READ EXTRACTS FROM ‘JOIN THE FUTURE’ ONLINE

Since the publication of “Join The Future” in December, I’ve been overwhelmed by the positivity of feedback from readers. It’s been genuinely heartening to see how well the book has been received. Remember, if you’ve yet to grab your copy, you can get one direct from my publisher Velocity Press. If you still need persuading, […]

AFTER FIVE YEARS, JOIN THE FUTURE IS HERE!

December 2nd 2019 is a day that I thought would never arrive. Five years ago, I set out to research and write a book about Bleep techno and the role it played in kick starting what would become British bass music. Today that book, Join The Future: Bleep Techno & The Birth of British Bass […]

THE MENTOR: THE DJ MARTIN STORY

Last week saw the publication of an article I’ve been waiting to share for some time. It concerns someone whose contributions to a number of pioneering early UK “bleep and bass” techno records has largely gone undocumented: Martin Williams AKA DJ Martin. The feature is called “The Mentor: The Untold Story of DJ Martin” and you […]

BASS IN YOUR FACE: JOIN THE FUTURE MIX 01

Last week, my Join The Future mix of sub-bass propelled early UK techno and electro was named as one of the mixes of the month by Fact magazine, which was a pleasant surprise. Since then, it has also been named Mix of the Week by German blog Das Filter. While my German is a little […]

ROB GORDON STEPS OUT OF THE SHADOWS

To mangle the words of LFO’s clanking bleep-era anthem “We Are Back”, there are many imitators, but very few true creators. When it comes to British dance music, Robert Gordon is undoubtedly a “true creator”. Gordon’s story is seldom told, a by-product of not only the overlooked nature of the turn of the ‘90s “bleep […]

THE INSIDE STORY OF LFO’S “LFO”

Take a peek inside this month’s issue of DJ Magazine and you’ll find my first ever feature for the magazine, an in-depth “Game Changers” article on what I believe to be one of the most influential and timeless British dance records ever made, LFO’s 1990 debut single “LFO”. Arguably the critical, commercial and artistic high […]

TALKING “DUB ROOTS” AT INNER CITY ELECTRONIC

This coming Saturday (2nd June 2018) sees the inaugural edition of the Inner City Electronic festival take place across 11 venues in Leeds. It’s a similar format to those previously used by things like No Bounds and Tramlines in Sheffield (before the latter’s move to Hillsborough Park) and Simple Things in my home city of […]

THE RETURN OF ABILITY II

Bleep connoisseurs have long spoken in hushed tones about Ability II’s “Pressure Dub”, the B-side of the producer’s one and only release on iconic (if short-lived) Leeds label BASSIC. There’s no denying that it’s a thrillingly good track – a 10-minute journey into heavyweight sub-bass and futurist Detroit electronics that remains one of the style’s […]

THE STORY OF “VOODOO RAY”

I remember a DJ friend of mine once berating The Kelly Twins for playing A Guy Called Gerald’s “Voodoo Ray” at a club night. Apparently it was, “too obvious”. Sean and Dan Kelly got into a heated debate with said DJ, extolling the virtues of this most iconic of British house records. Of course, “Voodoo […]