Alex

This is quite interesting if you're interested in that sort of thing: http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/homepage.html I think they pretty much nailed it at the last election re: projected seats.

Should've got him to go into business with you when you were making pies Also, how long were you waiting to use that line? Years? And as opposed to just tracks, what about people's favourites mixes? I know we touched on that with talk about DJs and Essential Mixes. I remember when you used to get those bootleg tapes loads and it seemed to take a while before record companies latched onto the idea of studio mixed CDs showcasing a DJ's talent (mixcloud, youtube, etc. have probably rendered these a bit obselete now). I suppose licensing would've been a nightmare with a lot of white labels and stuff as well in the early days. The one that really seemed to kick it all off big style was the first Sasha / Digweed Renaissance one: http://www.discogs.com/Sasha-John-Digweed-Renaissance-The-Mix-Collection/release/100874 I thought I'd mention one at a time otherwise it just ends up being a catalogue of my CD collection.

Pulling that face?

I don't think that's what CT was saying. Equally, I don't think he finds it 'sad' in any way. He was after a chomp, so it's mission accomplished.

I like the cut of your jib.

That was class. DJ Ron did a really good one about the same time. As did Goldie and the Bukem one around that time was fucking brilliant as well. Really like A Guy Called Gerald as a producer too. His Black Secret Technology album is great. Of course he was 808 State (and co-wrote it) when they did Pacific State.

Too many to reply to in here - if I haven't it doesn't mean I didn't love the tune.

Another classic that, Dr. G. Remember this one by the delectable DJ Rap? I was in love with her

Shadow Boxing! Now you're talking. Proper junglist anthem that. Doc Scott wasn't it? Remember this one as well? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFW3hrQM6NI

I agree, in the sense that anyone who gives a fuck about this 'news' one way or the other probably needs to have a quiet word with themselves.

That 4Hero tune is great. Always associate it with Kid Unknown's Nightmare from the same sort of time. They're part of the sort missing link between the turn of the decade rave scene and what went on to be the nascent jungle / drum and bass sound. I like their later jazzy efforts as well but I think 4Hero peaked with 1995's Parallel Universe album. Probably not up there with Golide's Timeless but a brilliant release nonetheless.

A classic piece of Detroit techno with Derrick May colloborating with a young Carl Craig:

The only thing wrong with that tune is that it's been played to death. Still class. I liked all the remixes on the original 12" release but really like the Weatherall and Graham Massey ones (DJ out of 808 State). It was cool when they re-released it and remixed (http://www.discogs.com/Future-Sound-Of-London-Papua-New-Guinea-Translations/release/32503) prior to their Issness and the Otherness double album too. That album is part of their sort of psychedlic / prog rock phase they've gone into now using their Amorphous Androgynous monicker (which they originally used for the Tales of Ephedrina album - which is shit-hot ambient/techno). Apparently it came about when one of them thought the studio equipment was sending him nuts so he went to India to 'find himself' and started experimenting with conventional instruments. In the end he found out it was the mercury in his tooth fillings sending him doolally Here's the rework that appears on that album:

I'm guessing that was at The Tyne. Love that tune. The sample used is off this btw:

I wasn't dissing him or the tune btw, it's quality.

Classic CT

Took me back. 80s in my case though

Class tune. He was a good producer. I think the white boy with dreads and the chart success of Higher State... turned him into a bit novelty act but he made plenty other good tunes. Another good one by him is Liquid Summer:

I like those two. The first one reminds me of Rez/Cowgirl by Underworld a little bit. Especially the bassline / acid squiggles. The second one is a lot like Speedy J (particularly on his Public Energy No. 1 album). I love a bit of Speedy J. He started off making more melodic stuff like on his G-Spot and Ginger albums then went more experimental with Public... and A Shocking Hobby. His last solo album (Loudboxer) is more 4 to the floor hard, fast, minimal techno. It's great. He seems to have stopped making music now as his last release was a collaboration with Chris Liebing nearly 10 years ago.

Aye, Bloated was a good night, especially for a techno night in Newcastle. It was while I was away at university so I usually only went during the hols but I went to a few. I was actually at that very one (the Alex Knight one). It was a monthly night, wasn't it? I also saw Weatherall there (by coincidence, since you've just mentioned him - loads of the Essential Mixes from back then were class as well) as well as Luke Slater, Jeff Mills and a pretty unknown Dutch lass who DJ-ed there who went by the name of Lady Aida. She was pretty cool. Nick Detnon was the resident wasn't he? As for the PWOG, I've got their History Of Psychick Phenomenon compilation which I like but I haven't listened to in a good while. I loved the techno scene in the UK at that time. I've heard of that Pure night in Ebo but I never made it up there. I used to go down to Club UK in Wandsworth for their Friday techno night called 'The Final Frontier' which was run by the Universe people who organised 'Tribal Gathering'. It was fucking mint. Three massive rooms of techno where basically everyone who was everyone used to play - Colin Dale, Colin Faver, Dave Angel, Ritchie Hawtin, etc., etc. Brilliant times.

When you think about how important the role of manager is (and how it's almost equally important that the manager is suported by able coaches) then it's ridiculous how little Ashley is prepared to spend on the manager / back room staff. Even more so when you consider what the likes of JFK and Wise were on for doing fuck all (or worse than fuck all in Wise's case).

Your memory's spot on as I bought Headstates on vinyl when it came out and it did indeed have a bonus double 12" Eterna / Intensities In-Ten-Cities. Loved the Ex:el Album In Yer Face was on as well. I'd never really thought about it but the synth is similar. 808 State were a brilliant act. Pacific is one of the best electronic tunes, which almost goes without saying. Another class tune (and one that never really got the credit it deserved) from the around the same time is Indulge by Neal Howard. Been listening to a lot of early deep house / melodic techno from that era recently.

That's a stone-cold classic, I love it. Proper hairs standing up on the back of your neck tune. Still got it vinyl somewhere and it's on the Soma 2002 10-year anniversary compilation too. Also on that was Eterna (also by Slam) which I think was the also first ever single on Soma. It's another brilliant tune from back in the day. Good DJs too. Edit:

His (one and only) outstanding attribute is his pace but his movement is absolutely abysmal. One goal in a canny few appearances doesn't exactly suggest he's an undiscovered striker either. @@Phil He was 22 when we signed him (he hadn't just turned 22 either) and he got plenty games when he first arrrived in the first half of that season - 18 league starts and without checking I would imagine most of those were before January. The crack was he was a 'Pardew signing' which would make sense given how persevered with him. He'll never be good enough as long as he's got a hole in arse and no amount of loan spells would've altered that. Pardew bringing him 'back into the fold' is an absolute joke.