first radio run-out and had hit makers Alessi helping out on Make Do from his most recent album.
So which years Piley and I popping for, find out on Podrophenia live from 9pm at Radio Novalujon
