:: Rickrollerz ::

The Rickrollerz 'Never Gonna Give You Up' (Strangers2Love)

There's an amzing buzz surrounding this remix of the 80's classic 'Never Gonna Give You Up' by ex-tea boy Rick Astley. This was and still is a massive party tune and was undoubtedly ripe for a noughties remix. The whole project apparently came from the internet craze of 'Rick-Rollering', where spam email links take visitors to the original video. The producers apparently got caught up in this craze and decided to re-work this wedding disco favourite. Personally, I don't believe a word of it!

I can't help but think that it's been a genius piece of viral marketing from the record company right from the beginning. PWL (Pete Waterman Limited), created hits for Rick Astley, Mel & Kim, Kylie, Jason, Bananarama, Dear Or Alive etc... and were masters of marketing in their hey-day. For example, in 1987 there was a white label 12" import that was being passed around DJ's and dance music fans of a supposed cool underground track from the USA called 'Roadblock'. It turned out to be the clever little scamps at PWL. Many, many, many people fell for the campaign before the track hit the shops under the group name of SAW (Stock, Aitken and Waterman) and 'Roadblock' became a massive hit for them, just like everything else they touched.

Welcome back Mr. Astley and perhaps I should say welcome back Pete and the PWL hit factory! ;¬)

:: Plastic Bag vs. Paper Bag ::

Charging the public for carrier bags is another example of ill-thought out and ill-advised decision making. Whilst shopping the other day for a lunchtime snack I was charged 10 pence for requiring two small plastic carrier bags to transport my purchases. Being a bloke, I don’t tend to walk about carrying a handbag, or any spare plastic carrier bags! So, chances are I will always have to purchase one when suddenly deciding to buy a snack, or a new shirt! Unless of course I:

a) Keep a plastic bag in my pants for emergency use.
b) Acquire a man-bag/bum-bag/fannypack....
c) Stop shopping completely and survive by eating my own waste.

Whilst I am happy to help attack the huge problem of non-biodegradable plastic carrier bags littering the planet, I fail to see how charging punters is a solution. Surely it would be better to use paper bags!? Paper is bio-degradeable and the bags can be made from already re-cycled paper waste.

John Lennon's inspiration for his 'Plastic Oh No Ban'!

Incensed by this thought and feeling the pain again in my wallet as Gordon Brown (yes, he gets the blame) and the corporate suits steal more of my hard-earned wedge, I went home and hit the web for some answers. It seems that the paper bag manufacturers are quite angry too. See here.

However, it seems that the plastic bag is not really the true villain and that they are more eco-friendly than first thought. See here.

It did occur to me whilst I was in the queue to buy my limp over-priced sandwich, a packet of crisps, a fruit smoothie, a 3 pack of socks and a slice of the most amazing chocolate flapjack in the world, that the packaging enclosing my purchases was far more harmful to the environment than the sodding bags I was about to be charged for!

My whole experience was brilliantly punctuated by a very lad-di-da lady in front of me in the queue, who loaded her shopping into hessian re-useable bags and walked purposefully out of the shop with an air of eco-authority. I followed her with my purchases swinging in my 10 pence plastic bags, thinking about how this whole issue was perfect material for my blog. I then watched as the posh-eco-woman clambered into her Porsche Cayenne (4.8 litre, V8 petrol, averaging 14mpg) and booted it up the high street! Shall I explain it to her, or will you?

:: Intro-Inspection ::

If only you could have seen the huge smile on my face when I played out the brilliant 'Intro-Inspection' by Osymyso on my radio show last night on FIRE 107.6FM. I've wanted to give this incredible production some exposure from when I first picked it up in 2002. Last night, the time was right. The FIRE audience were ready, and wow they really enjoyed it! I was inundated with texts and emails, so thank you if you got in touch.

~

Mark 'Osymyso' Nicholson's creation, 'Intro-Inspection' features 101 intros to popular songs, blended together into the biggest pop quiz challenge you'll ever face! Even though this mix has been around for years, it has really only been DJ's and mix fans that have had the pleasure of enjoying this mind-melting 12 minutes of madness! Being able to share it with the FIRE audience last night was great and made me very happy indeed, as that's what the PURE FIRE slot (from 8pm Mon > Fri) is about and is what makes FIRE unique amongst the blandness of UK radio.

Check out Osymyso's other work on his website. Quirky is probably the best word to describe Mark's work, with his Eastenders creation 'Pat'n'Peg' still one of my all time favourite Osymyso productions. Long may he reign as one of the kings of the pop culture/mash-up scene.

The full tracklisting for Intro-Inspection is here.

:: P...p...p...pick up a penguin ::

I'm not a fan of April Fools gags. Mainly because they're normally rubbish aren't they!? A classic from years ago was when the BBC's Panorama programme duped viewers into believing that spaghetti was harvested from trees. See the clip here. (It really isn't if you're having to think about that.)

This year, the BBC surpassed themselves with the following news bulletin.

I saw this first thing yesterday morning on the BBC News 24 breakfast show and thoroughly enjoyed watching Bill Turnbull and Sian Williams only just managing to maintain their poker faces! The production took weeks of filming, 3d modelling and green-screen wizadry, with the icing on the cake being the cameo role by Terry 'Python' Jones. As spoofs go, it's a classic! See how it was made here.

:: Simon Says ::

Click to Play!

Let's go back to the 80's with this great online version of SIMON. When the original game came out, my school friends at the time enjoyed taking the mickey out of me for having the same name as this bleeping copycat toy. Kids are weird aren't they?

Kid: Err you've got the same name as this game!
Me: So what!
Kid: Yeah but your name is the same!
Me: (Sigh)
Kid: That means you're a 'SIMON'!
Me: (Double Sigh)

Well I guess that's why that individual is digging holes for a living and I'm sat in my luxury beachside apartment, blogging about retro-games, whilst waiting for the limo to take me to the airport, so I can fly to the Miami Winter Music Conference.

Dream on.

I never had a 'SIMON' myself, but I vividly remember playing with one at a party as a kid and completely nailing it. I'd love one now in my studio that I could use to trigger samples. If you're a techy-geek capabable of re-wiring a 'SIMON' to trigger 'midi' signals then drop me a line. I wouldn't mind a Speak 'n' Spell re-wired to say nothing but expletives as well. Ta.

:: Operation Nomenclature ::

Have you ever wondered who dreams up the silly names for Police investigations? You know, like Operation Ramsbottom, Operation Dangleberry or Operation Biffin-Bridge? No I haven't either, but I was very intrigued to find out that the coppers don't all sit in a room and think up the names themselves. Which is a real shame isn't it!?

Bobby 1: Right let's call it 'Operation We Are Gonna Nick You'.
Bobby 2: Nah mate, 'Operation Druggy Scumbag'!
Bobby 3: What about 'Operation Anyone Fancy A Pint'?

Instead, all of the titles come from a pre-approved list.

The list includes names of exotic birds and towns on the South Coast of the UK. Operation Boscombe anyone?


"You pick one off the list," said Bob Cox, the retired head of press with the Metropolitan Police, in a recent interview for the BBC. "The aim is to choose names that are completely neutral so they will hopefully be totally unrelated to the case."

This guy here has bizzarely compiled a list of the names and what that particular operation covered. A very strange thing to create, but quite an intersting read.

:: Bumblebee ::

I've not had much time to kick back and relax, due to a hectic home, work, studio, and show schedule. However, the other night I managed to sit back and enjoy a DVD that 'she who shall be obeyed' bought me for Christmas. Now don't laugh you lot, but it's 'Transformers'!

I never watched the cartoon as a kid and never saw the film at the cinema, so I was very surprsied that 'she who shall be obeyed' had chosen this as a gift to commemorate the birth of a sandal wearing bloke called J O Nazareth. But lucky old me, coz the film was brilliant!

A great performance from Shia LaBeouf, plus fantastic CGI and the best looking American muscle car to hit the silver screen since Steve McQueen's 1968 'Bullit' Mustang GT390 Fastback .

Bumblebee 2008 style: The new Chevy Camaro. Sweet!

By all accounts, Shia LaBeouf is set to be a 'big' future star in Hollywood. This statement is supported by the fact that he's got a lead role in the new Indiana Jones movie, set for release in May 2008.

Whilst I'm waiting for the new Indy film, I'll be daydreaming about cruising around town in a new bumblebee spec Camaro. The V8 burble, the cool tunes, sticky rubber on hot tarmac and a fuel bill the size of a small third world countries debts! Oh well, back to the V8 burble...

:: Revenge On Disco ::

Here's another quick gem: I'm going to play a very hot new track on tonight's radio show (Tue 18th Mar 08). The Freemasons have remixed the 90's classic Gusto 'Disco's Revenge', and it is absolutely spot on!

Be listening at 8pm tonight to hear the Brighton Boys do their best remix yet. Has anyone else played this yet? I seriously doubt it.

Get in.

:: Pryda's Pjanoo ::

Alright you lot. I know I keep going on about this track and that I've been battering it to death everywhere, but it is absolutely flippin' brilliant! The hugely talented Eric Prydz has at last released 'Pjanoo', a monsterous house tune that is pure piano perfection for the dancefloor.

"Oi Prydz! Compo wants his hat back!"

Released under his PRYDA name, on his own label, you can download it now and warm your soul with a tune that shows the rest of us how it's done. Props to Pryda.

Check it out here.

By blogging this momentus occasion, I now promise to stop mentioning how amazing this tune is.

Promise.

:: Mash It Up Grandma! ::

I am often asked to show people how to mix tunes. And more recently, people always want to know how to create mash-up's or remix a track into an electro-house stormer! Even though I love teaching people and can quite easily talk for hours about razor blading 1/4" Ampex tape, feedback looping on an EFX1000, or the wonderment of Logic Pro, it can get a little tiresome showing someone the basics of beat-matching vinyl!

But my saviour has arrived in the form of USA Grandma, Sue Teller. She has thankfully created this handy video tutorial demonstrating the basics of creating a mash-up on the wheels of steel. Hilarious!

Enjoy!

:: Espionage ::

This looks like a mighty fine new house night for Bournemouth's student and clubbing fraternity. Mission have gone for a Monday launch night (3rd March) at The Old Fire Station, on Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth.

What a line-up!? ;¬)

See ya there.

:: Rallye Sunseeker 08 ::

The Sunseeker Winter Rally (or as the organsiers are determined to name it 'Rallye Sunseeker') hits the Bournemouth Gardens at 6pm on Friday 22nd Feb. Yep, you can witness the first stage of this event as a selection of amateur and professional rally drivers attempt to negotiate the paths of the central gardens at some serious speeds! The cars career down the narrow pathways, swing past the Pavillion Theatre, shoot under the fly-over and head off down the beach promenade, roaring past the mulit-coloured beach huts. Awesome and totally free to watch!

Quicker than your average Hyunadi...

The favourite has got to be local fella Marcus Dodd (multiple British National Champion) in his Hyundai Accent! I kid you not! It's not your basic run-about though, as this car has been prepared to WRC standards. Also, keep an eye out for the Metro 6R4's and the Landrover Wolfs.

For more information hit up the Rallye Sunseeker website.

For rally updates, tune in to my radio show on FIRE 107.6 throughout Saturday afternoon.

:: Needy Girl ::

I am simply loving the latest offering from Chromeo. 'Needy Girl' smacks of the 80's and has a synth hook that just sticks in your brain and refuses to leave.

The main remix is by Lifelike who has, I'm sure, used a sample from a fantastic 80's 12" 'Wired To The Beat Of The Drum' by Wired. I bought this track in a tiny record store in downtown Houston, Texas - and I have cherished it ever since, fully expecting to sample it myself. Unsurprsingly, it has been targeted by the supremly talented Laurent (aka Lifelike) and put to great use.

For those of you across the pond in Canada and the US of A, I'm fully aware that you've had Chromeo's 'Needy Girl' on your playlists since 2004. Why didn't you tell us earlier damn you!

:: Abarth Are Back ::

I've never owned a Fiat, but this little thing looks very tasty indeed! The Abarth team have clearly excelled and it is great for car enthusiasts around the world to be able to see the Scorpion badge on a car bonnet again. In my opinion it's probably one of the best car emblems ever!



I doubt if the Abarth 500 is going to be a serious contender to the Cooper S, or the suspected new hot Fiesta due out later this year, but let's hope the Abarth 500 shakes things up a bit in the small hot hatch market!

:: Watchin' My Bleeding Love ::

Up for grabs now is my mash-up of the fantastic Freemasons track 'Watchin', with music from the Leona Lewis smash hit 'Bleeding Love'. The vocalist is Amanda Wilson who worked with Russell (free) and James (mason) on their first two singles, 'Love On My Mind' and 'Watchin'.

Freemasons: James Wiltshire & Russell Small

The Freemasons have an amazing track record at the moment. They have not only produced a stack of dance floor gems, the last one being the Bailey Tzuke cover of 'Uninvited', but they have also transformed R 'n' B tracks into dance floor smashes for Beyonce Knowles and most recently Kelly Rowland. Talented, professional and with a midas touch, I am a huge fan of what the Brighton residents have achieved and hopefully they'll approve of this fun bootleg with X-Factor winner Leona Lewis.

Here it is: Freemasons vs. Leona Lewis 'Watchin My Bleeding Love'

:: Club Mix 2007 online now! ::

My 60 minute 'Megamix' of the biggest dance tunes of 2007 is now available to download here. The mix was featured as part of The Mixbuster show on FIRE 107.6, which took the listeners into the New Year. Go and grab it now and give your ears a damn good thrashing! The tracklisting is available here.

Hopefully this monster mix session will float your boat. Any feedback would be really appreciated. If you'd like a CD of the mix then drop me a line. You can eMail me here.

If you like it enough to give me some work, then my bank manager and I would love you forever!

Enjoy.

Simon

:: A Hero Returns ::

Less than 24 hours to go until the End Of Year and Club Mixes for 2007 are broadcast on FIRE 107.6. Check out the 4hr Mixbuster marathon on both Christmas Eve, 8pm 'til midnight, and New Years Eve, 10pm 'til 2am. Listen online at fireradio.co.uk.

My thanks to everyone who 'texted' the radio show, 'pinged' me an email, 'messaged' me via this blog, 'downloaded' my stuff, added' me on MySpace and cheered and screamed at me in 2007. Thanks for your support.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Simon

:: Coming soon... ::

Coming soon...

:: A Mixbusting Xmas Bonanza ::

As we head off towards the winter season of dark nights and even darker tunes, it can only mean one thing for The Mixbuster. It's time to be locked into the studio with a plentiful supply of Jaffa Cakes and CD's, and to not be released from captivity until the traditional 'End Of Year Mix' has been created for FIRE 107.6.

Just before the lockdown begins, I can tell you that this year is going to be an overdose of Mixbuster mayhem! A 'Club Mix' will join the now legendary chart-based 'End Of Year Mix', to be the soundtrack for both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve on FIRE 107.6.  The 'Club Mix', will include all the massive dance tunes of 2007, as well as some surprises!

For more information: fireradio.co.uk & mixbuster.com

:: Billy's Back! ::

There seems to have been an abundance of dance tunes released this year that featured artists of an established age! We've had tracks remixing and sampling Pink Floyd, The Police, Foreigner, Liquid Gold and Earth, Wind & Fire. One of the most talked about and one that is just about to hit the UK's sound sytems is a re-working of White Wedding by Billy Idol. This 80's classic has been mashed up with a 90's synth riff from the Bassheads and has all the components for greatness on the dancefloor. Heavy beats, a thick old bassline (courtesy of Jack Rokka) and a decent wad of nostalgia for the punters old enough to remember Mr.Peroxide the first time around.

Mixed reactions from dancefloors and DJ's so far, but I think that this track will break nicely for Frenetic and be part of your winter partying.

Trashcan Jack vs. Billy Idol - Club Wedding (freneticmusic.com)