Hi, some news: I'm the new Editor of
@CrackMagazine
It's great to be back in London, and I'm excited to lead such an established, thoughtful magazine focused on music and culture across the map. The July issue will be my first
@MikeSegalov
Met Quentin Tarantino in Virgin Megastore in 07. Asked him about the WW2 film he said he wanted to make, he rambled for ages about what was going to become Inglorious Bastards but I assumed he was talking rubbish. He also commented quite intensely on my sandals, eeeek.
Settling (uncomfortably) into the idea that the government sees the closure of the nightlife industry as a once in a lifetime chance for them to redraw UK cities in their preferred image - quieter, more moneyed, led by the resident as consumer
Yesterday was a horrible day to be online. Every artist who either wrote or boosted a glowing Morillo tribute needs to seriously consider how it must feel to survive sexual violence, and then have to mentally log everyone in their orbit who's willing to excuse or ignore it.
It's been 20 years since Kemistry passed away. Thank you
@djstormdnb
for sharing your memories about her and the birth of
@metalheadzmusic
with me. She was a beautiful soul, a DJ who shaped so much of what we love about UK rave music. RIP to a legend.
In the spirit of end of year music lists and reflections, if you managed to put tunes out this year that you're proud of, kept up a radio show even when you were tired and fed up, played a banger of a gig that makes you smile when you think back on it - seriously, well done
Hello, this is my last week as Features Editor at
@DJmag
. I’m taking some time off – first breather in a decade, really.
It’s been a pleasure to work with so many talented writers & artists over the past 3 years. Thank you to everyone who has enjoyed the magazine. For now, ✌🏼
Do you know how fast I would click on a Peggy Gou “what’s in my travel skincare/make up bag”-style video? She plays 10,000 gigs a month and always looks like a ray of golden sunshine. I’ve flown twice this week and look like deep fried stress.
To learn that Avicii took his own life, and so young, too - it's so heartbreaking. On an industry level, the network of leeches who profit and feed off the stress and misery of artists thrust into a spotlight they cannot cope with should be utterly fucking ashamed of themselves.
White people: don’t just post a black square on your IG & take a day off. Please reflect on what you can do to educate yourself & support anti-racist causes. Today I’m reading Vron Ware’s White Women, Racism and History & splitting donations, & tomorrow I’ll be out protesting.
Realised this morning that the oral history of dubstep I wrote for VICE was published 5 (!!) years ago now. Feels like a lifetime ago, but the tunes are eternal - I genuinely miss hearing music this deep and heavy on a soundsystem.
Some great news for two great men: I spoke with Larry Heard, Robert Owens, and the people who helped them win their long, hard-fought legal battle against Trax Records
If you've been reading and rating DJ Mag this year, want to say thanks. It's been such a difficult year for dance music, but it feels great to end the year with an amazing cover and I hope the stories and music we've put out have brought some light and interest into your days 💐
And then, of course, when illegal raves become the only feasible option for people to play and dance again, the Tory press will gloat at all the stabbings and overdoses that will follow, because there's hardly anywhere safe to rave. "Look at the wretched masses." It's miserable.
What is the point of having extraordinary wealthy people be directors and shareholders of a club if that wealth isn’t going to help the club and its staff during a crisis? Seeing people in comments saying they’ll donate their UC money during a pandemic is upsetting.
Feeling the burnout, find it hard to talk about the burnout, don’t seems to have time in the day to read about or figure out the burnout, don’t want to complain because I know how hard it is for everyone, so - I don’t know what the answer is
Genuinely in shock at the news of Anthony Bourdain's suicide, I gasped out loud. He always struck me as someone who was coping with darkness through humour and wisdom, and the way he was spoke about Me Too in his industry and uplifted Argento were real joys to see. The poor soul.
Would like to sound the airhorn for features on DJ Mag. This guide I wrote last year still stands re: formats, pay and rough deadlines. Please do have a read if you're interested in writing some long-form for us before reaching out
The figures that are being shared online of how much nightlife brings into the UK economy, to appeal to "it's the economy, stupid!" Tory sensibilities - it's marginal compared to what the govt could make on selling up closed venues and plots of lands to banks, real estate, etc.
It's all just a monumental waste, isn't it? That's what gets me. A waste of time, resources, attention spans, column inches, sleepless nights for people who are scared. The arrogance and stupidity of it all.
British people foaming at the mouth, cackling with pleasure, as an abused and brainwashed teenager is made stateless along with her days-old baby. It’s rotten.
It’s my birthday today. And even though it comes in the winter of a terrible year, I’m genuinely thankful that I’m still here, and that I got to eat great food with my love tonight. I hope you’re all keeping the best you can 💐
That woman who got “Blood and Teeth” tattooed on the side of her head after campaigning for W*rren - cursed, she looks like a fucking Nazi. Americans act like politicians are their favourite sitcoms characters or celebrities. It’s psychotic.
My profile of
@mala_dmz
. He's not big on solo press but he was very generous with his ideas here, particularly on how dub reggae soundsystem culture taught him how to organise his life's work. He's a legend. I'm proud to have put him on the
@DJmag
cover
Really sorry to hear that Mixmag won’t be in print for the foreseeable future and that so many people have lost their jobs. Hope you can all come back stronger, and soon.
This is awful news. Seeing Power Trip play live was such a brilliant experience and so much of that was because of Riley. Gutted for his bandmates and loved ones 🖤🥀
Artists and labels: do you have an album or compilation coming out in November that you haven't announced yet? I'm flush with October releases right now, but I need more November ones for the November issue of the mag. DM me if you like.
Great news that
@K7records
are reissuing
@djstormdnb
and Kemistry's landmark DJ Kicks. I wrote about their friendship and musical legacy last year and was, through repeated listens, struck by how powerful that mix still is
Here,
@sellbydave
takes on a thorny issue: that what many ravers, writers, and documentarians widely accept as the history of dance music in the UK is often misleading, with half-told stories creating industries that have sometimes pushed myths as fact.
How’s your Valentines Day going? Gabriel just accurately recited - for fun, from memory - every headliner on the Pyramid stage, going backward Sunday to Friday in a row, at Glastonbury every year for the last NINETEEN years.
I’m so excited to share the December issue of
@DJmag
, with my cover story on
@erisdrew
🍄☀️💗 Thank you Eris for your time, honesty and kindness. I hope that everyone enjoys reading. In shops today!
And so, the extraordinary project comes to an end. It has been the joy of my working life to be part of it, to spend 5 years with all of the caring, knowledgeable, talented people that I’m so proud to call my colleagues.
It was a joy to interview
@mala_dmz
for the cover of
@DJmag
. His work in leading a new generation of dubstep fans towards an authentic soundsystem culture has made his music, DJing and
@deepmedimusik
so special. In shops now, or you can order a copy online - hope you enjoy it 🌹
My
@DJmag
cover story with
@mala_dmz
is now available to read online. Thank you again to Mala for his time and honesty. I hope you all enjoy reading this one 💚
Dance music writers, around the world: I'm looking for feature pitches for
@DJmag
in early 2022! Please take a look at the pitching guide, which has been updated to reflect what we're looking to publish
FKA twigs is a brave woman. Surviving a traumatic relationship and its long-term effects can be a painful, private trauma of its own. Love and solidarity to her
Oh fucking hell, this is amazing: an archive of 90s rave recordings and zines. Old sets from Hawtin, Woody McBride, Spiral Tribe, Frankie Bones, Traxx, Adam X, Claude Young...
Women: This man has repeatedly done horrible things.
Men: Where’s the evidence? Always seemed sound to me.
Women: Can you not just listen to us?
Men: ……..
*
Women: Here is the overwhelming evidence of said horrible things.
Men: Why didn’t you say something sooner?
Women: FUU-
In the coming weeks, Yadastar (the company that’s run RBMA and Red Bull Radio) will close, and lots of talented people will be out of regular work. If you’d be interested in hiring anyone, details for each person and what they typically do are here:
Looking for some releases for possible review in DJ Mag. Do you have an album or compilation coming out in December or January? Maybe it's scheduled to come out during the holiday period, and you haven't announced it yet? Keen to hear what's coming up soon.
Overmono have a real shot at becoming the UK’s next big live dance act. I spoke with the brothers,
@TesselaMusic
and
@Truss_101
, for the April cover of
@DJmag
I spoke to
@lustwerkmusic
about falling in love with music while driving, burnout, luxury, post-rock, and the little things that make a huge difference, and he recorded a wonderful hour of music for the One Cue series. Hope you enjoy it all.
Looking for UK club/music venue owners or senior staff who'd be interested in speaking with a disabled artist for a DJ Mag feature, on how to improve venues for disabled guests when clubs reopen. Is anyone doing this work behind the scenes already, or keen to start? DM me please!