6 of the Best... Disco Breaks

Underground disco with emphasis on the breakbeats in these tracks. Some of these tunes have been sampled by contemporary producers, others have not, but all are banging dancefloor numbers from the crates of yours truly.

Filed under: 6 of the Best..., Electronic

Riddim Driven

In the early 80′s, slightly behind the UK and US, digital keyboards and especially drum machines hit Jamaica. As is so often the case, these new instruments spawned a new sound.

Filed under: Electronic

6 of the Best... Stoner Boogaloos

As the 60′s drew to a close, the kids in Spanish Harlem were tripping on a new sound. With a growing self assurance a younger generation of Cuban, Puerto Rican and South American immigrants began to tell a new story in their Boogaloos. This is the altogether more gritty and dark tale of a life hustling on the streets of New York. Labels such as Speed and Cotique brought these yarns of blunts and broads to a small but appreciative audience as a new psychedelic latin sound was created.

Filed under: 6 of the Best..., Music Blog

Wild Garage and Desperate Rock & Roll: The Sound of Mad Mike

Hailing from Pittsburgh, Mad Mike was an ‘iconoclastic’ DJ who built his reputation on playing music from the underbelly of rock & roll. During the 60′s, he sought out the unknown in music and brought it to the mainstream through his Radio show Mad Mike developed a world-wide reputation amongst lovers of rock & roll by playing wild garage tunes from bands such as the Sonics on his show, often giving them exposure for the first time.

Filed under: Music Blog, Rock 'n' Roll

6 of the Best... Steel City Rockers

Before they gained their international reputation for outré electronica, Warp records were a killer proto-rave label with outstanding Sheffield bleep tunes by the likes of the (then unknown) Aphex Twin, Tricky Disco, Nightmares on Wax, Sweet Excorcist and Coco Steel and Lovebomb.

Filed under: 6 of the Best..., Music Blog

Son house - death letters and cat shaving

I got a letter this mornin how do you reckon it read?
It said Hurry, hurry, yeah, your love is dead.

Filed under: Blues

Witchdoctors, Wooden Robots and Cannibalistic Stew

I grew up in a childhood Xanadu. Now, living in the concrete jungle of London, the camp imaginings of Exotica play heavy on my heartstrings. I love this weird ‘totally tropical’ music with its’ imagined tribal utopia full of nubile Amazons (as opposed to Amazonians) clad in leather loin cloths. Tarzan and Jane dancing in a frenzy to ritualistic tribal beats.

Filed under: Afro-Latin, Music Blog, Other Worldly

Lord Kitchener: Your Country Needs You!

If political correctness is your bag, read no further, but if you like the frisson of a spicy tale told in a hushed whisper, my darling, read on. Lord Kitchener made his name singing saucy and downright ribald calypsoes. His lyrics tell down-home stories of sexual derring-do, the stories of a naughty, but hugely loveable scallywag, and his wicked ‘Carry On’ exploits.

Filed under: Afro-Latin, Music Blog

6 of the best - Angry young men

Filed under: 6 of the Best..., Music Blog

Flamenco in Paris during the 1930's: Salim Halali and the Arabic-Andalucian sound

The ‘Chanson Marocaine’ was a Moorish-influenced mix of rumbas, tangos and tziganes. These were Spanish and North African sounds which must have spoken to the desire for the exotic amongst Parisians of the time.

Filed under: Music Blog, Other Worldly

Decorated Skin - A World Survey of Body Art by Karl Gröning

Check out this amazing book covering body adornment from all over the world. These decorations have meaning and cultural context. Tattoos from the modern primitive movement don’t compare with these for authenticity, complexity or truth.

Filed under: Music Blog

Big Foot Stole My Car

Dallas born, classically trained musician Mark Griffin, becomes the rapper MC 900ft Jesus, an experimental Hip Hop artist with an abundant wit and a natural flair for story telling.

Filed under: Sample-Based

Sex, death and naughty postcards

From the starting point of COUM Transmissions, a performance art group centred around Genesis P Orridge and the stripper Cosey Fanni Tutti, a notorious history and reputation for confrontation, experimentation and invention was born…

Filed under: Electronic, Music Blog, Other Worldly

The Loop Digga

Yellow dog head with elongated pig snout. Is this Quasimoto, the Bad Character?
Quasimoto, The Lord Quas, he has a high pitched helium voice, a squeaky rapper, he’s the Loop Digga, his influence come from odd corners, Russ Meyer, the phat beats of David Axelrod and the intergalactic grooves of Jazz freak Sun Ra, the Astro Black numibian with a message for the world

Filed under: Music Blog, Sample-Based

More Sorcery

Gabor Szabo has got to be one of the finest Jazz guitarist of all time. His finger-licking picking is of the highest calibre and references both western Jazz traditions and Eastern paradigms.

Filed under: Jazz, Music Blog, Other Worldly

Moonshine, Blue Grass and Ozark Mountain Sunshine

I dunno about you but I can’t think of much better to listen to on a lazy Sunday afternoon than some bad-ass Kentucky blue-grass with banjo and baritone voice à la redneck. Good ol’ boys singing about one night stands, and clear blue windswept skies. It leaves you feeling pretty bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, much like the octagenarian lady embossed on a plate on the album’s front cover.

Filed under: Blues, Music Blog

Mongo Santamaria and the Afro-Cuban Diaspora

When Mongo Santamaria ‘bangs’ the drum, other people listen. He is one of the greatest percussionists ever recorded and to hear his music is a fine privilege indeed.

Filed under: Afro-Latin, Jazz, Music Blog

6 of the Best... Popcorn Tunes

Popcorn is a form of music retrospectively applied to pop music with a rockabilly or rhythm and blues feel. It tells the story of love lost, and other dark tales. It is often linked with Belgium, where some of the tunes come from although many of the tunes were also no-hitters made in the United States. Many of the tunes reinterpret the rhythm and feel of the track ‘Fever’ by Little Willie John.

Filed under: 6 of the Best..., Music Blog

Morgan's Miniature Masterpiece

A very special long player hit the racks in 1980 called Miniatures, an album of tiny masterpieces created to last 1 minute. Miniatures enlisted the talents of a broad range of artists, ranging from the contemporary avant garde elite, improvisers, poets, punks and raconteurs, all rising to the challenge of the minute time slot in their own unique style.

Filed under: Electronic, Jazz, Music Blog, Other Worldly, Uncategorizeable

Tutus Too Much for Psyche Rock

Written in 1967 as a collaboration with fellow composer Michel Colombier for a Maurice Béjart ballet project, the Messe Pour le Temps Présent is no doubt Pierre Henry’s most widely known work. Pierre Henry started experimenting with sound when he was 15 and has devoted his life to avant garde composition and music concrete.

Filed under: Electronic

Coltrane on the brain

Ascension – John Coltrane. Free Jazz, with McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp and Freddie Hubbard.

Filed under: Jazz

Shake a Tail Feather

Twisting styles in his vocal delivery, a true rockabilly originator and a country singer who would cover and own all the songs that he put his mark on. Like a lot of the rockabilly I first enjoyed, I came to know Charlie Feathers music through my passion for The Cramps warped take on rocking sleaze, garage boogie and b-movie meltdown.

Filed under: Rock 'n' Roll

Controlling Hearts and Get Together Drops?

If you got love trouble, you got a bad woman you can’t control, I got just the thing for you, something called Controlling Hearts and get together drops.
If you work too hard and you need a little rest try my Easel eyes rub, and put some of my balls fix gel in your breakfast.

Filed under: Afro-Latin, Blues, Jazz, Music Blog

Wish You Were Here...

When you perform or make music it’s dependent on mood, emotion, context.

Filed under: Manifesto, Music Blog

I'm Still #1

BDP’s LP “By All Means Necessary” will go down in history as one of the all time rap albums and KRS-1 will remain in the top ten rappers of all time.

Filed under: Music Blog, Sample-Based

MP3's - Eat Your Heart Out

Thinking back to when I first started buying records as a kid, one of the things that helped me decide what to buy that week was the graphics and sleeve designs. I thought I’d collect together a bunch of my favourite generic company sleeves for this post.

Filed under: Eye Candy, Music Blog, Record Art

The Viking of 6th Avenue

In the late 1940s the blind, Louis Thomas Hardin (Moondog), rejected the conventions of society and made his life on the streets of New York.

Filed under: Other Worldly

Street Fighting Man: 50 Years of Youth Protest.

Filed under: Eye Candy, Music Blog, Photos, Rock 'n' Roll

Acid Drenched Garden of Earthly Delights

Lead by Joseph Byrd, The United States of America were an experimental, psychedelic rock band, mixing avant garde composition with a radical take on progressive music making.

Filed under: Electronic, Rock 'n' Roll

Sex at Your Parents' House

Badly shaped and fresh faced, art school antics afoot, the Night Train Express with me in tow for a wild night, Loud by Half Japanese was coming out of cheap speakers, masking tape and wire strung, the turntable that played too fast.

Filed under: Music Blog, Other Worldly, Rock 'n' Roll

Having the balls to be Hugo Ball.

Who is this strange figure that stands before me, nonsense words pouring from his mouth? The year is 1916, the photo captures a performance by Hugo Ball at the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich. The new century is just getting up a head of steam, WW1 underway, the worlds of art theatre and music are all finding new ways to express belief in the future promise or ways to protest at the injustices of the modern world.

Filed under: Music Blog, Uncategorizeable

The Steel Strings of John Fahey

Born in 1939 with a thirst for Delta Blues and Roots music John Fahey aka Blind Joe Death emerges picking on a steel string acoustic guitar as if life itself depended on it.

Filed under: Blues

6 of the Best... Ragga Tracks

The best early ragga came out of the dancehall scene in late 80′s and early 90′s Jamaica. It features MC’s ‘chatting’ lyrics in Jamaican patois over electronic beats and basslines. Often, the same rhythm track would be used over and again with different lyricists toasting or rhyming in a competition for the best match of rhythm and MC. The Jamaican DJ’s would play a number of these variations on the same currently popular ‘riddim’ and the people would decide… Here are a few of the winners.

Filed under: 6 of the Best..., Music Blog

Bootlegging, Brawling and Banjos.

Dock Boggs is considered a seminal figure in Country Blues and from the few artifacts we have from his early years its clear to hear why.

Filed under: Blues

The Girl with the Golden Stockings

‘This is ground control to Sun Ra, we are receiving you loud and clear’ … It’s 1958-ish and the big hand is pointing to ‘out there’.

Filed under: Jazz

The Big Bamboo

By the late 40′s and early 50′s calypso was being sold hard to the adventurous Yankee tourist daring enough to visit the British colony of Trinidad and Tobago.

Filed under: Afro-Latin, Music Blog

6 of the Best... Early Blues Tracks

In the 20′s and 30′s itinerant musicians would travel around with their guitar developing a sound that came from gospel, african, and slave roots. These intermingled to form the blues. A storytelling mode, the blues often told tragic tales of woe in a simple twelve bar format. New guitar playing techniques were invented to describe musically these tales of the downtrodden.

Filed under: 6 of the Best..., Blues, Music Blog

The Monkey Does Harmonies

Many people like monkeys, they think they’re kinda nice I guess. I’ve only had bad experiences myself, a really stupid monkey with dirty finger nails stole me from my parents when we were on safari in the congo.

Filed under: Electronic, Rock 'n' Roll, Sample-Based

Shut Up! I Hate You. It's Monk Time

With everything there’s always a starting point. Abrasive non-conformists and proto punks running wild in Hamburg, The Monks are that point. The beat group that would be the anti-Beatles, the first Krautrockers and they’re were all American GIs. It’s the 60′s, it’s Germany and it’s The Monks.

Filed under: Rock 'n' Roll

Gimme that Commodity Meat

Straw hat and bandana, bad boy chewing on a chicken bone, thumping on the bass drum with one booted foot and thrashing manic on his beat-up guitar, this is how Hasil Adkins performs and learnt to play the songs he heard on the radio as a kid.

Filed under: Blues, Music Blog, Rock 'n' Roll

6 of the Best... Wild Indians

For 50 years or more, music from the Indian subcontinent has taken Western influences on board and mirrored them back at us but with a unique twist which is quirkily Indian. Here you will find Bollywood and sitar takes on funk, surf guitar, swing and garage! I’ve tried to include some of the greats of Indian music from composers RD Burman and Kishore Kumar through musicians Ananda Shankar and Shankar Jaikishan to the fantastic vocal talents of Asha Bothle. I’ve finished off with Ravi Harris reversing the trend as a Westerner playing Eastern music. Tune in, Turn on, Wig out.

Filed under: 6 of the Best..., Music Blog

The Fabulous Fifties Graphics of TICO Records

Sandoval’s graphics are hugely evocative of their time, part of the post war boom that happened in graphics and advertising in America and especially New York.

Filed under: Afro-Latin, Eye Candy, Music Blog, Record Art

Docking at the Music Port

From Bristol to Barcelona to Bahia, from Casablanca to Charleston to Cartageña, from Lagos to Liverpool, Marseille to Mumbai, and New York to New Orleans, we tell the musical story of port towns…

Filed under: Afro-Latin, Blues, Jazz, Manifesto, Music Blog, Other Worldly

Hit the Road Jack

A cautionary tale of naughtiness, philandering and the consequences of being caught with the wrong man’s wife!

Filed under: Blues, Music Blog, Rock 'n' Roll, Uncategorizeable

Raymond Scott - Jazz and Lab Coats

As a bandleader during the 30’s and 40’s Raymond Scott was well respected as a great tunesmith and musician, his melodies later found their way into the Loony Tunes cartoons of the 1950’s, helping along many a Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny cartoon.

Filed under: Electronic, Music Blog

Fela Kuti's Empty Boasts

Anytime you come across a loud mouthed braggart, He is full of praises for his own power, And what does such talk amount to? Empty Boasts.

Filed under: Afro-Latin, Music Blog

Tequila & Mexican Beers

For a Few Dollars More, I’ll take you down into darkest Mexico where the chica’s eyes flash like daggers, but you just might get your throat cut, Gringo. Mexico; the US’s bad little hermano, where the cactus pricks you like a sharp conscience and where the touch of a woman is a sweet “Aloe Vera”. The legendary land of ‘La Cucaracha’ and of Pancho Villa, of Santa Anna and the Alamo. Let’s go get drunk down in Baja, boys and let’s see if the little men in pantalones brancas don’t come back and bite you on the ass! Que Pasa Hombre?

Filed under: Music Blog

Nice album sampler mix of Cumbia tracks by Los Chinches

Check out this great modern Cumbia band!

I’ve heard these guys play and they rock it out Colombian style y’get me?

Filed under: Afro-Latin, Music Blog

Inner City Blues and the Gangstarr Boogie in 90's New York

For me, Guru & DJ Premier are essentially telling the same story as Robert Johnson or John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters or Howling Wolf. They are using intelligence and wit to rise above their adversity and to lead others away from the same predicament. The Blues at it’s finest.

Filed under: Blues, Music Blog, Sample-Based

Bold as Brass

What’s the best instrument?

Some people will immediately disagree with me, perhaps they’ll say it’s the guitar, maybe drums, but I’ll always opt for brass. Always. When you hear a killer jazz track with a great horn line that’s the instrument that does the deed, kills it. Stone dead I might add.

Filed under: Manifesto, Music Blog

Devil's Rumble

Step forward my main man, Davie Allan, the axe toting Clint Eastwood of down and dirty fuzz guitar. Link Ray showed the way, here you go lads and lasses, the guitar sounds well cool when it fuzzes and distorts. Taking on board all that Uncle Link could teach him Davie set forth to bring his own ways to bare upon this much loved instrument.

Filed under: Rock 'n' Roll

Flights of the Imagination

It’s funny what you can find right under your nose sometimes. I live around the corner from a little DIY venue called Stoke Newington International Airport, and some friends invited me to a gig there last night: L’Orchestre du Montplaisant.

Filed under: Afro-Latin, Music Blog, Other Worldly

Silver Apples of the Moon

Silver Apples were an American psychedelic electronic music duo from New York, composed of Simeon, on a primitive synthesizer of his own devising (also named The Simeon), and drummer Danny Taylor.

Filed under: Electronic, Music Blog

Storms, trains, hi-fidelity and infidelity

Thunder and passion, stormy seduction, naughtiness, passing trains and ships in the night, the Hi-fi sensation of the sixties was undoubtedly The Mystic Moods Orchestra.

Filed under: Music Blog, Other Worldly

Sampling Culture and the Ownership of Ideas

We surely need to reinvent a way of acknowledge the brilliance of great thinkers without trying to own their ideas in whatever form. If we don’t, we’ll end up in a world where everything, but everything, is owned.

Filed under: Manifesto, Music Blog, Sample-Based

They used to call me Tricky Kid, I lived the life they wish they did

Tricky (in my mind) is a true one off; no other would (or could) imitate the ideas behind his music. In the ten albums to his name to date, there lies a maze of potent material well worth exploration.

Filed under: Music Blog

Masked - Anonymity is Ours

All about the oddball musicians who perform in masks!

Filed under: Music Blog, Other Worldly

Roky Erickson

Earth was built only for you – earth is a toy – here’s a toy for you – perfection for a perfect you – don’t slander me, my my my – don’t slander you.

Filed under: Music Blog, Rock 'n' Roll

6 of the Best... Blaxploitation Movie Soundtracks

The Blaxploitation Movies of the 1970′s were the first films to give black folks positive role models and to make Black people the star of the movie. They told the stories of the street, of pimp’s, hustlers and hookers and are the true origin of the phrase ‘ghetto fabulous’. They have some of the funkiest soundtracks ever created.

Filed under: 6 of the Best..., Music Blog

Ding-a-Ling Ding-Dong, Mr Bartholomew!

The songs of Dave Bartholomew swiftly become dear to the heart of anyone who hears them. Seek him out. You might even catch him live if you are very, very, lucky!

Filed under: Blues, Jazz, Music Blog

6 of the Best... Organ Grinders

I thought it would be fun to check out some of the greats of funky hammond jazz. I’ve selected a bunch of my favourites and you are in for a treat here. From Jimmy Smith to Brother Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff to Lonnie Smith, Ronnie Foster (who played with Grant Green on Sookie Sookie) to Charles Earland (who played with Lou Donaldson), these are amongst the hottest organ players of the 60s. Boy could they stroke those keys!

Filed under: Music Blog

Gung-ho grit on the Sausage Machine

Taking Krautrock and giving it a good squeeze ‘n’ shake, Th’ Faith Healers in full flight were a force of their own.

Filed under: Electronic, Rock 'n' Roll, Uncategorizeable

6 of the Best... Rude Rockers

Living in the 21st Century it’s easy to think that we have a monopoly on behaviour of a certain type, that we invented transgressive sexuality and that the frisson one gets when taboo subjects are raised is an entirely new emotion. These records are here to prove that this is not the case.

Filed under: 6 of the Best..., Rock 'n' Roll

Author Archives: Simon Landin

About Simon Landin

Simon has worked as a visual artist, dj, designer and sound engineer for over 20 years in the music industry.

Episode 77 – The Home Spun Sessions: Folie Ordinaire

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Simon Landin

Like shooting stars aimed straight for the heart of darkness, Folie Ordinaire take the swagger of Rock and the strut of Disco and turn them on their head. With Punk spikiness and Post-Acid electronics, they create a rhythmically pulsating live sound that defies categorization. They’ll be members of a futuristic leather-clad glitterati before you know it! Rock & Roll at it’s finest!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 76 – The Home Spun Sessions: Park & Ride

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Simon Landin

Quirky Colchester duo Park & Ride create quite a buzz when they bring their whimsical, eccentrically English take on French Chanson, Surf Guitar, Pop Classics, B-Movies and Breathy, Stylophonic Sex to the Home Spun Sessions.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 75 – the Kopyright Liberation Front

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Simon Landin

What the FUCK is going on? They asked of the music industry, back in 1987, when Whitney Houston joined them for Mission Impossible. They donned capes and made a pilgrimage to Dura, but by 1994 they were in the money. Their costly Art statements made blood boil on a million quid bonfire. Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty wrote The Manual on how to have a hit record and then proceeded to Kick out the JAMS again and again.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 74 – Don’t Cramp My Style

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Simon Landin

Did you ever get the feeling that some of us were born bad? With a naughty or even wicked tendency that if unchecked leads to disaster, glorious disaster. Skid Row baby! The Cramps gave us a master class from the dark side of Americana by re-imagining the desperate tunes from the underbelly of 50′s Rock & Roll.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 73 – Pop vs. Rock

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Simon Landin

We are joined this week by Oz funk rocker, Dion Palumbo whose new 10-piece band, Palumbo & the Funk are reinvigorating the London Funk Scene.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 72 – The Thinly Veiled Innuendo

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Simon Landin

Get three boys together and the tone always lowers somehow. But it was the good ol’ boys of Rock & Roll that really brought the Copulating Blues to the tender ears of teenage America. A mention of sex in early Rockabilly earned a stiff reprimand and rather large fine from the Record Industry of America (RIAA). As usual the ‘peanuts’ escaped punishment even if ‘Her Love Rubbed Off!’

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 71 – Drunken Jungle Skank

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Simon Landin

In which our good friend Crap Matt rocks up half cut and insists on some heavy, heavy Jungle rinse-out from back in the day. Proper? Proper! The Home Spun Show is always happy to oblige the inebriated with a shoulder to lean on and some soothing tunes for the ear.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 70 – The Home Spun Sessions: Ma Polaine’s Great Decline

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Simon Landin

Ma Polaine’s Great Decline visit The Home Spun Show this week for a brilliant session encompassing whiskey steeped Gypsy Reels, 1940′s Chanson, Country Death Songs and deep, down-home Delta Blues belters. We love their genre defying dark visions and warm tales of love lost and found.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Flights of the Imagination

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Simon Landin

Posted in Afro-Latin, Music Blog, Other Worldly |

Episode 69 – The Home Spun Sessions: Ma’Grass

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Simon Landin

International Funkateers, Ma’Grass join us this week for the Home Spun Session. Matteo Grassi and his band give us a sneak peak of their brand new album, Fingers in the Socket, 2 years in the making. Their music harks back to the golden era of funk in it’s sound: tight Sly & the Family Stone style beats couple with consciously low slung lyrics from Ella Flierl. Heavy!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 68 – All aboard the Afrobeat Express: It’s the High-Life for Me

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Simon Landin

All Aboard the musical locomotive! This week we play hosts to special guests Richmond Kessie from the awesome African psych funk band Yaaba Funk, DJ Volta African DJ extra-ordinnaire and Oli Hurez taking us on a trip to the French Caribe via Ghana, Senegal and Angola.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Hit the Road Jack

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Simon Landin

A cautionary tale of naughtiness, philandering and the consequences of being caught with the wrong man’s wife!

Posted in Blues, Music Blog, Rock 'n' Roll, Uncategorizeable |

Episode 67 – The Home Spun Sessions: T.J. Johnson

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Simon Landin

The man with the big voice,T.J. Johnson is our special guest on the Home Spun Sessions this week. T.J. is a fabulous Jazz crooner and pianist with an inimitable style. He crosses from country standards to bebop and beyond and delivers without fail. Outstanding!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 66 – The Home Spun Sessions: Errol Linton & Friends

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Simon Landin

WE think Errol Linton is one of the best harmonica players in the UK and we’re not wrong. He’s won UK Best Harp player 3 times!

Well, this week he graces the Home Spun Sessions for a knees up with a bunch of mates, and he brought along a fabulous band to boot. You’ll rarely hear a better Rhythm & Blues sound.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 65 – The Home Spun Sessions: Alastair James

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Simon Landin

Brillliant Young Singer Songwriter Alastair James brings his new band to the Home Spun Sessions. Alastair’s songs are reminiscent of Paul Simon at his best, and this cat is only 20 years old so expect great things! You heard it here first.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 64- The Weird Sex Issue

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Simon Landin

This issue of our podcast ended up being strewn with innuendo, stories of peculiar practices, the Battle of the Sexes, Man-Woman, Porno-Beat, and general flirtation with the dark side of the human psyche.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 62 – The Atrocity Exhibition

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Simon Landin

People are anaesthetised by the news. It becomes a soap opera of horror, which we watch compulsively, and without empathy. How Anarcho-punk outfits such as Flux of Pink Indians tried to redress the balance.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 61 – Bhangaz & Beatles

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Simon Landin

We rate the Shankar musical dynasty. From Ravi, who taught the Beatles what they know about Indian music, to Ananda, who’s exploits opened up the psychedelic sitar sound, to the Anglo-Indian sounds of Bishi Bhattacharya. Mesmerizing Indian Bhangaz one and all.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Docking at the Music Port

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Simon Landin

From Bristol to Barcelona to Bahia, from Casablanca to Charleston to Cartageña, from Lagos to Liverpool, Marseille to Mumbai, and New York to New Orleans, we tell the musical story of port towns…

Posted in Afro-Latin, Blues, Jazz, Manifesto, Music Blog, Other Worldly |

Episode 60 – The Home Spun Sessions: The Untouchables

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Simon Landin

The rather brilliant Untouchables bring their special brand of harmonica Blues to the Home Spun Sessions. Little Walter eat your heart out – they’ve got enough harps to shake a stick at!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 59 The Home Spun Sessions: The Bikini Beach Band

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Simon Landin

The fabulously flambuoyant Bikini Beach Band rock their surf noir sound for the Home Spun Sessions. This was a crazy gig recorded at the Red Hot Grind Show in Shoreditch.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 58 – The Home Spun Sessions: Wara

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Simon Landin

Wara bring their fab take on Cuban music to the Home Spun Show. Salsa meets Reggae, Afro-Jazz meets Rap in the underground sounds of London’s new pan-world immigrant communities.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 57 – Tortoise and Hair

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Simon Landin

Matthew generally prefers the slower tunes but also has a few musicals in his collection!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Moonshine, Blue Grass and Ozark Mountain Sunshine

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Simon Landin

Posted in Blues, Music Blog |

6 of the Best… Steel City Rockers

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Simon Landin

Posted in 6 of the Best..., Music Blog |

Episode 56 – The Message in the Music

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Simon Landin

In the 80′s, Christian fundamentalists in the US found that there were voices in Rock music which when you played particular records backwards became intelligible and told you demonic messages. We reveal how to play a record backwards so you can hear these backwards messages in the music.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 55 – The Crazy spider-eating Moon Dog

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Simon Landin

Now eating giant live spiders is not my idea of a good time but Seth the dog has no problem with it. Yum, Yum, for some, but me? Not in a month of Black Sabbaths!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Controlling Hearts and Get Together Drops?

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Simon Landin

Posted in Afro-Latin, Blues, Jazz, Music Blog |

Episode 54 – The Home Spun Sessions: Jardares Por Fuera

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Simon Landin

We are very proud to present the inimitable Jardares Por Fuera who bring their superb Gypsy Flamenco sounds along to the Home Spun Sessions for a Dancefloor mash-up!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 53 – The Home Spun Sessions: A Little Night Music with Katy Jungmann and Trombone Poetry

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Simon Landin

Cyrus Gabrysch and James Byron’s brilliant A Little Night Music are joined by Trombone Poetry and Katy Youngman for a jazz-country-blues poetry special.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 52 – Pink Elephants on Parade

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Simon Landin

Sun Ra whistles up a herd of elephants with his brass arrangements. Watch out or Jumbo & Co will run roughshod over you.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 51 – Choose Chinese Carefully

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Simon Landin

Matthew likes Noodles, but John and Simon like Egg Foo Young, a far superior dish… Chop Sticks Away, Chaps!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 50 – The Home Spun Show presents: Pé De Jurema

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Simon Landin

We are really excited to present the excellent Pé De Jurema performing a captivating mix of folkoric sounds from North Eastern Brazil for you lucky listeners. There’s Maracatú, Coco de Roda and Forró for your listening pleasure.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 49 – The Home Spun Show Presents: The Dirty Gentlemen

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Simon Landin

Special Guests the Dirty Gentlemen hot foot it back, dirt-and-all, from playing at Secret Garden Party to come and do a set especially for you, M’Dear. We really loved this one as these guys sure know how to play! Time to get low down and mucky with the boys.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 48 – Crazed Dance Crazes

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Simon Landin

The Hump, The Watusi Zombie, The Hawg, The Mashed Potato, The Bug, The Hook & Sling: Why did the fashion for dance crazes during the 60′s tail off? Let’s start a new one crazy kids!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 47 – The Home Spun Show Presents: The Jolly Good Bollywood Band

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Simon Landin

We give you fabulous Indian Rock & Roll and Swing from the Golden Era of Bollywood soundtracks. All this and more with a fabulous set from The Jolly Good Bollywood Band.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Decorated Skin – A World Survey of Body Art by Karl Gröning

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Simon Landin

Posted in Music Blog |

Episode 46 – Mesmerizing Models and Robotic Rebels

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Simon Landin

How Kraftwerk opened the door for Electronic music and created a turning point in pop history. Special Guest Nick Slim remembers hearing them for the first time in Covent Garden.

Posted in Podcasts |

Episode 45 – The Home Spun Show Presents: The Bohemianauts

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Simon Landin

From Gypsy Jazz to Vaudeville via Dr Who and David Ike, The Bohemianauts have given us a very special show this week. Time travel with us back to 30′s Berlin with the highly original Tom Baker and dance the Fandango or the Tango. If not, Perhaps Polka? Maybe Mazurka?

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 44 – Why Michael Jackson Turned White

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Simon Landin

We reveal the real reason Michael Jackson changed his colour!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 43 – Pimp’s Progress

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Simon Landin

Pilgrim, you need a pink cadillac to match your puce palatial pied-a-terre and candy-floss suit if your are gonna go to the Hustler’s Convention. Living it larger than life itself with the greatest pimps of all time: Lightnin’ Rod, Melle Mel, Papa Large, Huggy Bear, Snoop Dogg, Bull Moose Jackson and Charlie Mingus.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 42 – House Music was Still Born

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Simon Landin

Sometimes you gotta wish that Disco and Electronica never had it off in the first place. At times they have spawned a monster. We can’t feel Mr Fingers any more but you can’t Beat Dis.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 41 – The Crescent City Cha-Cha

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Simon Landin

DJ ‘lil Koko shows us the Zydeco Cha-Cha and the Mardi Gras Mambo in time for a second line through the streets of Hackney whilst John casts a spell with a voodoo witch doctor, Big Chief Tchoupitoulas.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 40 – The Fevered Mind

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Simon Landin

Cats were born to give chicks fever, so we thought we’d raise the temperature a few degrees with a few hot-headed sizzlers.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 39 – French Cheese and Caribbean Wine an’ Grind

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Simon Landin

Special Guest Oli Hurez plays us some gems from the French Caribbean – Tasty!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Inner City Blues and the Gangstarr Boogie in 90′s New York

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Simon Landin

Posted in Blues, Music Blog, Sample-Based |

Episode 38 – The Home Spun Show Presents: Dom & The Ikos

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Simon Landin

The second in our series of live bands recorded exclusively for our podcast features Dom Pipkin & his Ikos. Bloody Marvelous New Orleans jazz from an outstanding group of players. You’ll be boppin’ away, we guarantee it!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Ding-a-Ling Ding-Dong, Mr Bartholomew!

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Simon Landin

The songs of Dave Bartholomew swiftly become dear to the heart of anyone who hears them. Seek him out. You might even catch him live if you are very, very, lucky!

Posted in Blues, Jazz, Music Blog |

Episode 37 – Finger Lickin’ Carrot Cake Kink!

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Simon Landin

On lonely nights in the North Sea we reveal what naughty engineers get up to on the oil rigs. Frigging on the Rig with Mr Carrot Cake! And Much Much More…

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 36 – The Revolution WILL be Televised

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Simon Landin

It’s clear now that the revolution will indeed be televised. The point is, will you be sitting on your posterior watching or out there helping things revolve?

And Much Much More…

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Nice album sampler mix of Cumbia tracks by Los Chinches

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Simon Landin

Check out this great modern Cumbia band!

I’ve heard these guys play and they rock it out Colombian style y’get me?

Posted in Afro-Latin, Music Blog |

Episode 35 – The Version Excursion

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Simon Landin

Bohemian Rhapsody in Jazz! Blue Monday meets Reggae Uptown! Staying Alive on Bollywood’s Mean Streets! Special guest Barney Russel selects an esoteric mix of weird and wonderful cover versions of classic songs.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 34 – The Blind Alley and How To Get Out Of It…

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Simon Landin

When things go wrong with your lover, the Emotions run high, and it feels like you are running up a ‘Blind Alley’, our music is better than relationship advice, on occasion!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Tequila & Mexican Beers

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Simon Landin

Posted in Music Blog |

Episode 33 – The Home Spun Show Presents: Gertie & Her Gaiety

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Simon Landin

The first of our new series of live gigs bringing you the best of the underground London music scene recorded specially for your listening pleasure. This week we present the stand out sounds of Gertie & Her Gaiety. It’s Gypsy Jazz harking back to the 20′s and 30′s but with a sprinking of modernity. Unmissable.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 32 – Adults Only Please Kiddo

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Simon Landin

Frantic whipping, saucy inserts, masked messy spaghetti eaters, jungle fantasies, vacuuming nude except for a pinny, this show has it all!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 31 – Sing for your Supper

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Simon Landin

Life on the street. Tell a joke or do a rap for money. I’ll give you the cash, sure, but why are we generally so unkind to the homeless?

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 30 – Mo’ Monkey Business

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Simon Landin

Did we evolve from meteoric bacteria? Nah mate! We came from Space Monkeys! ‘I was working as a waiter in a cocktail bar.’ Matthew reminisces and plays some Slick Rick. The English Folk Dance and Song Society in Camden. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 29 – Do Monkey’s Dream of Mysteriana?

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Simon Landin

A quixotic dream? A tale of faraway lands, of magic carpet rides, genies and harem girls? Of steamy voodoo ceremonies, jungle rhythms and forbidden flesh? The allure of ‘Paradiso Tropical’?

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 28 – The Fuzz is Out to Get You

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Simon Landin

Roscoe, ‘Sterling Roswell’ visits the show to let us know about some of his recent work. Rosco used to drum with mega Fuzz band, The Spacemen 3.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 27 – Abandon Ship!

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Simon Landin

We take you on a sea cruise – without disaster. What we really want to know Mon Capitaine is: Where was the cabin boy in all of this?

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 26 – Something to Sink Your Teeth Into!

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Simon Landin

Why bite marks are only welcome in certain oh-so-sweet spots. We lay bare those places – and the not so welcome locations too!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Wild Garage and Desperate Rock & Roll: The Sound of Mad Mike

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Simon Landin

Posted in Music Blog, Rock 'n' Roll |

Episode 25 – A New Dawn, A New Day, A New Life for Me

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Simon Landin

The futility of New Years resolutions, Do they ever work? Ours are: “Must Try Harder” and “Go Out More, Drink Less” …or was it t’other way round?

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 24 – The Equatorial Explorer

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Simon Landin

Special Guest Miles Cleret of Soundway records spins some way-out Tropical favourites from his recent trips around Africa and South America.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 23 – The Microdot and other Matters

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Simon Landin

How the English Hippie movement fused Celtic roots, Eastern mysticism and Shamanism, whilst striving to reinvent the ‘old ways’… a return to the earth and folk traditions. A new Zeitgeist was created in the 60′s, which was authentically British and which has formed the backbone of counter-cultures here ever since.

Posted in Podcasts |

Flamenco in Paris during the 1930′s: Salim Halali and the Arabic-Andalucian sound

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in Music Blog, Other Worldly |

6 of the Best… Blaxploitation Movie Soundtracks

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in 6 of the Best..., Music Blog |

Episode 22 – The Bastard Son of Rhythm & Blues

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Simon Landin

How did R&B get it so very wrong when it has such auspicious parents? Maybe we should put the poor dog down… plus: The Jamaica – Canadia connection. Canada gave bass heavy support to many of the Jamaican artists by … Continue reading →

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 21 – Coca and Biscuits

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Simon Landin

Enjoy a bedtime drink Columbian style!

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 20 – Brave New World

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Simon Landin

The impulse to create a new Zeitgeist in post war New York. From Warhol to Woody Allen to Charlie Parker, this was focused in Greenwich Village, a hugely influential melting pot for music and art during the 50′s and 60′s.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

6 of the Best… Stoner Boogaloos

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in 6 of the Best..., Music Blog |

Episode 19 – Jungle Illusion

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Simon Landin

Exotica and the yearning for a more primitive life caused by the jet engine and cheap flights during the 50′s .How the tourist industry made the search for a Utopian tropical paradise possible and translated into record sales – and a glorious fakery of tribal life.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Witchdoctors, Wooden Robots and Cannibalistic Stew

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in Afro-Latin, Music Blog, Other Worldly |

Episode 18 – Car Booty

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Simon Landin

Why car boot sales are the best thing since sliced bread…

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 17 – Walk Home Baby!

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Simon Landin

Teenage tricks to get a sly kiss. Parliament knew how! The Treniers knew how! We reveal the age old secret of how to get a snog on your first date.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Episode 16 – Las Vegas Grind

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Simon Landin

The humdrum grind of living in a city that never sleeps. What to do in Las Vegas if you don’t wanna gamble…

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Lord Kitchener: Your Country Needs You!

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in Afro-Latin, Music Blog |

MP3′s – Eat Your Heart Out

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in Eye Candy, Music Blog, Record Art |

Episode 15 – To the Victor, The Spoils.

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Simon Landin

Cutting Competitions: the greats of music playing against each other for supremacy during the 50′s. Battling in hip hop. The Jamaican soundclash. Where does this tradition come from?

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

Sex, death and naughty postcards

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in Electronic, Music Blog, Other Worldly |

6 of the best – Angry young men

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Simon Landin

Pop Group Jello Biafra http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz_AvMGge48 Art Bears Crass Extreme Noise Terror Eugene Chadbourne

Posted in 6 of the Best..., Music Blog |

6 of the Best… Organ Grinders

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in Music Blog |

6 of the Best… Disco Breaks

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in 6 of the Best..., Electronic |

Mongo Santamaria and the Afro-Cuban Diaspora

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Simon Landin

When Mongo Santamaria ‘bangs’ the drum, other people listen. He is one of the greatest percussionists ever recorded and to hear his music is a fine privilege indeed.

Posted in Afro-Latin, Jazz, Music Blog |

6 of the Best… Rude Rockers

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in 6 of the Best..., Rock 'n' Roll |

6 of the Best… Wild Indians

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in 6 of the Best..., Music Blog |

6 of the Best… Ragga Tracks

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in 6 of the Best..., Music Blog |

6 of the Best… Popcorn Tunes

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in 6 of the Best..., Music Blog |

Episode 5 – Of Dogs and Gods

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Simon Landin

The naming of Dogs and Gods.

Posted in Podcast, Podcasts |

The Fabulous Fifties Graphics of TICO Records

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Simon Landin

Sandoval’s graphics are hugely evocative of their time, part of the post war boom that happened in graphics and advertising in America and especially New York.

Posted in Afro-Latin, Eye Candy, Music Blog, Record Art |

Street Fighting Man: 50 Years of Youth Protest.

Posted on May 29, 2011 by Simon Landin

Photographs documenting youth and street protest.

Posted in Eye Candy, Music Blog, Photos, Rock 'n' Roll |

Bold as Brass

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Simon Landin

What’s the best instrument?

Posted in Manifesto, Music Blog |

Riddim Driven

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Simon Landin

In the early 80′s, slightly behind the UK and US, digital keyboards and especially drum machines hit Jamaica. As is so often the case, these new instruments spawned a new sound.

Posted in Electronic |

Sampling Culture and the Ownership of Ideas

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in Manifesto, Music Blog, Sample-Based |

Wish You Were Here…

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Simon Landin

When you perform or make music it’s dependent on mood, emotion, context.

Posted in Manifesto, Music Blog |

Jousts

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Simon Landin

Imagine the setting: Pall Mall on a sunny summer afternoon, the people are out in their droves to enjoy the spectacle and expectant too, heroes and villains will be made today, blood will be shed, and to the victor, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Jousts |

I’m Still #1

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Simon Landin

BDP’s LP “By All Means Necessary” will go down in history as one of the all time rap albums and KRS-1 will remain in the top ten rappers of all time.

Posted in Music Blog, Sample-Based |

6 of the Best… Early Blues Tracks

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Simon Landin

Posted in 6 of the Best..., Blues, Music Blog |

More Sorcery

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Simon Landin

Gabor Szabo has got to be one of the finest Jazz guitarist of all time. His finger-licking picking is of the highest calibre and references both western Jazz traditions and Eastern paradigms.

Posted in Jazz, Music Blog, Other Worldly |