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Sunday 29 March 2009

My people - Episode 11

My people were wobbly and had flowers in their hair....beat abusers, accoustic soundscapers and downright wrong'uns gather and shake those copies of the guardian for we refuse to be labelled... we come to dip our furry toes in the pool of Medium Wave. Yes, episode 11 is amongs us and what a treat of aural impudence it is. Some of DJ Rules highlights include (on my left) that electro classic COD, In the Bottle. A full on effect 1983 electro stromer of Gill Scott Herons tune with a little bit of the smurf mixed in for added head spinning. Found a great site the other day which has collected stacks of the old NYC early rap and hip hop flyers from around 79 to 85...check out http://toledohiphop.org/images/old_school_source_code/
On the more furry feet tip I can only say get out folksters and purchase your copy of the new Sore Eros album. Ethereal, celestial and all those other ials that DJ Rules loves to snuggle up with on a chilly Spring evening. Stand out tracks include, In my Heart and Lips Like Wine, the latter a little like being dipped in warm chocolate and then whispered dry by a collection of French au-pairs. http://www.myspace.com/soreeros


Yann Kesz was a real treat and I could have pretty much picked any one of the thirteen sublime wobbly hip hop/disco edits on this platter. It came out in 2007 and is another formidable from the French beats scene. Featuring Eagle Nebula, Lorett Fleur, Karim Nazem, DJ Suspect, LMNO, LD and Boddhi Sativa its on the Tradvibe label which can be found at http://www.tradvibe.fr



Finally I doff my rather jaunty Kangol hat to the Reggae and Dub pioneer Mr Dennis Bovell. Now DJ Rules is no part time sucker and he respects true talent and innovation so I say arise Sir Bovell aka Blackbeard and stand proud. From the Slits to I Roy, the Pop Group through Madness, Dennis has played that desk like a true believer. We played Electrocharge from the Blackbeard album I Wah Dub and I suggest you find a horizontal position and let the UK Dub Master take over...... http://www.myspace.com/dennisbovell

Well beautiful people thats DJ Rules on the blog letting you know where my hat is at. Keep on listening, send in comments, send us records and stay believers. Peace Dub and Flowers ...

Wednesday 11 March 2009

Brussels to Manchester



Stop sniffing that shiny plastic and lend me your ears for a moment. Pull up a chair, that's it....a little closer, for I am going to tell you a story. Perhaps you should close your eyes...now picture a young DJ Rules. A handsome Mancunian rascal of, dare I say 13 years old, on his first trip to alien shores. A camping trip to France and Belgium, very exotic in that kind of 1980s "people like us aren't meant to do this kind of thing" type way. Aspirational would perhaps be the better term.
This trip was a mere day or so after I had come into close physical contact with Siouxsie at the Apollo and my young heart was full of wonder, my trousers full of magic and my aspirational pockets very empty. Most of my "spends" had gone on nasty miniature bottles of Vodka, Gin and Whisky on the boat along with supplies of French Gaspers and dibs on a share of good quality continental porn. So...we arrive on a coach in Brussels, twenty innocent rascals and chancers, given rather generously and somewhat foolishly 3 hours to have a look at the sights "be back on time" ...yeah mate sure we will.

Now DJ Rules at 13 already had the joy coursing through his youthful veins and of course found himself in Brussels finest vinyl emporium. A world of import wonders before me, a belly full of joy and empty pockets. What's a resourceful scamp to do but utilise his fine mind in planning to remove records from the shop without intruding on the counter staff or tills. These were the days of limited intercontinental travel my friends, and a commotion of 6 Mancunian teenagers arguing loudly and shoving each other was certainly distraction enough for the sly boy Rules to sidle out of the shop with Siouxsie and the Banshees-Once Upon a Time Stories and David Bowie-Live...to name a few! Beating a hasty retreat to the local bench we managed to clear a good half of the miniature mixers stock and had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon flirting with Brussels beauties....oh those days. And yes, dear reader I still have the records and will indeed post a picture of said items with the original Belgian Franc price stickers.

So onto contemporary matters I hope you enjoyed the Anagram Jam tunes, I believe a very very limited release (69 vinyl only) from Andy Votel's Finders Keepers label. A great all round package with fantastic artwork (see orange sleeve above). Jaunty felt hats off to those fellas. The Norwegian dub ('Manna-Salma I Dub'. Record shown above) was an interesting find and has kept my head nodding for many a night, you can find out more at http://www.smartpatrol.no/.
I love the simplicity of the tracks particularly refreshing after hearing the new Disrupt album..the best dub is often very simple in DJ Rules book. Finally the Anthony Valdez track was a real treat of pure soulful hip-hop with the beats coming from those Flying Lotus guys who seem to have their sticky fingers in every pie at present. Its a 7-inch on the recordbreakin.com label, one of the best; putting it our there in a wonky soulful way. Previous releases include the delightful Kissy Asplund and DJ Junior.

Enjoy the new show people and as the man Curtis says "stay a believer". Peace and joy to you all....now get your nose back into the shiny wax!! The man Rules with big love to the Big Toes and Mungo's Gang...the future is in the north...Tak

Thursday 5 March 2009

DJ Rules on the cameraphone





Ok suckers in the donut shop your daddy has picked out a few select cuts for your viewing pleasure....so here we go. First off the Ras G album African Space programme...got to be the most creative and challenging album I have heard in years, spaced out on a Sun Ra vibe and mixing up jazz, soul, techno, dub n pure bass with the odd folk leaning its circulating around DJ Rules inner sanctum at present.

Next up a rollers classic Gong and Radio Gnome...man its got a pixie in a tea pot on the cover and they jam on space rock...medium wave classic all over.

Finally my good sugar munchers we have the essence of DJ Rules and its the P and P (you know Mr Adams and Brown) productions Cloud One, Funky Disco Tracks...Grandpa Rules tells me this one used to shake the paradise garage to its knees !!!! Its soaring, cheeky, rude and a delight to be with...a DJ Rules favourite every time and even better that the good Doctor dislikes it...far too happy for that miserable old shoe gazer....peace and big hats to you..Im off for a cup of tea x

Tuesday 3 March 2009

The joy and how to find it ........

So......DJ Rules wraps his fingers around the cigarette paper and rolls his digits and mind to the rhythm of the joy and how to find it. You my friend will know the joy, its that moment when you hold an unknown wonderous melody, tune or bassline in your soul and melt and envelope within it...it may only last seconds, if lucky minutes and if walking in big mans shoes perhaps a whole hour...but thats rare. I found it last week when discovering the Akron/Family album and the song Love is Simple (refrain) I placed the needle on the groove and that was it...THE JOY...I searched for two hours in the local record store for the joy yesterday...nothing. Single after single, album after album, going deeper and deeper and in the same process seemingly moving further and further away. The joy seems to hold no indicators, its seldom repeated by the same artist, you can look in elusive corners and its behind you in the 50p singles, its in your friends sisters collection whilst your talking with her brother about the latest nu folk release, it sneaks up with no calling as you flick and dig and then BANG ...the JOY...

It came today in its usual innocuous slightly bemuddled manner...I had noticed a record with a bright orange sleeve sitting on the floor behind the counter at piccadilly records. It had been there for the past two weeks sat in the same place just out of clear vision. Bright orange, on the floor, watching me. And it happened, a simple sentence...."whats that on the floor" a simply reply "Oh thats some weird secret promo thing we had in, had lots of them but they all went quick dont really know why thats still there" an exchange of looks built up over the past 20 years ..."Do you want to listen to it" needle...record and JOY JOY JOY ...

So dear listener DJ Rules invites you to share this new JOY on the next show Im sure you will share my delight and until then keep digging, keep looking, keep listening and keep loving.

Peace and anagrams, its a clue!

DJ Rules

Monday 2 March 2009

DJ Rules

Welcome to our weird and slightly wonky world where good tunes are those that hide under the carpet, creep around at nightime and scare little kids. We are in the business of playing the edge of wonky soul, hip hop, space rock, drones, moans and gems...and the odd bit of acid folk if Dr Volume goes out of the room. Come and say hello and view our ramblings...its like Radio Gong but actually coherent....

peace and donuts people