Alex

Inspector Montalbano is good (being repeated on BBC4 on Saturday nights atm). The books are good too.

Getting back to house, anyone a fan of Miguel Migs? Love his soulfoul / deep house sound. Nude Tempo One is a class(y) DJ Mix (http://www.discogs.com/Miguel-Migs-Nude-Tempo-One/release/46412) which features this gem: Good producer anarl.

Was at the in-laws and saw the utterly exercrable Failure to Launch. CT - you would love it.

What the fuck are you on?

Robert Hood is quality. I like his minimal stuff, mainly released as singles but also like on Internal Empire. His Nighttime World albums are good (still searching for an affordable copy of volume 2 - I'm not paying in excess of £50 for a second hand disc) and his Wire to Wire album is another good one.

If it's a massive pain in the arse don't bother but if you could mention some electronic stuff you've got (I noticed the Aphex Twin ones) then I'd definitely take a look at them. Cheers.

How about you, Bobby Davro and Joe Pasquale trapped in a lift?

I don't think you can improve on (proper, full fat) Greek yoghurt with honey. Maybe add sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts and a bit of fruit but I prefer it simple. Those Liberte ones are full of sugar.

If you like your techno minimal and dubby, this is German duo Scion's DJ mix of tracks they've remixed by the German dub techno legends Basic Channel and from their label of the same name. Minimal but deep and emotional stuff that takes you on a journey: http://www.discogs.com/Scion-Arrange-And-Process-Basic-Channel-Tracks/master/4648 It's one you need to stick on and let wash over you. Highly recommended.

Selfridges is near there too and more affordable / normal. Bairn would like the kids / toy bit too. Harrods is more one of those places to tick off the list as opposed to somewhere you'd actually buy anything iyam. Very nice food / booze bit in Selfridges too.

Yeah, it's definitely worth seeing, mate. Lovely old building as well. As Meenz points out, lots of other stuff very close by too.

The best thing about the V&A (and it's comfortably the best thing about it) is its excellent bookshop.

The Natural History Museum is pretty good (not to mention free). It would certainly appeal to a bairn who liked dinosaurs. Your 10 year old would probably like it too.

Finally for now, not wanting to leave Chez out One which should nicely float the boat of any house heads out there is DJ Harvey's Ministry of Sound Late Night Sessions: http://www.discogs.com/DJ-Harvey-Late-Night-Sessions/release/46779 (https://soundcloud.com/garethisonit/041-dj-harvey-late-night-sessions) Another very good one is Harri's Subculture mix: http://www.discogs.com/Harri-Subculture-A-House-Music-Experience/master/649026

Back on techno, you're probably familiar with Colin's Dale Outer Limits (which took the name from his KissFM show): http://www.discogs.com/Colin-Dales-Outer-Limits/release/36160 It's still one of my favouite mixes to this day. There's a volume 2: http://www.discogs.com/Colin-Dale-Colin-Dales-Outer-Limits%C2%B2/release/28377 Which is also very good but lacks the ecleticism of the first release. Seen him live a few times and he was always absolutely brilliant.

With all the mention of Roni Size et al, you're probably familiar with this: http://www.discogs.com/Various-V-Classic/release/13556 Lots of classics off the label and its associates already mentione but it includes the epic Maintain by Krust: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ6RKmrPz7c Proper sucker for a great soul vocal on a drum and bass tune.

I hadn't heard that tale about Sneak. It wouldn't surprise me though as I think a lot of DJs inevitably became a bit precious around that time as they were effectively superstars. There were rumours in Mixmag etc. that Jeremy Healy could command £10k a set and was booked out for the next 5 years Probably a bit of bullshit on the part of whoever was representing him but it gives an insight into how daft it had got in the 90s. As for DiY, I almost mentioned their free party ethos. Loughborough, where I studied had a bit of a free party scene because, at that time, certain police forces didn't strictly enforce the Criminal Justice Act. In Leicestershire they basically allowed parties to take place so long as they weren't next to residential areas or causing some other nuisance. As you say though, most of that scene was crusties who liked shit acid techno. The Liberator DJs released a compilation around then called something like It's Not Intelligent, It's Not From Detroit, But It's Fucking 'Avin It to which the obvious response was "Aye, but it's fucking shite". I'm not familiar with that Jack the Tab stuff but, re Derrick Carter, it's funny how a lot of records that became classics back then were made by kids in their bedroom who weren't even clubbers. I think that applied to Jamie Principle's Your Love. The song which was used by The Source featuring Candi Stanton as the basis for You Got the Love. Similarly, I think Joey Beltram was a teenager who'd never done drugs when he made Energy Flash.

I just hope he doesn't become an albatross round their neck.

Sounds like the Fish in Gotham Town.

He used to play at the Garage is Nottingham a lot. You'd like this btw: http://www.discogs.com/Various-Bargrooves-On-The-House/release/603849

We used to say that Kenny Ken What thought process came up with that as a stage name?

Boro always seemed to have a better scene than Newcastle. Only went there the odd time though (the Arena and the Empire). I think Newcastle suffered from its isolation a bit, with the only decent sized urban conurbation nearby being Sunderland / Washington. To get people to travel from Leeds / Boro or whatever you'd need something to be pretty amazing and, in terms of clubs back then, Newcastle didn't have it. I think Shindig was an example where you had too many people thought they were mint because they'd stood on the same spot every Saturday night for the last 30 weeks or whatever. Getting back to shit MCs - did you ever do the 'mixed' night at Rockshots with DJ Diane ( ) on the wheels of steel? Loads of shouts going out to 'all you ravers at the back', 'Elswick Crew' and that sort of thing. Might've mentioned this before but I was once in there and this proper charv, out of his tree, sat down next to me. So I said "Alreet" - as you do. He says "aye" then about 10 seconds turns round and says "Here, me granny's just died". What the fuck are you supposed to say to a stranger who says that to you?

Aye, it's mint. Check out the Hype one if you haven't heard it. Great tunes and excellent from a technical p.o.v. too with the scratching.

Life on the breadline sounds tough.