About Me...

I'm a 33 year old dart throwing, carp fishing, guitar playing legend in my own lunchhour. In a sliding doors kind of way I imagine that when I grow up I'm going to be a rockstar. In reality at the moment I'm the guy stood at the back. I don't think that I've changed much since I was 18, when I mostly stood at the back. I'm happier now, because It doesn't bother me now to be the guy at the back. And with guitar playing, dart throwing, fish slaying skills like these, why should it.

Music Tastes...

I hate it we people say they like "everything" or "anything". People without a muscal heritage say that. People to whom music is something that is played on the radio say that, people who don't actually have a musical taste say that. But I don't have a musical taste I dont think - other than like anyone who has bothered to contribute to this site, my taste is in music that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, or music that stops me in my tracks; A few years ago it started to concern me that perhaps my taste was centered around 80's pop, early 90's indie, dance, and The Fall in general. Music of a time and era. Mostly it is, but on several occasions these last couple of years new bands and new music have left me open mouthed. I think I like anything and everything.

First ever record/cd you remember listening to...

It escaped me at the time, but my mum and dad's record collection was mental. Abba featured heavily, as did Vangelis, and Black Sabbath. These records, stored in a series of beige record boxes in the front room were initially a mystery; Only played only by my old man at particular moments through earphones, as if something dangerous and forbidden lurked within those vinyl grooves. When I was old enough to feel entitled, I sat and wore those headphones, proudly watching the needle run through Satus Quo creations, followed by my mums marching band classsics. I still prefer massive closed ear headphones to this day. Make you look all professional like.

First ever record/cd you remember buying...

I imagine there is a considerable discrepancy between what people say was there first record purchase, and what it actually was. I owned several belters, like "the muppet show" album, which were a staple of my popular family discos shows for years. But in terms of an actual commercial transaction, I bought a Sam Fox single; I was definitely swayed by the cleavage on the cover. The raunchy lyrical content of " I want to touch your body" passed me by strangely, only to have it shock me when I found my old single collection quite recently.

Best live performance you’ve seen...

I could go on at some considerable length about my most memorable performances, but they are perhaps for a different kind of site. Gig wise.... Seeing The Cure at the GMex in Manchester in 92 was life changing. Every Fall gig....Standing waiting, wondering nervously, the nervous tension building, then the relief that Mark E Smith hasn't let you down, though the nervous tension during the gig never fades, but builds. Priimal Scream in the Glastenbury dance tent, 98 ish, sweat dripping from the canvas ceiling as they revisted the Screamadelica tracks for the firs time in years, Mani's bass making anything seem possible. Recently, the Wedding Present reformed, in a tiny Carling 2 in LIverpool, a performance so good, yet so intimate that every gig since feels spoiled. My new Girlfriend became a fan that night. I think everyone there did.

Favourite radio stations...

All terrible. Bits of XFM Manchester. Bits of BBC radio. Just bits though,

Favourite music magazines and papers...

All useful when the toilet roll spins empty.

Worst song ever...