…and that’s what my business cards will eventually read. I am a blog recluse in the sense that I hardly ever blog but I will shortly be resuming my normal end-of-the-month service 🙂
edit: the title is hugely misleading and makes little to no grammatical sense but whatever, I always write them first. Technically I’m an anti-recluse. Rant over.
I haven’t reviewed anything in a little while (although I have The Drums coming up in a few weeks, gah!) so here are some links to my reviews for a gig which I went to recently in my uni town…
Sam Brookes w/ George O’Brien & Anna Costello
How to be better than Fearne Cotton with a cherry on top* – myths about student radio plus my first three late night playlists
*it’s fairly easy tbh
So, you may well ask, what have I been doing with myself? I’m a recent convert to student radio since coming to uni, having previously thought of it in fairly pejorative terms. Some myths to clear up on that one…
Myth number 1 – you don’t have to say anything relevant because hardly anyone is listening, and if they are then they won’t be relying on you as a major news outlet.
Mythbusting – yes and no. It’s true that audience figures probably won’t be anything higher than the number of hot dinners you’ve had this week divided by the number of drunk Dominos orders you wish you hadn’t. That said, there is still a sense of responsibility to the listener, so aimlessly rambling on about your week probably isn’t going to get you that Sony award. Conversely, sounding like a self-important LBC compere is just as pointless. So I’m straddling somewhere in the middle, and trying to convey how passionate I actually am about music.
Myth number 2 – you have to play commercial music all of the time.
Mythbusting – if you’re in a daytime slot then perhaps it may be the case that you are asked to play a specific amount of tracks from A/B/C lists, but that means that there is still some room to manoeuvre. I applied for, and was given, a late night slot which fits my night owl personality as well as allowing me to play whatever I want, e.g.: an eclectic mix of 70s, 80s and 90s gems, new indie music and electronic bits and bobs.
Myth number 3 – student radio isn’t professional standard.
Mythbusting – Obviously the training provided by student stations won’t be the same depth as commercial training or accredited certificates, however it is often hugely relevant and high quality. Learning about how to use a mixing desk and operate programmes, even if they’re inferior/different to those which you may find in a work environment, is always going to provide you with transferable knowledge anyway… As for the standard of output, that depends on the presenter and their own knowledge and commitment I suppose. No pressure for a self-titled teen freelance music journalist then…
Now for my first three playlists…
Norgaard - The Vaccines My Everything - The Thirst Video Games - Lana Del Rey Come As You Are - Little Roy 7th Date - Spectrals Punching In a Dream - The Naked and Famous Avenging Angels - Space So Far So Long - BB Brunes Ain't Nobody - Clare Maguire Lipgloss - Pulp Either / Or - Elliott Smith Don't Rush - Tegan and Sara Lullaby - The Cure
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me - U2 Wake Up - O. Chapman Follaton Wood - Ben Howard Dna - The Kills Hotel California - The Cat Empire Hounds Of Love - Kate Bush Bad Feeling - Veronica Falls You Do Something To Me - The Kinks Duck Egg Blue - The Kabeedies Somewhere In My Heart - Aztec Camera Shady Lane - Pavement Once Around the Block - Badly Drawn Boy
Week three ‘s Spotify playlist
Cavern - Liquid Liquid Road to Recovery - Midnight Juggernauts Breathe Me In - Sam Brookes Heart Cooks Brain - Modest Mouse Sentinal Bloom - SCUM Phantom Limb - The Shins Forget You All the Time - Cloud Nothings Get Lost - Tom Waits You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates Bottle Up and Explode! - Elliott Smith So Light Is Her Footfall - AIR 69 Fanny Street - The Peth This Is the Day - The TheRecommendations are welcome for my show, which is on purpleradio.co.uk on Thursdays from 11pm to midnight 🙂
Vice mag gets geeky *guffaw*
That looks like it says gruffalo doesn’t it? Anyhow… it’s been a while since I tuned into Vice’s vids, but here’s something which caught my eye, probably because I’m a huge anime nerd at heart…
A Dragon Con Odyssey – now on Motherboard
Do you know what Dragon Con is? Nor me. But Vice do. Cosplayers are usually more likely to fit into a “Don’t” page in the mag, but on their shiny Motherboard video site you can find out about the intriguing traditions and heartwarming stories behind the ridiculous masks, silly wigs and awe-inspiring accessories courtesy of Vice’s comics editor Nick Gazin, who visited Atlanta’s annual comic convention. As with all Vice documentaries, there are the usual suspects (strange paedos and socially inept obsessives do feature) which are offset by oddities such as a goth band with an obvious Depeche Mode influence and a run in with Carrie Fisher which is more than a little Borat-esque. A must watch for nerds and jocks alike, which can be seen here.
HJ
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This month I’ve been… Watching: Top Boy (as was half of the free world I’m sure) Reading: The Sealed Letter – Emma Donoghue Eating: too much, all of the time
Hannah J Davies 