Is the road to music success in the black community defined by pop rap or street journalism, I look at Giggs.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been asking myself this question, broadly based on a UK initiative not in the U.S, mainly due to the fact the hype that continues to surround the the next ‘big’ thing in UK hip hop Giggs. But can we call it hip hop or shall we refer to it as street journalism, a tale of many stories some positive & some negative that documents a best selling rough travel guide to life in deprived areas.

This road to success for a black artist clearly has some guidelines, 2009/2010 has seen the rise of many I would call cartoon characters of the black community, not denying the sense depravity they might have had growing up but to escape that, it seems the notion of ‘selling out’ buckets down like spring rain but who could blame them with labels, money and exposure dangling just above their questionable D&G shades.

But in essence of street journalism we have a new artist on the block, those who know him from the ‘streets’ aware of his clique ‘SN1’ and their notorious mixtapes (selling them in the streets, but not quite as drastic as Eazy-E did with a gun, check out Welcome to Deathrow), quickly from that gaining notoriety for his deep voice over gritty beats, the new essence of UK hip hop stems from staying to the streets and not straying over to the darkside (by that I mean mainstream).

Periods in jail for guncrime charges, Giggs can certainly (if he wanted to) take the throne most rappers worldwide base there gritty background from, but looking at interviews it appears this man is purely about his business, taking his XL contract, his designer SN1 label and street journalism and shoving it down the throats to those that will listen.

But can he make it? It appears nowadays its not just the mainstream media not backing your goals (although 1xtra gives him credit, a 0.9% audience share doesn’t do this man justice) it appears to be the met police appear also to deride any sort of success, warning XL recordings not to sign him, tours being cancelled due to safety concerns, it appears a desire to tell a story (no matter how gritty) is enclosed in a tomb to be opened at your peril according to many.

Street journalism or ‘rap’ as its coined seems to strike to fear, a voice that treads fear into many, a hopeful beating back into his old is the hopes and dreams of many but I hope that many realise that there is talent in the streets of many inner city areas that can tell a story and get people to WAKE UP and NOT be ignorant, XL have artists that send messages that have been heard, M.I.A progressing onto to more serious issues, Thom Yorke ever challenging the social norm, and now we have Giggs, lets hope a message can now be delivered that can be real, positive and have people look in more detail of the ‘struggle’.

Nardwuar.....The Human Serviette

From his shortly lived but still ongoing band The Evaporators (who At The Drive In did support once upon a time), Nardwuar is and continues to be a cult phenomenom amongst music fans alike, not so much for his love for his purposeful mis-matched dress sense, but for his inane, baffling, insightful, confusing interviews which eludes to the interviewee admiring his work or reach for the nearest exit, whatever the result, Youtube is rife with interviews he has done over the last 20 years and it has become a frequented pass time of mine.


Known for his signature catchphrases 'check, check, check', who are you?, where are you from? (to start with) and ending always with a 'doot dooda doot doot' to which the normal reply is either fuck off or a 'i'll go along with this' attitude from the interviewee. What you will notice with Nardwuar is that his research is second to none, in the modern era of not adopting a relationship with musicians and just looking at a piece of paper and firing mondane questions about production style differences, influences and all that wafty stuff, Nardwuar usually produces gifts, old samples they have used, influences that are relevant and questions that somehow connect with Canada (his home is Vancouver, British Columbia to be more accurate).

Such instances that spring to mind include, regularly baffling Snoop Dogg, pissing off Slipknot, having plenty of laughs with the Mars Volta (seemingly respecting him for not insisting on Omar's pedal levels), again baffling Pharrell with ultra rare vinyl records, having photo's of Josh Homme at primary school and superior knowledge of garage rock which The Horrors can only respect. That's just a short list of the interviews he's done, there are so many and each one just as entertaining as the next, if you're bored then look up NardwuarServiette on Youtube, sit back and enjoy because this transcendental form of interview which sure to amaze.

Now hosting his own radio show in Canada, it seems he's got into the current affairs game and regularly frequents parliament with odd ball questions for the suits in power, who 9 times out of 10 find him rather annoying, but sticking to his first love of music badgering, here are some memorable ones, including Dave Rowntree almost assaulting the geeky tartan wearing maple flower.












Check out more that include interviews with The Strokes, Florence and the Machine, La roux, Lady GaGa, Nirvana, Franz Ferdinand, Jay-Z, The Libertines, Marylin Manson, Slipknot, Common, Nas, Flava Flav, Blowfly, Killers, Little Boots....Basically the list is endless.

Brilliant....Mr Adam Buxton

Save 6 Music (http://www.love6music.com/)

M.I.A - Born Free

M.I.A, Born Free from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.

Yes fresh from child birth and a distinct love of making a statement in the modern new age ten(ties) M.I.A has linked up with Rusko to release her 3rd full length album currently untitled (you decide apparently so get on it!), and with it comes judging by a free Mp3 entitled There's space for ol dat i see (no my spelling has not gone to shit) and this rather graphic video for the song Born Free you get the feeling that ones immense rise to fame coupled by in the mainstream associations with T.I and Danny Boyle, the song has a certain influence to highlight people's ignorance of issues that need to be discussed and Miss M.I.A has not shyed away from making this point as brutally as possible.

Teaming up with Roman Gavras who's C.V includes directing music video's for French electro duo Justice which depicted strong parisian gang violence, Mr Gavras is no stranger to courting controversy, the purpose of this video seems to highlight a marauding military service seeming to punish a loosely based minority (in this case being ginger people) and uses this vague scenario to highlight what seemingly is rhetoric towards war but inclining in my view that although we are born free we still live as a subject as opposed to a citizen.

The song itself being honest leaves alot to be desired but saying that, it lasts for 9 minutes and in my opinion is making more a point then actually formulating a smash hit, known for hit records since the inception of Kala, Born Free and the rest of the unamed album I feel will take M.I.A in a new direction, making music that points towards cultural significance and tredding in areas that many wouldn't, the song, just for the video is bound to cause a stir, lets see if it does....

Instigate Debate....An actual viewpoint

If there was any a moral obligation it would be aimed at the 6th May for our young voters in the general election, a chance to vote for our democracy and a chance to really stamp our cradled feet into the horizon, or if your like me (a cynic) its another chance to be ignored but in the process having the slightest glimmer that maybe your voice will be heard and you won’t be shouting into closed industry or in a class size as big as the queue to sock Cameron in his smarmy mouth.

Instigate Debate is a brilliant way of attaining a media obsessed nation into NOT voting for some second rate pub singer from Doncaster who’s mum has cancer and so is doing it for HER, it’s an obsession primarily formed on opinions that are TRUE but are so far from media agenda’s nobody is either a. Familiar with such concepts or b. Doesn’t give two shits, which is fair enough we are all entitled to like what we like, hear what we hear, see what we see.

A scheme set up as a cultural and political look into people’s views on various issues, the concept was started by political activist Mark Donne in 2008, and unlike charity’s prone temptation for stars to pontificate themselves on how much their doing and delivering speeches the strike a chord with modern day unfortunate charitable mendacity not amongst the organisations themselves but by the top earner musicians who constantly berate the ‘normal’ people into doing more (don’t believe me then get on True Stories: Starsuckers).

Musicians who have taken part in these questions which encourage people to film such interviews on phones, digital camera’s, or if you have the dollar even actual proper equipment, a range of topics are covered from the Murdoch empire to the question of personal wealth, the interviews encompass a transient feel but I feel it gives good grounding on people we viably respect as musicians/artists and gives an alternative view to the negative connotation we give people in the public eye.

If your looking for personal views of people and the world that we sometimes put off from thinking about then have a look on the media conglomerate that is Youtube, below is an interview conducted on the beat with former NME Journalist Conor McNicholas, very interesting, also below is the interview conducted with Reverend and the Makers front man Jon McClure, look them all up! You never know an impromptu house gig to celebrate your documentation with the 'stars' could be your reward (moving with the times, people have to offer things now.....)

The return of Coxon aka Blur - Fool's Day

Yes the cries of independence reigned for many months and with that brought back 2009's greatest come back Blur to the forefront in giving the fans original material with Graham Coxon since 2003's Think Tank (in which he most probably alcohol induced provided a guitar line for Battery In Your Leg). Yes the boys went into the studio and gave us just over 2 minutes of comeback material entitled 'Fool's Day', available on 7 inch vinyl (quickly sold out) and as an MP3, but what to make of it....

The first thing you can say is that Damon Albarn's obsession when Coxon left of samples, exotic instruments, potential Fatboy producers and an unyielding desire to release an estranged Blur from the early days has disappeared on Fool's Day, upon hearing the first 30 seconds, you can instantly be tuned into Coxon's lead guitar and familiar Albarn vocals.

What I got from Blur was a complex simplicity in their music in which so many people could relate to, lost in the wilderness through problems, Fool's Day oozes you back into the old swagger and charm of the Blur of yester year, simple arrangements that make you feel at ease with yourself, its definately a resounding yet sneaky back door return for Blur in terms of the music, lets hope after many a side project the boys can reconvene and create the days that had me thinking it may be acceptable to include Phil Daniels in a music video.

Record Store Day 2010...

Record Store Day 2010
The Importance

An obtuse mind is seemingly the mindset of a media brainwashed society nowadays, case in point a 16 year old little nit who through plenty of marketing $$$ and quite frankly a ridiculous attention span of a generation has become a star in a month, but today pessimism isn’t the chosen word (although necessary in that case) as its Record Store Day, an ode to local record stores throughout the UK that tirelessly keep independence alive from giant corporate conglomerates.

For this day celebrates all that record stores stood for and still do in a much smaller domain. The power of technology has effectively destroyed the premise of record store day, the closure of many adding to the emphasis of customers who rely nowadays on an easier route (usually Amazon, not going to lie I do it myself).

Bands such as Geoff Barrow’s Beak will take to various stores in and around the UK to play instore gigs to celebrate the notion that going out and supporting independence is still burning bright and with other more mainstream influential artists such as Blur, The Rolling Stones, Flaming Lips and Babyshambles releasing new and rare (in the case of the Stones) material.

Lets hope that this day not forces a new generation of demographics to scrap technology in favour of popping down to your local record store (we all know there is approximately…No chance of that EVER happening), but the commemoration of such influential stores in and around the UK in which we should all stand up and thank by trading in a CD, buying a vinyl or just having a moment to yourself with some headphones and your favourite album.

List of instore appearances: -

Bristol, Rise Records:
Jim Moray (2pm)
Hi Ficiton Science (3pm)
Wilder (4pm)
Zun Zun Egui (5pm)
Thought Forms (6:30pm)
Beak> (7:30pm)
The Blessing (8:30pm)


Cardiff, Spillers Records:
The Automatic
Christopher Rees
Cosmo
Bullet For My Valentine (DJ set)
Bethan Elfyn (DJ set)
DJ Rascal (DJ set)
Gary ‘Twisted By Design’ (DJ set)
Ben and Sam (DJ set)

Cheltenham, Badlands Records:
Calmer Records acts (10am - 4pm)

Edinburgh, Avalanche Records:
The Sundancer (noon)
TV21 (3pm)
Desertersdeservedeath (featuring members of Saint Jude’s Infirmary) (5:30pm)

Farnham, 101 Collectors Records :
Wax Jams
Jonathan Thompson

Glasgow, Avalanche Records:
YAK (plus more acts to be confirmed)

Kent, Sound House:
Pete Molinari
Tallulah Rendall
Jason Steel & Nancy Wallace

Leeds, Crash Records:
The Paddingtons (2pm)
Jon Jones & The Beatniks Movement (4pm)
Pulled Apart By Horses (6:30pm)
The Sunshine Underground (8pm)

Leeds, Jumbo Records:
Jonjo Feather (9:20am)
Wilful Missing (11:30am)
Serious Sam Barrett (2:30pm)

London, The Dream Machine (at The Half Moon Pub):
The Lorenz Attractor
Eat Lights; Become Lights
Her Name Is Calla
Library Tapes
Woodchucker
Epic45
Spotlight Kid
Codes In The Clouds

London, Pure Groove:
Family Saturn (10am)
David Tattersall (noon)
Babeshadow (1:30pm)
Silver Columns (3pm)
Bombay Bicycle Club (6pm)



London, Rough Trade East:
Pulled Apart By Horses (11am)
Caribou (noon)
Laurie Anderson (2pm)
Sweet Billy Pilgrim (3pm)
Ash (4pm)
Michael Rother of Neu! (signing) (5pm)
Pin Me Down (6pm)

London, Rough Trade West:
Alan Pownall (12:30pm)
Eliza Doolittle (1:15pm)
Jesca Hoop (2pm)
The Magic Numbers (3pm)
I Am Arrows (4pm)
Erland And The Carnival (4:45pm)

London, Banquet Records (gigs take place at The Fighting Cocks):
Cancer Bats (2pm and 4pm)

London, Kingston Hippodrome:
Tinie Tempah, Professor Green (10pm)

Newcastle, Reflex:
Chris Riley (1:30pm)
Emily Portman (2:30pm)