:: Munich ::

Munich International

Continuing the series of photographs depicting Airport Terminals from around the world, where my time has been wasted! This month, Munich, Germany. Saying that, it was quite pleasant and that concourse would make a fantastic venue for a party!

:: New Mixes ::

Hi,

Check out some new mixes by following this link.

www.myspace.com/mixedbysimonsinfield

Why not 'add' me as a MySpace friend whilst you're there?

For more information go to www.simonsinfield.com.

Feedback always welcome.

Cheers,

Simon

:: Anybody Could Be That Guy ::

One of the reasons I'm so passionate about music is the way it can really transform the way you feel. When you create music, whether it be playing in a band, singing along to the radio or mixing records, the vibe you get and the achievement and excitement of making it sound good can be a real buzz.

My remix of ABBA's 'Dancing Queen' fell together quickly and I felt that the mixture of samples and loops slotted together in one of those eureka moments. Somtimes you just know when a track is gonna work and hopefully you'll agree.

Sadly, bearing in mind that Madonna had to pay the ABBA empire a reputed £2m to use their 1979 'Gimme Gimme' sample for 'Hung Up', I'm sure that I'm heading for a rather large fall by messing with the true kings of pop and highly unlikely to get the samples cleared for release. But heh, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Check it out here. Feedback, as always, very welcome.

Dancing Queen (The Anybody Could Be That Guy Remix by Simon Sinfield)

:: ...and in with the new ::

Welcome to the new home of Bournemouth & Poole's FIRE 107.6FM.

The new building is great. We now have a proper reception area, our own stairs, loos, a kitchen and office space with natural daylight! And of course, we have two sparkly new studios. Woo hoo!

It's not finished yet and everything is very chaotic but this is an amzing time to be involved in a radio station that really is the heart and soul of the party in the area.

Congratulations to all involved who made this possible.

Photo to follow as I can't get my flippin' camera to talk to the PC!

:: Out with the old... ::

After nearly 9 years in the centre of town, FIRE 107.6FM is on the move. We are moving out of town (slightly) to a new building where we will get a visitors reception area, new kit and amazingly, windows and natural light! The poor FIRE sales team, as well as the on air team, have endured years of working in a basement. As an evening jock, I just pop in and out, so I have no real understanding of what it has been like to work in the bowels of the Quadrant shopping centre. However, I imagine it was pretty ghastly.

So bye bye FIRE studios, with your crappy decor, thread-bear carpet and dark and dingy corridors.

Hello new FIRE building...

:: Terminal Illness ::

I'm fed up with sitting in airport terminals. It's not so much the environment you are trapped in, but the complete and utter waste of time and rip-off prices we all have to endure. They've basically got you by the short and curlies haven't they!? There are obviously good terminals and bad ones, so I'm going to capture them here as I go on my travels as an international ambassador for the wheels of steel!

'Drop another phat tune the floor is packed!'

There are obviously good terminals and bad ones, so I'm going to capture them here as I go on my travels as an international ambassador for the wheels of steel!

No photographs of romantic locations or city landscapes from me. Oh no people, you're gonna get pictures of the places that I seem to spend most of my time when I have to travel. Welcome to the my Airport Terminals of the World. (You see, this is what terminal boredom makes you do!)

:: eBike ::

The Enertia Bike

Having recently entered a trial separation from motorcycling, this amazing product caught my attention this week.

Enertia Bike on You Tube

The Enertia Bike is designed and built by US firm Brammo Motorsports. The same company responsible for the Ariel Atom. The Enertia Bike uses lithium-ion phosphate batteries and is intended as a commuter vehicle. Perhaps this could be the real answer to city congestion, carbon foot-prints and the scourge of the Chelsea tractor!?

It's no good if you live in the sticks or have to drive 20,000 miles a year like me, but a fantastic way to zip around town and just totally cool as well.

Check out their website: enertiabike.com

:: 30 min DJ set ::

I don't normally put 'tune to tune' mixes on the website for download, preferring to put up the Mixbuster creations or my own tunes and remixes. However, I have posted a 30 minute DJ set recorded live that I did recently, as I've been hounded by some friends to provide them with some tunes for their iPods. Go grab it here: Electro House Set (April 06)

:: Unacceptable In The 80's ::

Last week I asked the FIRE listeners to suggest some 80's tunes to go into a quick mix-up of the Calvin Harris track 'Acceptable In the 80's'. It seemed an obvious thing to do. Choose some classic 80's records and mix them up with the slightly quirky hit from Dumfries DJ,Calvin Harris, and take the listeners back in time to 1985!

www.myspace.com/calvinharristv

Lots of suggestions came in on the studio text and via email, so a big thank you to everyone who submitted their suggestions. The mix was chucked together with some movie samples from that era and it went zinging across the FIRE airwaves 7 days later.

It got some great reaction, so thank you for your feedback.

If you missed it and fancy a bit of a laugh, then go grab it now from the downloads section here.

Unacceptable In The 80's by THE MIXBUSTER

Tracklisting:

Calvin Harris - Acceptable In The 80's (2007)

Prince - Raspberry Beret (1985)

Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (1983)

Japan - Quiet Life (1979)

Duran Duran - The Reflex (1984)

Duran Duran - Planet Earth (1981)

Duran Duran - Girls On Film (1981)

Thompson Twins - Love On Your Side (1983)

Cutting Crew - (I Just Died) In Your Arms (1986)

Yazoo - Situation (1982)

Paul Hardcastle - 19 (1985)

FGTH - Relax (1983)

Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls (1984)

ABC - Look Of Love (1982)

Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (1987)

Van Halen - Jump (1984)
Movie samples taken from:
Back To the Future (1985)
Pump Up The Volume (1990)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Top Gun (1986)

:: Aquasky Exclusive! ::

My radio show last night featured a special guest who I was delighted to welcome back onto the FIRE airwaves. One third of Aquasky, Dave Wallace, joined me for a live interview and mixing session. As a genuine fan of their work it was a great opportunity to find out more about the history of the trio, get the lowdown on their new tunes and check out the latest releases on their record labels - Passenger/777.

Dave then spun up some exclusives for the FIRE audience, starting with a wicked breaks-booty - allegedly delivered to the Aquasky office that very morning - as well as spinning up a sneaky preview of a track from their forthcoming album. If you missed it then all I can say is the new album is going to be a rock solid helping of hard hitting beats and phat bassline breaks. Pure class from one of the pioneers of the genre!

A big thanks to Dave for popping down and rinsing out some quality tunes. Please show the guys some respect at www.aquasky.co.uk and sign up as their MySpace friend here. You can also show your love for all things Aquasky by voting for them across multiple categories for this years Breaks Awards - Breakspoll 07. Go to www.breakspoll.com

Keep checking out my show on FIRE 107.6 to hear more quality house, electro, bootlegs and breaks.

:: Space Mix ::

I wanted to launch the new year with a mix in the 'download' section, that means an awful lot to me. I've put up an epic mix (it was to fill a 20 minute slot on the radio) that I created a couple of years ago for Chris Bailey (Ministry Of Sound). Chris featured one of my mixes each week on his radio show at the time. This particular mix gained an amazing reaction and kept Chris very busy with phone calls to the studio, whilst he blasted it out over the airwaves and the monitors in the studio. The comments from the callers and the amazing support from the brilliant Mr. Bailey was a wonderful moment for me, and one that I'll never forget.
The 'Space Mix' a homage to the original DMC producers who inspired and influenced me greatly. Paul Dakeyne, Ben Liebrand and Steve Anderson all created (and still produce) incredible and defining productions. There are many DJ's across the world who will credit these guys with influencing them through the monthly special mix package from DMC. This mix (with a sci-fi theme) was really me attempting to capture a style of megamixing that they invented, mastered and mesmerised their audiences with.

It's a big mp3 file coz it's up at 192kbps, but hopefully you'll think it's worth the download time and that you'll appreciate it as much as the callers on the radio that night and as much as I enjoyed piecing it together.

Simon

:: Pimped for 2007 ::

Welcome to 2007. A year that will hopefully be yet another wicked year for great dance music and one that will fill your world with great and gorgeous experiences. I just want to say thanks for all of your support last year and in the words of Bill S. Preston esq and Ted 'Theodore' Logan (aka Bill & Ted), let us all "Party on dudes"!

I've started the year with a well earned rest after some serious mashing, mixing and mayhem over the Christmas period. I was also attacked by the stomach bug from hell. I'll refrain from the details, but it was real ugly!

I've just 'pimped' my MySpace page and have gathered some great new buddies. Thanks if you are one of 'em. MySpace is incredibly addictive and is now alongside eBay in my world of daily online surfing. Check it out here (www.myspace.com/simonsinfield) and sign up damn you!

So what's up for 2007 I hear you ask? Well, I'm in pursuit of some funky new production projects, as well as working on my radio shows. I'm also going to get back out on the circuit later on this year after a short sabbatical. So expect some plugging on here and in MySpace around April. For bookings contact: zonemedia@mac.com

Finally, let me give you a couple of guidelines for this year:
1) Turn the volume up
2) Say 'Yes' more (Danny Wallace we salute you.)
3) If in doubt, smile.

Catchyalata.

:: The Mixbuster Is Back ::

The Mixbuster is back on the Fire 107.6 airwaves this Christmas holiday. A special 2 hour non-stop mix of the hits of 2006 will feature as part of Fire's festive output.

Mixing and mashing over fifty of this year's biggest hits, including: Snow Patrol, The Feeling, Pussycat Dolls, Robbie, Muse, Lemar, James Morrison, Scissor Sisters, Jamelia, Pharell, and Take That. The Mixbuster returns to melt and remould some of the biggest hits of 2006 for your very own Christmas Party.

Catch this very special (commercial free) 'End Of year Mix 2006' on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve on Fire 107.6. Or listen online at www.fireradio.co.uk.

:: House Party ::

Another week is underway and I have to own up to sleeping for the majority of today (Monday's) daylight hours, to try and catch up on the lack of shut-eye this weekend! 3 hours of kip all weekend has put my body clock into a downward spiral!

It was a monster weekend of mashing, mixing and meeting people. Gonna pay my respects to Brighton's club scene and the majestic house jams of DJ Static. What a set from him this weekend and it was an honour to follow him onto the CDJ's. A late night drive home in awful weather was met with an early call from the wee-babe and then a busy day of play, v.strong coffee and super creativity.

Listeners showing us all how to pose for the camera.

Sunday evening meant a quick nip down to a house party hosted by Fire 107.6 DJ's Niall, Dave and their housemate, Quizmaster Rob. The boys had arranged a 'listener party' and had been pushing it on air for a couple of weeks.

I wimped out early, desperate for some kip, but not before I'd witnessed some pole-dancing action (they'd had one installed in the lounge! How cool is that?), and posed for some photos in the kitchen (where everybody was of course!).

Fire 107.6's Kelli, plus fetching hat, pictured with some cross-eyed twit!

Well done boys. A totally wicked party. And hopefully something to be repeated.

:: Hot Tracks & Bad Macs ::

Apple iMac 24

The Mixbuster recording studio has recently taken delivery of one of these bad boys. Quite an upgrade in both performance and screen size and I have to say that this behometh is simply awesome to use! For the first few days I thought it was too big, but now I can't believe that I used to work on a mere 15" display. Every visitor to the Mixbuster Mansion has exclaimed their love as soon as they cast an eye on the new beast. And quite rightly so.

I've been a devout Mac user for many, many years now and Apple keep delivering mind-blowing design and technological wonder-kit to blow our tiny MacGeek minds. Let's see if it makes my tunes any better? Talking of tunes, here's three tasty tracks to tip you off about:

Moon's Flag - Wrapped Around Your Finger
This has been floating around for a while now but deserves a mention. It's a simple, electro driven house re-working of The Police classic, with remarkably similar vocals to the Sting original. Sam Paganini is the dude behind this and what a terrfic job he's done. I just love it!

Eric Prydz vs. Pink Floyd - Proper Education
One of the hottest tracks around at the moment and set for an early release in 2007. Eric Prydz makes an admirable electro-house track out of the massive 70's school-kid anthem 'Another Brick In The Wall' by Pink Floyd. Very, very tasty.

DJ Disciple - Work It Out
A little bit more underground than the latter, this track is set for greatness and has been getting a great dancefloor reaction. Similar in shape to the massive Fedde Le Grande, this track is gaining major support by DJ's and dance orientated radio stations across the UK, which should mean good things for the Disciple and all of his followers.

*I've just found out that an Apple Retail Shop is about to open up in town as well as the planned main Apple Store in nearby Southampton. Oh dear! I'm in big trouble now!

:: Scratch ::

I entered the magical world of the iPod very early on (c2000) and so my 2nd generation device has been on the road with me for a very long and case-punishing time. It has plenty of swirls and scratches on both the front and back, including the old-school black & white screen. Even though I'm tempted to upgrade to a funky new model (Dear Santa, new black iPod please?), I decided to surf the web to find out what product I could use to revitalise my beloved and hard-working pod.
Their are a number of specific products out there that claim to do the job, but a repeated theme across the web was to simply use Brasso and a little elbow grease. So, I went and bought a tin of Brasso and spent an hour rubbing and buffing my iPod to near perfection. Incredible! I then managed to remove the scratches from my exhausted old-school Nokia mobile.
This stuff is magic! So, if you've scratched your iPod, watch, or mobile phone, then give this stuff a go.

Whilst I was mucking about with goo and polishing cloths, I should have been working on this.

Virtuoso - Love Hard (Soulstar Remix)

A remix of Virtuoso on LM Records, USA. This remix has been done under my Soulstar guise. It's in the downloads section (in edited form) for a very brief time, so grab it quick!

Right then. What else in this studio needs a polish?

:: Talkin' All The Way Eye Know ::

Just like buses, you wait and wait for an update in the Mixbuster mouse-hole and then two come along at once!

I've just been tidying up the studio and this literally fell off the shelf on to my lap. I decided that this was a subliminal message from the shelf and a better place for this 13 minute segment from a Saturday night Mixbuster radio show would be the 'downloads' section.


This mix 'n' mash of the Stetsasonic and De La Soul classics are helped along the way by guest appearances by Craig David, Justin Timberlake and Eric B & Rakim. This is an MP3 rip from the studio master, so it comes with one of my opening jingles to start proceedings.

As always, if you like or despise, it'd be great to get some feedback.

e: themixbuster@mac.com

:: Get Ur Spanish Groove On ::

On my Tuesday night slot on Fire 107.6, I feature a weekly mash-up or megamix, either by my alter-ego (The Mixbuster), or by a guest DJ/Remixer. For the last couple of weeks the response has been great, so thank you.

This week I raided The Mixbuster back catalogue and resurrected a Missy Elliot mash up from a few years back, in honour of her recent performance in Bournemouth. This particular mix sees me give Missy Misdemeanor a Spanish/Ibizan feel. Stored in my 'b' file, I was pleasantly surprised by the positive vibe for this bootie on Tuesday night, so thanks.

I've now added it to the downloads section if you missed the show.

:: Fire on Friday ::

At very short notice I'm standing in for Daniel Bailey tonight on Fire (8 - 10pm). Dan's Friday night show on Fire 107.6 has been a highlight of the week for many of the regular listeners for years and filling Mr. Bailey's shoes will be quite a task.

It's an exciting evening to be hosting this established Friday night show, as from 10pm we will be crossing live to the new Empire Club in Bournemouth. This 2 hour outside broadcast will be hosted by Fire DJ's Luke Dubyah and Jay Rachet, as Fire 107.6 launches Empire on to the Bournemouth club scene. With three floors on offer, the tunes will cover dance, electro, R & B, as well as Latino Chill 'til 3am.

Tonight is going to be a cracker and I hope you can join us for the ride.

:: On The Box ::

Just a very quick post to say that I'm on the telly next week! Woo hoo!

For a fleeting 10 seconds I make a cameo appearance in the independent movie 'Topsoil' by Whole Hog Films, which is going to be shown on Propeller TV (Sky channel 195) next Sunday evening @ 1100pm (8th Oct).

My performance consists of pretending to play poker (something that none of the actors could actually do). I also had to look suitably shocked when the lovely Becky threatened the players with her big, scary gun. My ten seconds of silver screen fame was awarded to me by the film's creator/director, Simon Cooper, who let me ruin the visuals of his excellent production because I composed and produced the soundtrack for him.

Actor Martin Griffin having ' one of those days!'.

The film is really good and I'm not just saying that - honest! It's well worth checking out Mr Cooper's work, if only to see what can be achieved on a very low budget, but with oodles of talent and enthusiasm. Congratulations to all those involved at Whole Hog Films.