Nostalgia, good people and the service station that never was.

At the time of writing this I am a mere 2 days away from my 41^st birthday; a good 11 years older than I initially thought I was ever going to live to. Like most people my age, I wish for little more than just a quiet day pottering about the house or in the pub. No socks, bathroom gift sets or humorous coffee mugs, just a bit of 'me-time' where I can relieve myself of the normal weekend duties I normally undertake. Also, like most people my age, I know I'm only going to accomplish about half a day at best of that, and will be grateful for whatever I can muster.

Prior to this non-milestone anniversary of the flesh, I was also breaking away from the normal weekend duties by taking a 4-hour solo road trip to Whitby, where I was to fulfil my guest DJ slot at Nostalgia, a goth night held around the Whitby Goth Weekend & founded by martin oldgoth (the lower casing of the name is deliberate and correct).

I quite like a long drive, though I'm not a huge fan of driving long distances without a companion. Circumstance dictated that was indeed going to be the case this time round, so my wife stocked up on large quantities of energy drinks for the trip. My companion for the journey was a three foot tall plastic skeleton who sat in the front passenger seat who didn't pay anything towards the petrol but was useful for hanging onto various wires & cables that were sprawling from the cigarette lighter socket into the iPod, mobile and sat-nav.

I managed to cover some serious distance before deciding that I needed to pee. Funny how long you can go before you see any service stops at all the precise moment you need to take a leak. Eventually a service stop emerged on the horizon the other side of the road, but had a slip road on my side which would presumably take me round to it. What it actually did was take me directly onto the same road back in the opposite direction, allowing me to watch the service stop disappear off to my left and add a whole bunch of miles onto my journey while still leaving me with a full bladder…

Anyway, bodily fluids aside, I arrived in Whitby at around 3pm and parked up at the Leisure Centre to the tumultuous roars (of laughter, it seems) emanating from the Whitby Gazette Football Stadium as Real Gothic were receiving somewhat of a ritual slaughtering from the Whitby Gazette team. I think the final score was 5-0. I know little about football but apparently that's not very good…

I caught up with Leeds based goth-rock combo Rhombus (minus backing vocalist Mya) for a long overdue and quite entertaining interview for Fadeout, which took place on the stands of the stadium. I've been wanting to get the dulcet tones of Ed Grassby & Co. onto the show for a long time, and I'm hoping to get that interview edited ready for airing as soon as possible, ie. next weekend.

The hunt for food was on, so after destroying a chip supper outside the Pavillion, I headed off to pick up Nightbreed Radio's DJ Wolfman who offered me a place to crash for the night while up in Whitby.

We arrived at the Raw Club to meet up with Martin, Velouria & Katy Kitten, whom I would be sharing the decks with for the night. Maybe I'm just lucky like that, but I do seem to get to DJ with the nicest people I could ever wish to meet (of course now that I've said that, the next person will turn out to be a complete arsehole or something…I hope not!).

Apart from the normal process of doing my set, popping outside for a ciggie and chatting, coming back in for a caffeinated beverage, listening to the other DJ's then taking my turn behind the decks again, I also managed to bag an impromptu interview with Tim Chandler & Gordon Young of Pretentious, Moi?, which only really happened by the magic of alcohol. Yes, they were quite drunk and would agree to anything. I supposed it was the journalistic equivalent of date rape in hindsight, but they put together a fairly cohesive dialogue which wouldn't even indicate that they ever been near a drink at all. 'Consummate professionals', and all that…

I also managed to chat to a few other people I hadn't seen for a while, not least Tron from Grooving In Green, who once again kept me amused with his drink-oriented tales of life in the moderately-paced lane.

After the evening/morning's proceedings, DJ Wolfman & I headed back home to eventually hit the sack at 4am Monday morning. Rock & Roll. Five hours of unconsciousness would pass before I was awoke from the bed with a cup of tea and a bacon sarnie (for which I will be ever grateful to Wolfman's other half, Mandy), followed by farewells then a smooth drive home to the family I was spending probably too much time missing.

It's still taking me several days to get over one late night. I must be getting bloody old…

Do you want to see the playlist from the DJ's at Nostalgia? Here it is:

Nostalgia @ Raw, Whitby 31-10-2010

Velouria Rose
Dead Can Dance - The Host of Seraphim
Cocteau Twins - Persephone
Dragons - Redemption
The Cranes - Adrift
Danse Society - The Theme
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Red Eyes and Tears
Blacklist - Poison for Tomorrow
The Opposite Sex - Turning Colours
Altered States - Tomorrow People

Cruel Britannia
Loud - D Generation
Torpedoes - Twisted Lovesong
Chatshow - Kings of Confusion
Marionettes - Like Christabel
The Cold - Summernight
Bauhaus - Spirit
The Last Cry - Haunting
The Cranes - Jewel

Katy Kitten
Rosetta Stone - Eye For The Main Chance
Nosferatu - Lucy is Red
Love Like Blood - Kiss and Tell
The Merry Thoughts - We Love To
Star Industry - Nineties
The Horatii - Daryll and Alicia
London After Midnight - Kiss

martin oldgoth
Lords of the New Church - Open Your Eyes
The Cult - Go West
The Cure - The Walk
Flesh for Lulu - Roman Candle
Chameleons - Everyday I'm Crucified
Joy Division - She's Lost Control (r)

Velouria Rose
Faith and the Muse - Sovereign
Fangs on Fur - F Boy F Girl (r)
Christ Vs Warhol - Paper Dolls (r)
The Cramps - Inside Out (r)
The Damned - New Rose (r)
The Stranglers - No More Heroes (r)
Virgin Prunes - Pagan Love Song (r)
Lords of the New Church - Russian Roulette (r)
Frankenstein - She Casts No Shadow
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Candyman

Cruel Britannia
Mount Sims - Grave
Anders Manga - The Last Alarm
Blacklist - Dawn of the Idols
Sisters of Mercy - Body Electric (r)
Bauhaus - Largartija Nick
The Cult - Resurrection Joe
Time Zone - World Destruction

Katy Kitten
Suspiria - Night Time
Corpus Delecti - Saraband
Sisters of Mercy - Ribbons
Garden of Delight - Shared Creation
Fields of the Nephilim - Psychonaut Lib III
Children on Stun - Sidelined (r)

martin oldgoth
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Happy House (r)
Rosetta Stone - If Only and Sometimes (r)
New Model Army - Poison Street (r)
Sisters of Mercy - Walk Away
Specimen - Returning From a Journey (r)
Gene Loves Jezebel - Desire
Japan - Quiet Life

Velouria Rose
The Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again
Killing Joke - Sanity
Clan of Xymox - Loiuse
Chameleons - Swamp Thing (r)
Pretentious Moi? - Living Dead and Undecided (r)
Pink Turns Blue - Missing You
Alien Sex Fiend - R.I.P (r)
Vampire Beach Babes - Tomb Mau Mau (r)
Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles (r)

Cruel Britannia
The Cramps - The Crusher
Zombie Ghost Train - Step Into My Coffin
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Cascade (r)
The Last Dance - Do You Believe in Angels (r)
Killing Joke - Kings and Queens
The Wake - Sideshow
The Marionettes - She Said

Katy Kitten
Suspiria - (Loved in) Emerald
Miranda Sex Garden - Peepshow
Manuskript - Rapscallion (coldheart mix)
Christian Death - Church of No Return
Rosetta Stone - ?
Emma Conquest - Such Pretty Things
The Horatii - Island of Zombie Women

martin oldgoth
Adam and the Ants - Zerox (r)
Sexbeat - Sexbeat
Ultravox - All Stood Still
Lene Lovich - Lucky Number
We've got a Fuzzbox... - XX Sex
James Ray - Texas (r)
The Ramones - Somebody Put Something In My Drink
The Cramps - Domino
Messer Chups - Music to Watch Zombie Girls By

New (ish) show on Nightbreed Radio

November. Not an unusual month by any means, and carries no particular highlights (apart from my birthday-send me anything you like as long as it's cash), so it seems a good idea to break the cycle of its mundanity for once, and of that which has been quietly niggling away at the back of my mind with Fadeout.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm on average, quite happy with how the show has been going for the past three years, but while I have the space and flexibility to try something a little bit different in the format and the motivation to try it out, I'll do exactly that.

From Sunday 7th November 2010, Nightbreed Radio will play host to a new monthly show which will replace Fadeout's weekly airing, though Fadeout will air as normal on Phoenix Radio in the usual weekly format. It's an exerimental move for me, and if it doesn't work out then I'll simply put Fadeout back on the roster for Nightbreed.

Having racked my brains & agonised at length about a new show name, I decided on...The Other Fadeout Show.
It was funny at the time, and I appreciate how it gets steadily unfunnier the more time goes on, but as working titles go, it's at least accurate.
If I decide to change the show name in the future (likely) I'll let you know, but I'm still planning to have it aired at 8.00pm GMT every Sunday evening, just as Fadeout currently is being aired.

"The Other Fadeout Show" if of course, will be quite similar in feel to Fadeout, except each show will be aired for a whole month because (a) uploading a new show to the Radionomy server every week actually takes longer than the show lasts, and (b) unlike Fadeout, you've got more chance of catching the show 'on air' which will be the only option you'll have of hearing it as I'm not planning on releasing the show as a podcast.
Musically I'll be broadening the spectrum a little bit, though I'll still be keeping the Goth/Dark Alternative spirit of Fadeout alive within it.

I also see the show playing host to some great interviews I've aired in the past, so if you missed out on hearing Rogue from The Cruxshadows, Toyah Willcox, Voltaire, Fields Of The Nephilim, Peter Murphy, you'll get your chance to hear it again in the coming months.

The first instalment of The Other Fadeout Show will be scheduled for Sunday 7th November (my birthday, hint hint) at 8.00pm GMT. Please feel free to tune in and feel even more free to give me feedback on what you hear-did you like it, hate it were'nt able to tell the difference from any other Fadeout show?

To a certain degree your feedback will dictate what happens in the future. Right now I'm playing with ideas and feeling a little creative & inspired, so God only knows what I'll come up with next...

...no thanks.

Follow Friday.

There's a (bloody annoying) thing on Twitter called Follow Friday, denoted by the hashtag #FF.

It's one day in the week (Friday, obviously) where you recommend people you follow or who are following you to others.Strictly speaking by now, the whole concept of #FF should be redundant, because the point of saturation where everyone you follow now follows each other must have been met months ago.

But still, like sheep, we repeat the whole process over and over again without fail out of some misguided duty, like sending Christmas cards to relatives you don't even see once a year.
Depending on how long your #FF list is, it could take you all day to carry out the ritual. Who's got that amount of time on their hands? I know I don't...

Twitter's concept of making 'lists' for jobs like this is, like Twitter itself on occasion, frustratingly unusable.So this is why I've created this comprehensive #FF list of my own, and rather than type out every individual's name every week, I'll just post a link to this blog, adding & taking away names where I see appropriate.

If I've missed anyone out who consider themselves worthy of it, let me know.
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DJ's & Radio Stations:

NightbreedRadio
ukphoenixradio
DJ_Wolfman
DJmartinoldgoth
DjPoUk
ANKST
darklord1
KITTYLECTRO
miss_bomb
jimallthetime
DJ_Ghostuk
DJ_Mirage
jgwr
Pierssix
arabwel
insideoutcast
MewWave
Dark80s
Synth80s
DarksideRadio
choronzon333
DJMumin
DarkAsylumRadio
DJ_PARALLAX"
DJCandyUSA
DJDerfel



Other people of notable recommendation:

gothtart
WillFlanders
gothday
mekanoset
GroovingInGreen
youshriek
latexrecords
deadstuffgrum
GeminiiGlitz
ktglitz
nephthys_1
xlaetizia
Trig666
chaos_rocks
valdary
echoedruins
ChristopherChew
corrileefaux
RivetheadRasta
spaldingpie
madoldgoth
AnaisAngel
megatron_bison
MoodyEve
gothicbydesign
Quimeramusic
AnneSudworth
Mitch1984
GeminiiGlitz
jasoncmiller
HansRadtke
BryanReesman
LaBaticueeva
BethanyBlack
abigolightly
NightbreedRecs
jemimaSiosal
BEMYENEMY
mrjimBob
WGWGothWeekend

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An interview with Fuzzbox on Fadeout

FADEOUT October 2nd-3rd features an interview with the UK's most successful all-girl indie band...FUZZBOX!

Shortly before taking to the stage at Shifnal Arts Festival last weekend, Vix, Mags & Jo chatted with me about their origins, what they did, why they stopped then got back together years later, what they're up to now and why Cliff Richard is lovely/a f*cking w*nker.

To hear FADEOUT, tune in (log on, whatever) every Saturday at 7.00pm (GMT) on Phoenix Radio and every Sunday at 8.00pm (GMT) on Nightbreed Radio.

If you miss it, you can download the podcasts of up to the past 7 shows at http://fadeout.podomatic.com.

The latest info on Fuzzbox can be found at http://www.fuzzboxfans.com.

Just think; if they'd stuck it out through the '90's, we might not have had to put up with the Spice Girls...

UPDATE: for the next few weeks you can download the podcast from my Podomatic page here, or more permanently from the Fadeout Archives, here.

Nostalgia @ The Raw Club, Whitby on Halloween

...Where I'll be spinning next. You really ought to be there.

Buy your tickets from THIS WEBSITE

...I guess you had to be there.

When I'm at work, I occasionally email TJ Nexus, the presenter of Phoenix Radio's Twilight Zone. This week his interests have turned to gathering almost everything on the ZTT label, responsible for such acts as The Art Of Noise, Propaganda and Frankie Goes To Hollywood.

His closet passion for the latter act is legendary among our friend network, if you bear in mind that we only have a small social circle.

 

This is his short re-enactment of Paul Rutherford joining Frankie Goes To Hollywood.

 

Holly (on phone to talent agent):- I'm looking for an icon, someone that impresses on first glance, someone that looks like they take no messing, a god on the dancefloor, a backing vocalist with the voice of an angel.

Agent:- Well, I have a half baked Freddie Mercury lookalike you can have cheap...

Holly:- Is he gay?

Agent:- As a window, sir.

Holly:- Sold.

 

 

Personally, I always had my suspicions about their butch looking drummer. He's clearly in denial...