PHONiC Magazine - Issue Six

ph nic 3

4 5 6 8 19

PHONiC Media Ltd

Botanic Business Centre

15 Tolka Vale, Glasnevin, Dublin 11

Call: 083 – 3174010 /// Fax: 01 8245701 Info@PHONiC.ie /// www.PHONiC.ie

All rights reserved. PHONiC Magazine is published by PHONiC Media Ltd. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher. The views expressed in PHONiC are that of the various contributors and not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff. © PHONiC Media Ltd 2009 - Release Date 26/02

Three-way One, two, three. Yes sir, counting is the new black.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Like the discount shelf in Tescos or a night in town. Some good stuff, some bad stuff, some ugly stuff.

The Battle of the Headshops?

They are riding high in the news at the minute. See what we did there? High?

Get it? Get the joke? High? Ouch.

Jon Burgerman We meet with the master of doodles and chat to him about stuff you would normally chat to the master of doodles about. Which is doodling, mostly.

Clubbing Previews Dj’s and decks n’all.

25

Live Gig Previews People jumping about on stages, guitars, Bono’s ma doing a little dance, its all here. Nuff said.

25

Full Event Listings If it moves, we’ve listed it here. If it doesnt move, then its probably dead. Dont touch it. Yuk....

Ahhhh! PHONiC Readers! Good to see you. After a longer than expected break from circulation PHONiC is back in the hands of the public. We’re sorry we went away, its just Christmas got a bit out of hand and we had to sleep it off... until March! Its hard coming up with all these words, especially when hungover. Surely you understand? Anyway, here we are again with the usual round up of events and general goings on from Dublin and further afield. Enjoy the issue, and do us a favour, will you? If you’re silly enough to want rid of me after reading, then recycle me, will you? I’m scared shitless of the dump...

Lots of love xxx PHONiC

ph nic 4

3way OUI! Sonny Jim. Say goodbye to your wallet...

If I had all the money in the world, I would buy the Mona Lisa and wipe my arse with it. Not be extravagant or anything, I just think the Mona Lisa is shite. But I don’t have all the money in the world, no matter how much I try and dream it into reality. It’s a hot topic for everybody the last two years or so, since that yolk happened with those people in those places where money is normally kept (trying not to mention the B word, or the R word). Last summer, there was a noticeable slump in the amount of people boozing in beer gardens during the day or out for dinner at night, and we’re guessing this is all to do with the R word that we aren’t talking about. As summer draws closer and closer, we’re suggesting not that you wipe your arse in Leonardo De Vinci’s crowning glory, but that you treat yourself (or your bum) to something as equally as extravagant. Pick something you would really like to have, do or see, and then withdraw your rent money, mortgage money or parents life-savings and splash it all on your chosen treat. You’ve been careful enough for the last 18 months, think of all the money you could have spent but haven’t. So even if you spend everything you have on this treat... you’re still saving money. So to summarize. Fuck the recession (Damn!), its time to treat yourself. You deserve it. In fact... here, have a free magazine. On us.

Wouldn’t mind an oul’ Scoop...

The SCOOP (Save Children Out Of Poverty) Foundation is a brilliant new Irish based charity set up by a local bunch of charitable fiends. Besides raising funds for projects that focus on the primary education, development and futures of disadvantaged children both at home and abroad, they also wish to be a hub or platform for others who want to get involved with a charity or are never offered the chance to volunteer in a developing country and pass on any skill they may possess. As they say themselves “It’s a charity that encourages as many people from as many different walks of life to get involved.

It’s your call. A charity that can raise the funds it’s projects need through high quality events or a good time! A charity that won’t hassle you on the street, or worse at your own front door, nor waste funds on manipulative advertising or useless pamphlets. Or a charity that will encourage you to go to a school to teach the kids how to draw, or play guitar or even how to meditate or perform yoga. It’s YOUR call. So far we have helped fund and will continue to support an orphanage in Cambodia; a school for street kids in India; a football academy and a sewing school in Uganda; and a DJ workshop for underprivileged teenagers here in Dublin.” With your participation and support they can grow as an organisation and take on more really worthwhile projects such as the ones listed above. This is a really exiting new charity with a different approach, so if you would like to get involved in anyway, check out their new website at thescoopfoundation.com

Win a DJ set alongside Joey Negro @ The Button Factory!

Here at PHONiC we’re getting tired with locking ourselves into this little basement dungeon all day every day, writing textual-based wordage for you to look at, know’ mean? So we’re leaving the house and running a few gigs, in public places, with dancing, and beer. DJs even! And a little green man with a tin whistle and Tourettes. We’re really exited to be kicking off the first in a series of gigs with one of our all time favourite DJs in our favourite venue in Dublin. An absolute legend in what he does, and one of the founding fathers of the UK house scene, we’re delighted to announce Joey Negro as our first guest on Friday May 14th in The Button Factory. If you want to catch up with what Joey is playing these days, we have loads of his mixes available for download on PHONiC.ie, along with plenty of giveaways for free tickets. For this event, we also have an amazing opportunity for any DJ looking to play alongside a legend. We’re giving away the chance to play the warm up set alongside Joey on May 14th. All you need to do is send a 30 minute mix via email (after uploading it to Rapidshare) to Mixes@PHONiC.ie before Sunday 17th of April. A judging panel here at PHONiC will select the best (and most suitable) 5 mixes which will go live on PHONiC.ie for three weeks of voting from the public. The winner receives the warm-up set alongside Joey Negro as well as a full-page interview in the June edition of PHONiC. Please bear in mind the style of music on the night, as if it doesn’t match, it more than likely won’t make it to the final five. Happy mixing….

ph nic 5

Reeling in the years Sometimes the monkeys over in RTE get things right.

Like when they used to admit defeat every night and turn the controls over to Aertel, which was much more entertaining. These days though, it’s Reeling In The Years which is their saving grace. Not a new show by any stretch of the imagination, but I’m still loving it.

A 19 year old Joe Dolan prancing about Mullingar in shades, Eamon Dunphy with blonde curls and a tracksuit, Ann Doyle twirling around a pole with her legs in the air… ok, not that. Unfortunately. Can’t wait to see Reeling in the years 2010 in a few years time.

IKEA Yes IKEA, I know you are only a bloody furniture shop, but I still love you! I swear to god, if I’m ever out drinking some weekend and a giant multi-storey blue and yellow building starts to shuffle across the bar in my direction, whether its you or not… I’m gonna fuck it.

Some Stretch Boy! Every middle aged person across the county is saying it. And they’re right. Enda Kenny is a fucking ride! No, only joking, that’s not what they’re saying. Everybody knows Enda is in bits. The middle aged of the country are banging on about the great stretch in the evenings.

And they really are right, there is a great stretch in the evenings. Soon we’ll all be upside down in a field somewhere drinking cans. The summer is on its way!

Upside down you say?

Well, whatever position you want really, it’s a festival!

That’s right, with BLOC out of the way, the festival season has begun. Lots of great looking things happening over the next few months festival wise. Full festival round-up coming soon. In the meantime, we have tickets to a few different events both at home and abroad at PHONiC.ie, the questions are easy… mostly because we don’t know any hard ones. Now get busy!

Mammy Eircom Piratebay still blocked on all Eircom connections. I know its been like that a while now but it still drives me to self-harm (even if just for a minute) every time the censorship message pops up. Are Eircom the new China? We certainly think so.

Wagon’s Den “Hello Professor? Yes, sorry Professor for calling so late in the night. It’s just that we’ve had a breakthough with the experiment sir. We’ve done it. We’ve managed to successfully clone Hitler from the recovered DNA! It’s just… It’s just that he looks a wee bit different professor. He looks… like a woman. A wee blondey woman. But its definitely himself alright, one listen to the cunt soon confirms that.”

All Ireland No-Talent Show As the old saying goes “I fucking hate TV3”. Just what is this show about? Its like the back room of a pub in Donegal, televised. Is this show being broadcast back in time to the 1929? This years winner, Mary Og Spooneen, a pregnant Irish dancer (out of wedlock, the whore!) enjoyed much applause from the audience before being quickly whisked away by the Catholic Church to live in a prison convent for the rest of her days. The baby was sent to England, but the trophy was hers to keep… until the next series.

Please TV3. Cop on to yourself.

Telly Bingo I’m going to ask the question every person in the country has asked at least 9 times now. Why in the name of god is that yolk off Telly Bingo wearing a suit? What happened to the drag queen route? That’s the only reason he got that job in the first place, without the drag act he has about as much charm as a Black & Tan at a Ceili. The Trojan horse of presenters, sneaking past the gates and onto television screens in a dummy vessel, before leaping out of his costume and scaring the shite out of kids nationwide, all in the finest of HD. Shirley dear, put back on the dress.

Lent For lent this year, I mostly gave up listening to stupid ideas from people dressed as penguins. One of which, includes the act of lent itself. So the only thing I really gave up for lent was the participating part. I did however, dress up a six year old each morning and walk around playgrounds across Dublin all day force-feeding kids Dime Bars and Meanies. Viva la resistance!

Non-Stop Natural Disasters Worldwide Earthquakes here, Tsunamis there, Volcanos somewhere else. It’s a hard oul time to be… non-Irish to be honest. I’m wondering what we did in Ireland to get off so lucky? Nothing ever happens here.

The worst we can seem to muster is a cold-snap at Christmas. Burst pipes and a lack of grit. We can’t even get ourselves into a war due to neutrality. And everybody is leaving because it rains? Safest place on the planet to be honest. As long as you don’t go up north. Or to Finglas. Or Limerick. Or anywhere the travellers can get you. Fuck it, forget what I said. I’m moving to Haiti….

Deal or no Deal No deal.

Rain, rain, rain…

Oh… yeah. Sorry, forgot about all the floods back at Christmas. Are they classes as a natural disaster?

Still, that’s what you get for moving to Munster. Good hurling vs everything you ever owned destroyed by water damage. You were given the choice to make….

Battle of the Headshops

The world is about to implode. Your house will soon burn down, hospital A&E wards will explode due to overcrowding and all the kids in Ireland will run screaming through the streets and fields nationwide before dying a horrible, horrible death. Has this the apocalypse finally arrived? No, worse again. It’s the Headshops!

Ireland’s news stations, newspapers and radio shows are currently alight with the topic of headshops. The message seems to be clear. Apparently headshops are bad. They are dangerous, they are immoral, they are fuelling the countries drug culture and they need to be banned. In the last two months, the game has heated up considerably. Joe Duffy has had every panic stricken nay-sayer in the country on the line on a seemingly daily basis, each of them crying for the closure of the headshops. All of the national newspapers have carried pieces, it’s been featured on the national news, in regional newspapers, political parties have called meetings specifically on the subject, it’s been discussed in the Dail… there has even been an RTE Prime Time special on them! What I want to know is, just what are we making all this fuss about?

Here is the reality of the current situation. For the last thirty years or more, Ireland and Dublin especially has had a massive drugs problem. In the eighties and nineties, it was

heroin. While that problem hasn’t gone away, in the last ten years it has been Cocaine that has apparently been causing the main problems. Its widespread use among the general public has seen a dramatic rise in organised crime right across the county. We have seen gang warfare, intimidation, constant shootings of opposing gang members and shootings of plenty of innocent parties who were accidentally caught up along the way too. Last year, we even had a gun fight on the M50 with opposing gangs firing machine guns out the windows at each other as they raced down the motorway. That is how crazy the situation has become, and it will only get worse as it has been doing every year up until now. Countless lives lost, countless families destroyed forever, countless kids left orphaned and countless wives left without husbands. That’s the real problem. That’s the problem we really need to tackle and this is something we have realised for a long, long time now.

ph nic 7

Here is the flipside of the current reality. Ireland’s headshops are currently enjoying a rising level of trade. They are popping up all over the country, and business seems to be good for them. The general consensus seems to be that a large number of the general public who before now would have used illegal street drugs brought into the country by these gangs, have stopped doing so and have turned to the headshops and their legal alternatives. The numbers seem to be rising everyday. Any member of the general tax-paying public over the age of 18 can walk into a headshop, buy whatever product they choose, before taking it home to do as they wish with it. The government receives all taxes on this, from V.A.T right through to corporation tax. It creates a job for everybody who works in the shop, a tenant for the landlord of the premises, and all of the extra incomes and taxes that arise from each of those. All things very much needed in the current economy. But most of all, it takes the whole process off the street and out of the hands of the street dealers and gangs.

When a member of the general public makes a conscious decision to go and purchase from a headshop, not one member of a gang will profit. Not one bullet will be fired, not one person will be shot, not one gang will become involved. And isn’t that what we have been fighting for all these years?

So, what are the other objections? Well, health is one.

People may not die in a gang war, but what about all those that will die due to taking these legal highs? To date in Ireland, one person has died from the use of a legal high. It was back in 2005 and was due to a man jumping off a balcony after taking magic mushrooms. The government were quick to act and magic mushrooms were soon banned in Ireland. That is, bearing in mind that magic mushrooms have always grown in the wild in Ireland.

Banning them or closing the headshops will never banish them from our island, and so the public continue to have access to them despite the law. But what about the current selection of legal highs on offer? Any doctors you will have seen appearing in the media have said they have seen several cases of people being admitted due to these legal highs, all in varying states of messiness. Now, that isn’t good, I will admit. Nobody wants to see anybody admitted to A&E for any reason. This seems to be the main reason for

all the hype and hysteria in the media, and the main reason people are calling for their closure. Its also one of the main reasons of confusion for me, and this is why; the Irish are massive drinkers and smokers. Always have been, probably always will be. We all love drink and it’s the main social outlet on the island. If you closed all the pubs in Ireland, there would be nothing to do, bar the Cinema or maybe scratching your arse. But here are the facts, and facts we are only too well aware of…

A report published on Nov 01 2007, shows that alcohol consumption in the Irish population had increased by 17% over the 11 years previous to it. This rise in consumption has led to increases in alcohol-related harm and disease, and has resulted in more than 1,775 deaths. This, in turn, has created escalating pressures on our health and hospital services. The number of people discharged from hospital with alcohol-related problems or injuries increased by almost 90% in the ten years between 1995 and 2004. In 2004, people with alcoholrelated illness used 117,373 bed days in hospital. In the 25-member EU, 90 percent of 15- and 16-year-old students have consumed alcohol. Last year, a survey of 2500 A&E Patients was carried out in Ireland. Out of the 2500, 28% were admitted directly due to alcohol while less that 1% of the total had consumed drugs or other substances. Now, I’m not saying ban alcohol, that would be stupid, right? Alcohol is a good thing and everybody would miss the pubs if they were gone. My point is that the headshops are the very least of the problems in the A&E, and lets be honest… any intoxicating substance, whether it be alcohol, legal highs or even prescription drugs can cause people to need A&E services, especially when taken to excess.

While we are looking at the subject of hospitals and the health ramifications of legal substances available nationwide in our shops, lets look at cigarettes. Sure, the government has made it illegal to smoke in indoor public spaces, and that was a good move. A move driven to stop people who chose not to smoke having to breathe second hand smoke. If you don’t want to smoke, you shouldn’t have to. If you do want to smoke, you can.

Drop into any Spar, shopping centre, petrol station or even a vending machine and bag yourself twenty smokes. Knock yourself out, it’s all legal in Ireland. So what are the facts on Irish smoking?

The overall prevalence of cigarette smoking in Ireland is 23.6% of the total population (March 2008).

Each year around 1,863 people are diagnosed with lung cancer in Ireland and there are approximately 1,642 deaths from the disease. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Irish men and is most likely to eclipse breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in Irish women in the near future. It already has done so across the worldwide average and is the leading cancer killer in both men and women worldwide. It is also the form of cancer with the lowest survival rate. Less that 10% of people diagnosed with lung Cancer live past the five year mark. It’s a well know fact that smoking is the main cause of lung cancer. I’m sure everybody reading this will know of at least one person who has died from the disease, and a lot of you may have lost loved ones or family members to the disease.

One thousand, six hundred and forty two deaths a year in Ireland from lung cancer, nearly eighteen hundred deaths from alcohol alone compared to one death ever in Ireland from legal highs. Has the nation gone mad? Surely we have our priorities all wrong?

We don’t see constant callers to Joe Duffy crying out for the banning of cigarettes, do we? No, a large majority of them will be smokers themselves. No Primetime specials and no public outcry. And why should there be? I’m not saying cigarettes should be banned; it should be up to each individual person to choose. The government cannot decide everything for the public. Some people will choose to drink, some people will choose to smoke and some people will choose to use other substances. This has always been the way, and no matter what the government do or ban, this will continue to be the way, whether in the legal realm or not.

As I have already stated, drug use in Ireland has been a problem for the government for a long time. It hasn’t gotten any better, in fact drug use has risen

year on year and at this stage it’s clear that drug use is not going to go away. This fact is evident worldwide, right across the globe. So what can we do to make it better? We can change our tactics, take a different angle, and look at it in a different way. If we ban the headshops, all their customers will turn back to illegal street drugs and back into the control of the gangs. Users still won’t know what they are taking, as seems to be one of the main objections to the legal highs. They’ll still be damaging their health to some degree, hospitals will still see these cases of A&E admittances, and the problem will continue. Organized crime will increase and more people will die though gang warfare. Banning the headshops doesn’t solve the problem; it merely drives it back underground. The recent arson attacks on two Dublin head shops, along with threats made to various head shops across the country goes to prove that the criminals are seeing a reduction in their trade. Head shops are having an effect and the fact that money is being directed away from organized crime and into the exchequers pocket rings well and true.

The government has a chance to solve this drug problem as best they can. They have this opportunity to fix their dilemma with illegal street drugs, and it will only happen once. After the headshops are gone, they will be gone. The government have free reign to regulate this industry. “We don’t know what are in these legal highs, people don’t know what they are taking” people cry. Well then, let the government regulate the headshops and make all manufacturers list the ingredients on the packet. Problem solved.

Make it an official law that you must be over 18 to purchase, it would seem most of the headshops abide by this rule anyway. Any problems or objections that arise can be solved through regulation.

Rather than increasing substance use, legalizing headshops could very well lower it. Take Holland for instance, the only place in the EU where cannabis can be purchased and smoked legally in the special cafes set up right across the country. You would think because it is legal, because it is so widely available, that every person in Holland would use it?

That’s the usual argument, especially for the closing of the headshops. It’s legal, and widely available, so it must drive up usage of the substance. Looking at Holland, the opposite would seem to be true. It has the lowest usage of Cannabis in the whole of the EU. Among adults in the Netherlands, 5.4 percent used cannabis, compared with the

European average of 6.8 percent, according to an annual report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction just four months ago. That’s certainly food for thought.

Of course, If you are Mrs Granny Smith sitting reading this article online from somewhere in the back of Mayo, or somebody who watched the scare-mongering low grade journalism spectacle that was RTEs Prime time coverage on the subject then you may not agree with everything I have written in this article. And you know what? That’s ok. Not everybody agrees with everybody else. Not everybody wants the same thing. Not everybody makes the same decisions in life. But that’s the way it should be, and the government shouldn’t step in and try and choose every aspect of our life for us. Certain members of the government would seem to agree. Former Government Minister and current TD for Donegal North East Dr Jim McDaid has publicly stated that banning headshops would be “a huge mistake”. He also stated that the Government “lost control” of BZP by making it illegal and was wrong to ban it because usage rose after it was banned. Usage actually rose after the drug was banned, surely that speaks volumes.

The whole point of this argument has nothing to do with whether any of these products are good, bad or indifferent.

It is certainly not saying they cannot damage your health. It’s not saying you should open your mind to headshops or even ever think to use one. That choice is your own. The point is that there are far bigger heath risks out there, far bigger killers, far bigger causes of public disorder, far worse places people could and will be getting these substances once made illegal, far stronger substances waiting to take their place once they are made illegal. Our current tactics aren’t working. They haven’t worked ever. People might not like headshops, but if we don’t start to look at this in a different way and open our minds to change, the problem is set to get much, much worse after the headshops are gone.

Nothing is perfect in this life, but banning every little thing that pops up and is undesirable to the majority will only end in disaster. And after you ban it, something else pops up to take its place. Are we to keep on banning? Life still won’t be perfect, and the problem will probably increase. Maybe its time for a different approach. Ban them, and you lose control of the situation. Regulate them, and you’re the one in charge…

Mikey.

ph nic 10

***************

Meet Jon Burgerman. Jon was born August 8th, 1979 in Nottingham, just across the pond. If you haven’t heard of Jon Burgerman, then you’re missing something, because he’s been plastering his doodles all over the place, including; books, walls, iPhone cases, tees, and has even crossed into the video game world with Little Big Planet. Jon is famed around the world for his doodling, drawing, scrawling and illustration and for his unforgettable style: bright, clever, not very accurate and always full of strange characters. Over recent years Jon Burgerman has built a strong reputation through his unique and colourful artworks of swooping, intertwining lines and hyper-emotional characters. Working across a variety of media his art retains a hand-made, hand-drawn quality alongside a sense of humour mixed with modern day anxiety. Jon took some time out between sleeping and doodling to have a little chat to PHONiC about his work...

Hi Jon, thanks for taking to the time to chat to us. We’ll start by looking back. Looking at how involved you seem with your art, it would be an easy assumption to say that you’ve been doodling since the womb, all the way through to present day. Would that be fair to say? Tell us a little bit about the early years.

My mother studied art but never became an artist. She encouraged me from an early age and we used to draw and paint together before I went to school. The only thing I remember painting was a tree with oranges on it. Oranges are now my favourite fruit, so perhaps my childhood experience influenced my taste in fruit. I always knew I wanted to do something that involved art. My dream was to live in a garage, with a pet dog and paint all day. I've amended that dream slightly now to wanting to live in a penthouse, with a pet cat and to sleep all day (and eat cheese).

When did you decide you were going to doodle as a career, or was it always obvious? It’s an extremely hard career route to make work and grow to a successful level. Was it a daunting task, or were you always 100% confident you were going to pull it off?

I never really decided that's what I wanted do, it just sort of happened and evolved from what I got up to. I started out doing tiny exhibitions and little commissions for local musicians and things like that. It never felt daunting because for a long time I had little idea of where I was heading or hoping to achieve. I have very little confidence in achieving my goals, I think more than anything my own laziness and lack of discipline will always scupper my plans. Perhaps it's better never to achieve your goals so that you always have something to strive for and hope for.

Your style is extremely distinctive and immediately recognisable. Was it a conscious decision to develop a style that stood away from everybody else and did something different, or is your current style of drawing something you’ve always carried?

I never attempted to have a style, it just sort of grew out of how I liked to work. It's a natural thing, like how everyone has a natural handwriting style. I don't think it's good to force a 'style'. For me, it's an extension of how I am, how I look at things and how I think.

It’s certainly a style that is becoming familiar all across the world. Just how much work have you had to put in to get it to the level of recognition it currently has internationally, or has a lot of it fallen into place quite easily?

It's just how I naturally work - I've never sought to engineer it.

The work is the work, and I've worked pretty much non-stop for the last 7-8 years. I've decided to try and slow things

down a little recently otherwise I'll just become a hollow dullard who works non-stop all the time and is no fun. Fun is better than work. You read that here first!

The web certainly helps in spreading the doodles, a quick Google search for you throws up an infinite amount of links. And with illustrators in general, the dawn of the web is giving us access to so many brilliant artists from all over the globe that we wouldn’t have been exposed to otherwise. It’s so easy to access new material, and I’m guessing it makes it so much easier to get it out there too. What’s your take on it? How much of a role does it play in your work?

It's been a massive help, I doubt very much I could of gone on to do so much so quickly without it. I used to moan about having to spend an hour uploading a 5mb file using a dial up connection or having to send a CD with artwork on to magazines etc. But when I think about a professional doodling world without the internet at all it makes me want to curl up into a little ball and sob. It must of been tough, we have it a lot easier now. Send and receive at the touch of a button, call and collect, save and delete with a cat at your feet.

Looking through the various blogs featuring your work I’m seeing a million and one Jon Burgerman projects that go beyond pen and paper. I see Kidrobot stuff, metal robots, iPhone apps, colouring books, laptop etching, even your own wallpaper! You don’t sleep much, do you?

How important is it to you to find new ways of expressing your art and working with different materials?

I like working with different companies and in new materials. I have a really low boredom threshold and a very short attention span. I need to keep working in different ways else my head will go to sleep and never wake up again. I also like sleeping but I am not a very good sleeper, I wake up a lot and

ph nic 11

sometimes cannot get to sleep at all. Rather than use the awake time constructively I often just stare up and try and make faces and images out of the marks and smudges on the ceiling.

We’re seeing more and more live doodling events, how much do you enjoy those? Recently in Dublin, we’ve had big names like Heineken picking up on the trend with their live UV art gigs, with live illustrations happening on stage and on both sides of the dancefloor. We’re also seeing live illustrator battles and the CandyCollective sweet talks. The illustrator is currently enjoying quite a nice status. Why do you think that is?

People like to see things being made. We saw that (on a whole different scale) with DIY programs and then cooking programs. There's something about watching someone construct work seemingly from nothing in front of your eyes that appeals to people. I don't mind doing live work at all, it's not too different to how I work in the studio really. It also adds a nice sense of danger to it, that something might go wrong and you'll have to deal with it there and then. I almost always improvise my work when drawing live, it\s the nearest I'll get to being a jazz musician without changing my name to bleeding gums Burgerman.

How do you create your art? To the layperson it might seem your doodles come purely from pens, paint and paper, but I’m sure you incorporate your trusty Mac in many ways, along with other methods. Tell us a little bit about them.

I do just draw stuff on paper, scan it in and then clean it up a little and colour it in using Illusturator. Unless the work is meant to be digital and viewed as digital media I try and use the computer as little as possible. I use my Mac when I have to, but I try not and let it dictate how the work will look and feel. Computers offer many easy options for illustrators and

artists to take, which is fine, but it can make lots of different peoples works all look the same. You shouldn't want to be the same. Be different! Be free! Be happy!

Writers block is something I can suffer from quite often when trying to get work done. Do you every feel the artist’s equivalent? Or can you just throw pen to paper or mouse to mousepad and see where it takes you?

When I cannot come up with a good idea or if the drawings just aren't happening I give up and do something else for a bit.

There's no point trying to tease it out. Here little worm, take this little crumb of bread, just wriggle out of your hole, just pop your head above the surface, just long enough for me to snatch you away. It doesn't often work. Ideas and drawings will happen when they're ready, you just have to make sure you're awake and receptive to receive them.

You’ve been invited to Dublin on a few occasions to showcase your work. What are your thoughts on the city and how do we compare with others cities you’ve been to, talent wise? Or have you gotten a feel for any of our artists while you’ve been here?

Let's all try and keep sane. That's the only thing I can think of right now. There's so much pressure and panic and stress and confusion in our lives. We're lied to daily, ripped off regularly, let down, purposely misdirected, it's a crazy, crazy place. I'm currently sat in Greenpoint in Brooklyn, it's actually very peaceful and quiet at the moment but I know just a few minutes walk away lies a city of weirdos, magicians and shamen and shawomen.

And even more finally than the last finally, where can we go to see more of your work? This is the shameless plug part, so knock yourself out! Just no dirty links, right….

Links ahoy! my main site - www.jonburgerman.com my little old pet project site - www.biro-web.com my shop site - www.burgerplex.com my band site - www.anxieteam.com my twitter page - http://twitter.com/jonburgerman my flickr page - http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonburgerman/ my last.fm page - http://www.last.fm/user/jonburgerman my youtube page - http://www.youtube.com/user/jonburgerman

Nice talking to you, thanks Jon! I really like Dublin - please invite me back some more. I first came over because of the Candy people and they've all - nice talking to you too! become good friends over the years. I know artists through events like that. I don't know if I can really compare Dublin to other cities because I'm sure what I see of all cities is never the full story. I would say Dublin feels vibrant and that there's a rich pool of local talent festering away there. The scones are pretty nice there too.

Finally, do you have anything you are particularly exited about over the next 12 months? Or any new years resolutions you are still trying to keep and want inflict on our readers for them to try?

Interview: Mikey Maguire Photos: Aidan Kelly Check out Aidan-Kelly.com

Laurent Garnier is one of the world’s most celebrated DJs, but far from the jet-setting super club elite, he is also known as one of the most elusive. French by birth, it was in late-Eighties Manchester that Garnier first heard his first slice of house. Instantly hooked, he soon became a DJ at the legendary Hacienda club, owned by Factory Records head Tony Wilson, and widely credited as the birthplace of acid house.

Upon returning to Paris, he took to spreading the gospel. To this end he started his own club night, Wake Up, and eventually a record label, F Communications. By the mid-Nineties, he was working on his own productions, tech-house workouts based on the robotic funk and slinky, swinging soul of his beloved early Chicago and Detroit records.

Since then, he has never really gone away. But on the same token, its not as if you’ll hear loads about him either, he likes to keep his head down. Rather than doing the weekly grind of the world’s superclubs, Garnier prefers quality over quantity, with highly anticipated gigs at boutique venues. Tripod is one such lucky venue, with Garnier set to take the reigns on St. Patricks eve. We caught up with him for a chat in anticipation of his arrival later this month...

So you’re finally back in Ireland. But do you get home much, or are you playing elsewhere in the world a lot?

Oh, I get home quite often, as much as I can! I’ve got a home in the south of France, about half an hour away from Aix-en-Provence, and about an hour away from Marseilles. I do have a family, you know, so I get there as much as I can. Basically I play every two weekends, so I’m home quite often. Unless I go to the States or the Japan and then I go out for two weeks.

I’m a big fan of the “Madchester” scene in England in the late Eighties and early Nineties, and Factory Records and anything having to do with the Hacienda. So let’s talk about that. How did you end up in Manchester, and how did you end up first playing at the Hacienda?

Well, I actually took, between the ages of 16 and 18, a catering course.

And if you want to be successful in catering in France, you have to speak English. So I went to work at the French embassy as a waiter in London for a year-and-a-half or two years. And by meeting people, I got a job in Manchester with the head of a big chain of restaurants.

But of course, music was the only thing that was really interesting to me, so I started distributing tapes to people, and meeting people by being out everywhere, in all the clubs.

But what happened to catering?

I couldn’t care less about catering. I love eating, being in a restaurant, drinking wine. But the only thing that was a passion was music. I received a lot of emotion by listening to music. I just wanted to share that, that feeling.

So did you play an instrument?

No. Usually it was other people’s music I was reacting to. And at the time in France it was quite hard to get records, American and English records. I just spent hours and hours, instead of playing football with my friends, listening to records.

You mentioned distributing tapes in Manchester. Were these official mixtapes you made with the intention of getting a DJ gig?

Well I distributed tapes to friends all through my childhood. In Manchester I already had a huge music collection, and I was buying records all the time. I knew a few people in the industry; I knew the people doing lights at the Hacienda. So I gave them these tapes that I was mixing at home.

What kind of music were you playing back then?

Disco, funk, soul. All sorts of different types of black music. I was really more about black music, even though I was also going to a lot of punk clubs. It was go-go, soul, the beginnings of electro, hip-hop -- until I heard house music.

When was the first time you heard house music? And do you remember what the song was?

The very first house record I heard was “Love Can’t Turn Around” by Farley Jackmaster Funk, which of course is a Chicago record. It was at the Hacienda, and the DJ was a guy called Mike Pickering. This was back in 1987, and that was it for me. There was no return.

What were some of your favorite tracks of that period?

“Love Can’t Turn Around” of course, “House Nation” by the House Master Boyz, “No Way Back” [by Axdonis]. It was only Chicago music at the time. Also the beginning of DJ Pierre, all the acid tracks, stuff like that. Then Detroit came, and the first record from Detroit I heard was either Model 500 or something by Derrick May. Those just came like three or four months after that.

exploded. I saw the explosion. But actually I was forced back to France for the army. Then the actual explosion was everywhere. So when I came back, all I saw was the results, and I felt frustrated like, ‘Shit, I could have been part of the explosion, but I missed some of it, because I was away.’ So I went back to France because things hadn’t exploded yet.

How did you even hear or get these records back then?

I was living half an hour from Manchester, and there was a shop called Spinning. You had to call them to make sure they’d save the records for you, because they’d only have five copies of each and it wasn’t sure if you could get them. With “Love Can’t Turn Around,” it took me months to finally get a copy. And of course to hear the songs this DJ, Stu Allan was on the radio in Manchester and I was listening to his show and taping the show. It was a real struggle back then. Record shops could not get the amount of records they can get now. You really had to start to be well known by the shop owner for him to save you records. But things changed within a year, and then it was much easier to get music.

Was there any house scene in France at all back then?

There was. There were a few gay clubs playing house music, and some of the English promoters were coming to France and doing parties.

How did that situation change so quickly?

I don’t know, I guess it was the fact that England went crazy for this music. We’re talking about music which was dedicated to only a few people at first, and then in six months… you have to understand that it went from 1000 people liking this music to two or three million people. It’s true! The numbers are right. A whole generation went completely mad for this music! From one day to the other, there was a demand for ten copies of one track and then there was a demand for thousands and thousands.

The first night I was playing house music at the Hacienda was a Friday night, and it was also Mike Pickering and another guy. They were bringing house into their set. It was black music, like electro, go-go, disco, whatever. The crowd was mainly black. There would be an hour of house, and it was a jacking thing – people were jacking and it was a special dance. Then all the white kids came in, and that’s it. This jacking thing went away, and it became a mass thing. You have to understand how it happened in England! It was like a tsunami!

So, what about the bands at the Hacienda? Did you see many of them?

Pffft! There weren't that many! The Hacienda, yes, it was a venue where you would have bands, but it’s more known for the absolute craze of acid house. Of course, I saw a few bands play there, and a few of the New York and Chicago bands came in. The live performance back then was nothing, it was a reel-to-reel tape and they were singing on top of it. Well, wait, I'm talking about house music.

There were other nights with rock music. The thing that happened in Manchester is that all the kids who used to go to festivals, they became addicted to house music and began to come to the Hacienda to hear it. So it was almost this festival type of idea where you could see the Charlatans and the Happy Mondays as well as Paul Oakenfold and Sasha. Everyone was basically taken by the same wave. The people who were making music in all these rock, indie bands, they were coming to Hacienda on Friday night to rave.

The rock scene and the house scene was exactly the same! So they were listening to this and incorporating it into their music! It was a whole attitude, style, way of dressing. It was all together, everything was together. And it's all so codified now, which is pathetic.

Did you listen to any of that rock music back then? Did that crossover influence your Djing style at all?

I’ve always been into rock music. I’ve always been a very acrossthe-board DJ, so I’ve always played all sorts of different styles of music. I’m quite far away from your normal techno DJ. Of course I play techno, but I allow myself to play everything else. It’s never been a problem for me. To me, I can’t understand people who would only play one style of music, especially techno music which is coming from so many different sources.

So why did you go back to France when all that was happening?

I felt like if I stayed in England I would be a seasonal fruit, who would be cool because he was French. I just wanted to be Laurent Garnier, not Laurent Garnier, this cool DJ who’s coming from France.

In England they’re very kept to themselves; I felt I would have never maybe gone as far as where I am now if I would have stayed there. I felt I had to do it for myself, and I had to fight for the scene. I mean the thing is, I was in Manchester right before the whole thing

So how long did it take to break in France?

It took quite a while. The first scene that was really into it was the gay scene. In France it all works with reactions -- so if one thing goes, there will be a reaction against it. So from the gay, sort of glamorous club things came the underground raves, around 1992.

What kind of tracks were you playing at that point?

I was playing a lot of English stuff. I was always traveling to Manchester and the north of England, was becoming quite big in Liverpool. I still kept all my friendships with all the promoters in Manchester. I was very influenced by what I saw there in the beginning. I was playing a lot of European stuff, and Belgian things -- new beat was very big there at the time. And I’ve always been into Detroit and Chicago music.

When and why did you get into working on your own productions?

That came naturally, like it does for everyone, you know. That was the whole thing about house music, making your own music at home with no equipment. Of course one day I was bound to go to somebody’s studio and ask how the hell it worked. You’d go somewhere, and within five hours you’d have something laid down. There were no rules, no contracts. Everything was really easy and free! So I took the first record I made to a company and I said, ‘Hey, could you sign it?’ And they did, and that was that. I never took it totally seriously until maybe ten years ago.

What happened then?

Maybe I grew a little bit older, and at one point I thought maybe I want to be respected in what I do. Now the great thing is even without being a professional musician I can make music and express some feelings and some emotions through the music I will produce. It’s great to make music because you don’t have to do the same things as a DJ. As a DJ, people pay to come to the club, and my job is to play music and make them dance. But when you make your own music in your own studio by yourself, there are no rules.

You can do what the hell you want. I felt I could express myself much deeper, and show other aspects of who I am.

You talked a lot earlier about buying actual records. Do you still play vinyl, then?

I play half vinyl, half CDs. I love vinyl, but I’m not a very nostalgic person. As much as I love vinyl and love the sound of it, I already use a lot of CDs -- which is even maybe a little obsolete by now!

But I play both, but not for a nostalgic thing. It’s that I don’t even have time to put all my vinyl on CD. I don’t use Serato.

We haven’t seen you play in Ireland a massive amount, why is that?

There are a lot of places around the world who ask me the same thing. I made the choice of not working every single weekend. So when I go somewhere, I want to really have fun. So I’d rather go less and do it better.

So why did you decide to come now?

My agent. The poor guy is suffering so much, because he’s always asking for dates and I always say no, not now. I know he really likes me, so he’s asking maybe more than a lot of other agents I have. I know there’s a demand, and I’m aware of this. But on the other side I’ve never done this for the money or the fame; it’s always been for the pleasure. So I’ve always told him, oh, I’d rather do a small club.

The most important thing for me is have a good gig. I’d rather have 300 people in a room and give them a great time, than have 2000 people in a big room and struggle to give them just a good time.

Laurent plays Tripod on March 16th and the Savoy Cork on April 3rd

Robert Hood & Delta Funktionen

//////////////////////////////////////// Saturday 20th March - The Twisted Pepper - 54 Middle Abbey St, Dublin 1 Admission €12 - Doors 10pm to 3am

Robert Hood needs little introduction. Founding member of the legendary group Underground Resistance as a 'Minister Of Information' with ?Mad? Mike Banks & Jeff Mills, his seminal works on Jeff Mill's Axis and his very own M-Plant imprint paved the way for a wave of stripped-down dance floor minimalism that directed much of techno's path throughout the late Nineties. As Birmingham's Surgeon once remarked, 'When Hood released his pivotal 'Minimal Nation' EP in 1993, it was like a bomb went off.'

Robert Hood makes minimal Detroit techno with an emphasis on soul and experimentation over flash and popularity. Having recorded for Metroplex, as well as the Austrian Cheap label and Jeff Mills' Axis label, Hood also owns and operates the M-Plant imprint, through which he's released the bulk of his solo material. As part of the original UR line up whose influential releases throughout the early and mid '90s helped change the face of modern Detroit techno and sparked a creative renaissance. Infusing elements of acid and industrial into a potent blend of Chicago house and Detroit techno, UR's aesthetic project and militant business philosophy were (and remain) singular commitments in underground techno.

Hood left Detroit (and Underground Resistance) with Jeff Mills in 1992, setting up shop in New York and recording a series of 12-inch Eps. He began to concentrate on his own production 'Vision EP', the 'Riot EP' and X-103 were big stepping-stones for him as they were the first releases he worked 100% on his own. The X-101 to X-102, were Waveform

Transmission projects with Mills for Tresor. He slowly progressed to work more and more on his own, but collaborated on some of the first Axis releases with label owner Jeff Mills as H&M (Hood & Mills) with "Tranquilizer EP" and "Drama". He soon decided it was time for him to start his own label to focus on what was in his soul musically, so he set up M-Plant in 1994 releasing singles such as "Internal Empire,", "The Protein Valve" "Music Data," and "Moveable Parts.

"M-Plant is what I've always wanted to hear: the basic stripped down, raw sound. Just drums, basslines and funky grooves and only what's essential. Only what is essential to make people move. I started to look at it as a science, the art of making people move their butts, speaking to their heart, mind and soul. "It's a heart-felt rhythmic techno sound.

M-Plant is just M. minimal."

Although his desire to remain underground has been replaced by an urge to reach a wider audience, Hood remains fiercely critical of artistic and economic movements destructive to inner-city communities and has combined his musical enterprises with outreach and social activist ends.

With this in mind the seminal "Nighttime World Pt.1" in 1995 and "Nighttime World Pt.2" in 2000 incorporating Jazz, Soul, Hip Hop as well as Techno and House. His debut Peacefrog album 'Point Blank' took Hood's hypnotic minimalism to entirely new depths and territories, whilst his last album way back in 2005, 'Wire To Wire' took his productions onto new levels of musicality and sophistication within the world of electronic music. Rob Hood plays The Twisted Pepper Saturday the 20th of March.

Ricardo Villalobosa

//////////////////////////////////////// April 3rd - The Academy, Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1 Tickets €29.50 Inc. Booking fee - Doors 11pm

In an age where we can find out the name of our favorite DJ's pet parakeet, Ricardo Villalobos is a rare breed: A superstar DJ that we still know precious little about. Sure, tiny bits of information leak out every time that he grants a rare interview, but it's been a long time since we've had someone so famous remain such a mystery. Perhaps that's one reason why he is so loved: Forced to focus on the wondrous music he selects (and makes), we inevitably cast him in the role we want him to play. Floor filler? Undoubtedly. At any of his gigs at Fabric, you can barely step into the main room at 7 AM. Futurist? There's no other DJ making massive crowds dance to such defiantly strange house music. Romantic? Of course!

Who else would play heartbreaking folk songs from Chile in the middle of his sets? But what recently of Ricardo?

Well, last year was a relatively quiet year for Ricardo Villalobos. No groundbreaking releases. No huge developments. No tabloid-ready moments. Just some of the most mind-bending sounds that you'll ever have the pleasure to be heard played in some of the biggest rooms in the world. Villalobos' experimental streak is a wonder in an age when so many DJs are content to play it safe. But it's also why fans probably love him as much as they do. Without this genre-spanning, vinyl-loving DJ, the dance floor would be a much more boring place. With him, it often seems like anything could happen. From South America to Ibiza to Germany, Ricardo Villalobos is a now-legendary minimalist remixer and producer. Proving himself on countless labels and as an inimitable international DJ, Villalobos has a built a solid foundation on visionary pure club sound. Even from his earliest works on Frisbee from 1998-2001, his productions reflected the future of the dancefloor.

As far back as the early '90s, Ricardo Villalobos began building an impressive discography of 12" releases on respected dance labels like Playhouse and Perlon, and around the turn of the decade, he was one of the most revered producers and DJs in dance music. In his youth, the Chilean-born Villalobos moved with his family to Germany in order to avoid the military dictatorship of Pinochet, and he eventually fell in with the country's fertile house community. A minimalist at heart, he trotted the globe to study percussion in order to apply his knowledge to his productions, which almost always sound remarkably expansive despite their simplicity.

When Ricardo was around 10 or 11 he started to play conga and bongos. Though he loved music, he could never see himself as a musician. In the late eighties he began to make electronic music. From a very young age he has been a a big fan of Depeche Mode, even following their tours around Europe to listen to them. Villalobos takes much of his inspiration from Depeche Mode, as well as other artists such as Daniel Miller, Thomas Melchior, Baby Ford, Daniel Bell and Andrew Weatherall. He has also taken inspiration from rhythmic South American music.

Villalobos began to play his music at parties while he was studying at university, but this was only for his own enjoyment. He started a label, Placid Flavour, in 1993 but this was unsuccessful. His first record was released on the German Playhouse label in 1994 and he began DJing as a professional in 1998, and is in present times regarded as one of the most important minimal DJs in Europe, alongside other talented chilean djs and producers such as Luciano Nicolet (an occasional collaborator) and Dandy Jack. In 2008 Resident Advisor named him DJ numbero uno on the entire planet, and last year he came in a close second place. Forget Larry Gogan, this lad has some TUNES! Check him out in The Academy on April 3th....

Theo Parrish

//////////////////////////////////////// Sunday April 4th - The Bernard Shaw, Dublin 2 Admission free, Kicks off 4pm

DJ and producer Theo Parrish grew up in the Chicago to the sounds of Miles Davis, Nina Simone, George Gershwin and even his own uncle, jazz musician Dexter Sims. Spinning and producing since he was 13 years of age, and then going on to study the fine art of ‘Sound Sculpture’ (a form of orchestration using live instruments, looped recordings and a variety of sounds, like the human voice) at the Kansas City Art Institute, Parrish moved to Detroit in 1994 where he quickly became a prominent figure of the underground dance music scene.

He has since garnered a massive amount of respect from both the biz, and the dancefloor itself. An artist first and a DJ/producer second, Theo Parrish works the decks like the sound sculptor he is, shaping his music with love and passion. It’s this educated background that he brings to the decks, and combined with his wide-reaching taste in music, it’s what makes his dynamic performances so worth tuning into The fact that Theo past betrays an allegiance to two of the

three great American house dynasties is obvious. Chicago's murky, atmospheric soulfulness is present, in addition to the brawny intellectualism of Detroit-vintage techno. But there's a lot more. Parrish wears his influences proudly, dovetailing a cross-generic tradition of expansive composition to the ritualistically confining house template. Most importantly, Parrish understands how important it is for house music to sound different, to disturb the listener's equilibrium in totally new and different ways.

The music sounds so convincingly well-aged that it's impossible to reconcile the fact that he hasn't even hit 40. It's easy to see why he was releasing tracks at the tender age of 13, and it's also easy to see why he's earned a Bachelor in Fine Arts in is chosen Sound Sculptures. That's as good a word as any to describe what he does, because it's nothing you've ever heard before. The things Theo does are better listened to than explained in text, so you know what you have to do. Theo plays 12 Sundays on April 4th.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a sneak-preview of what to expect, check out the PHONiC.ie blog page, where we have a full preview with a few different mixes from Theo for you to download and do some dancing to. Just go easy, we aren’t insured for injuries....

Vince Watson

Ewan Pearson

with thanks to Subject Events ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

with thanks to Shock & Nightflight /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Friday March 26th - HYPE @ POD, Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 Doors 11pm - Tickets €15

Friday 26th March - Button Factory, Dublin 2 - Doors 11pm Suport from Sol O'Carroll & Jon Averill - Tickets €12 After a protracted break, Shock returns to Dublin to team up with Nightflight and welcome back the DJ that by far has impressed both promoters the most over the last few years; Ewan Pearson.

Ewan has never yearned for the spotlight some other DJs clearly enjoy. Instead he's spent the last ten years creating some seminal productions. From his debut; Small Change to his re-take on Freeform Five's Perspex Sex, his Moroderesque mixes of Goldrapp, his epic take on Courtney Tidwell's Don't Let The Stars Keep Us Tangled Up and his work with Al Usher under Partial Arts moniker to name a few. His re-mixography is one of the most impressive in electronic music. What's even more impressive is his ability to vastly improve on originals by acts like Hot Chip, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Goldfrapp, Franz Ferdinand, The Rapture, Black Strobe, Feist and Superayer.

Pearson's is respected as one of the best in the game due to his superlative mixing style: matching not just the beat but also the harmonic key between tracks, he has a knack for pulling off fast but flawless transitions that sound utterly organic. Mixing skills are only part of the story, however, and his Sci.Fi.Hi.Fi. mix was equally impressive for the distinctively melodic floating quality it sustained for long stretches. Ewan's production credits include The Rapture's 'Pieces of the People We Love' & M83's lates album Saturdays = Youth,Tracey Thorn's (Everything but the Girl) solo material and the universally acclaimed Delphic.

Ewan's latest project is a mix cd for Kompakt titled 'We Are Proud of Our Choices”. It once again shows his ability to envision a group of songs together as a solid piece of work creating a mood and consistency throughout rather than a couple of tracks stitched together. Ewan quite simply is one of the most technically accomplished DJs out there and really, if you have any sort of a love for the music he plays then this should not be missed.

From the age of 7, Vince Watson was heading towards his ambition of making Electronic Music. Thru Early Pioneers like Jean Michel Jarre and Herbie Hancock to Genres like Hiphop and House, there was always a passion and a direction towards Detroit Techno and the Scene around it. Graduating in 1993 in Music Technology gave Vince the platform to develop his sound and it wasn't long until the demo's were sent out. Dave Angel's Rotation label was the first to receive one, and in accepting gave Vince his first contract and release.

A residency in Glasgow's Arena nightclub was the start of his experience on the scene and played alongside Jeff Mills, Luke Slater, Kenny Larkin and Mixx Djax to name but a few. With his love of both House and Techno, it was always a challenge to marry the 2 styles, but Alola Records gave him the chance to do so and in 1999

Terence Fixmar with thanks to Tenth Planet //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// The Good Bits, Dublin 1 - Friday 26th March Doors 11pm - Tickets €14 Terence Fixmer is a true veteran of the French techno scene. Whether it be electro, techno or otherwise, Fixmer has put his stamp on it. In 2001 Terence released the seminal album “Muscle Machine" on Hell's Gigolo and since then he's followed it with a slew of classics on labels such as Novamute, Datapunk, Different and Music Man. As a producer he's known for his trademark dark pounding techno releases and for equally pounding live sets. 2009 saw Fixmer sign with Dave Clarke’s label White Noise and on Speedy J’s label Electric de Luxe.

With the dust still settling from his second album Fiction Fiction, Terence’s is taking his place as an increasingly experimental, simultaneously ruthless and unrelenting interpretation of modern techno. Like most techno of its kind, it's fascinatingly simple and brutally effective. Fixmar comes to the Good Bits this month with thanks to to Tenth Planet.

Octave One (Live) with thanks to Big Dish Go & The Priory ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Saturday April 3rd - The Underground, Kennedys, Dublin 2 Doors 11pm - Admission €12 Octave One... everyone who's just a slight bit into Detroit techno must have heard of this seasoned outfit who have been delivering killer cuts for over two decades now. The Burden family have been adding their personal touch to the soulful side of techno with over a hundred EP releases, collabs with the biggest names in techno, and numerous gigs the world over. Their Blackwater EP (released in 2000) soon enough became an anthem in the history of Detroit techno, while their own label 430 West Records has become a household name in the scene.

Their career dates back to the late eighties, during which their long lasting friendship with Detroit godfather Juan Atkins and his infamous Metroplex label resulted in their first smash hit I Believe, establishing the boys as one of the most in demand production/DJ outfits in the US. But sometimes things get complicated and a groove becomes a symphony. But sometimes, all we need is the groove. Venturing back to how it all started, Octave One are now beginning a new chapter, 20 years after their introduction to the electronic music world.

Connecting to their origins on Derrick May's legendary label, O1 pays homage to their Transmat catalog number with the launch of a new limited series and label, MS10. Returning to basics, MS10 brings the Burden brothers home to how they started it all, minus the hype and "back to the essence of the groove". Just in time for this release and much to the joy of their Dublin fans is their upcoming live performance in The Underground, Kennedys.

One of the more anachronistic teams in the Detroit techno underground, Octave One's rough-and-tumble production values gel with

most Motor City crews but for Lawrence Burden and his two brothers, the focus is completely on music with little political or social aesthetics behind their tracks. Burden originally began DJing in 1987 in a collective named VLE Nu AGE, then recorded a single in 1989 with the help of brothers Lynell and Lenny plus Anthony Shakir, Jay Denham and Juan Atkins. Originally released on Derrick May's Transmat Records, "I Believe" made waves after being compiled onto the British Detroit compilation Techno! The New Dance Sound of Detroit, helping the Burdens form Direct Beat/430 West Records (originally located at 430 West 8 Mile Road in Detroit).

The labels became favored names for hard-hitting electro-bass tracks from Aux 88, Alien FM and Underground Resistance mainman Mad Mike Banks. Besides later Octave One output like "The X Files," the Foundation EP and the Cymbolic mini-LP, 430 West released several volumes in the bass compilation Detroit: Techno City and Direct Beat obliged with the compilation Techno Bass: The Mission. In late 1997, Octave One released their debut album, The Living Key (To Images from Above). The following year brought The Collective, a look at the group's back catalogue.

Releases from other Octave One incarnations have also appeared, including Never on Sunday, Random Noise Generation (RNG) and Metro D. This special new MS10 series begins March 2010 via 12” Vinyl and digital download and the Dublin gig is April 3rd, not to be missed! Check out PHONiC.ie for ticket giveaways for this....

Vince released his first album 'Biologique'. The modern classic 'Mystical Rhythm' was the standout track, and even to this day is being played and licensed by the best artists in the business including Francois Kevorkian and Joe Claussell.

His second album on Alola 'Moments in Time' was also released on Legendary New York House Label Ibadan. Vince set up his own label Bio Music in 2000 and has featured Artists such as Steve Rachmad, Joris Voorn, Deetron and Ben Sims. The label has been licensed to compilations from Carl Cox, Laurent Garnier, Danny Howells amongst others…

Currently Vince is recording for labels such as Planet e, Delsin, Mule and his own Inertia imprint. You can check him out in Crawdaddy Friday 26th with thanks to Subject Events.

What is there to say about Mixmaster Mike? A hell of a lot, apparently. As one of the founding members of the now-defunct Invisibl Skratch Piklz, Mixmaster Mike has a long, storied career behind the ones and twos. He may well be the best DJ on planet Earth, as his turntablist skills are extremely well rounded, ranging from scratching to mixing to juggling. He has collaborated with other hip hop artists, most notably recording and touring with the Beastie Boys. And even though the ISP are no longer a unit, Mike has struck out on his own, continuing his global assault in the name of turntablism.

He has also recorded tracks for labels like the eclectic Asphodel imprint and that DJ-friendly mainstay of battle breaks, Dirtstyle Records. A Mixmaster Mike track is like a sonic assault, with scratches, stabs, distorted sounds and knockin' beats hitting from every angle, nearly causing sensory overload. We caught up with him before his upcoming trip to Ireland…

Hey Mike, is it cool if I call you Mike? (laughs) Yeah, that’s fine.

Cool. So when did you first become interested in DJ’ing and spinning vinyl?

Well, it was 1984. I saw a video called "Buffalo Gals" by Malcolm McClaren. After that, I saw a video with Grand Master DST and Herbie Hancock. After those two videos I was like, what is this sound all about? I was definitely intrigued with the scratch sound. I knew where I wanted to be right when I saw those videos.

How do you think growing up on the west coast influenced your specific style of scratching, and also the timeline of your success—where you came to be now?

Well its funny, growing up there wasn’t too many people doing what we were doing, so we developed our own sound, our own scratch style. We developed it in our own way. We based everything on the scratch. No gimmicks, no behind the back tricks, just straight music, straight technical scratching.

When you think back on that time period, who were the boys that you were doing that with?

It was me, DJ Qbert, DJ Apollo ... yeah it was pretty much us three.

We had the fantasy of starting the first ever DJ orchestra, which we created. We were the big dreamers, you know. We sat, we scratched, we dreamed a lot, and pretty much all of those dreams came to fruition, and now we’re all blessed, you know? Now were making a living, and it’s a beautiful thing.

How do you think that technology and its development has affected the trajectory the three of you have taken?

You know what, I think the technology is a love-hate thing. I love, love, love, the way technology is and where it’s at right now, but at the same time, we’re musicians and this is what we do for a living.

We're trying to sell records, and people are pretty much getting them for free now. It’s tricky, you know? But as far as actual instruments and stuff like that goes, it's just amazing. On my laptop I have my whole studio. Give me a month in a hotel room and I’ll bang out 20 songs. That’s the beauty of technology these days.

What about people who hook an iPod up to a P.A. and call themselves a DJ? Anyone can rip Ableton Live off the internet, put in their favorite tracks and just roll with that. Is that something that you think is valuable and important, that people have that accessibility or do you think it should be more exclusive, and you should have to work harder to get that sound?

I think for us, I mean, we’ve been through so much. I mean blood, sweat and tears to get where we are today. If you're not paying your dues and you're trying to call yourself as such, you're definitely looking through the wrong lens. In order to know where you’re at you have to know where it comes from. So you have to give praises where they're due. For me that’s people like Grand Wizard Theodore. Every time I touch a turntable, I just can’t believe that I’m there in front of 200,000 people doing what I do, getting to entertain. If it wasn’t for those guys this wouldn’t be happening right now.

do this. This is a big event in my career. I let Qbert and Apollo know, and I was just like, I've got to do this.

And they were supportive?

Oh definitely. I mean if it had happened to Qbert or one of the other guys, I would have been like, you know what? You need to do it. If you don’t do it, you’re stupid.

A dream moment?

It’s like if you were a kid, and you bought all of Led Zeppelin’s records. And you’re listening to them because you’re a musician as well. You’re honing your own craft, trying to contact these guys, and then they contact you. That’s a dream come true! That’s unheard of, you know what I mean?

So when you got that call it was out of the blue?

So as far as scratching goes, would you consider yourself to be following in anyone’s footsteps?

Yeah, yeah. It was awesome

The only footsteps we were following were people like John Bohnam, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk. We’re like an offspring of those guys.

When you stepped into the role as DJ with the Beastie Boys, did you learn anything from the previous DJ’s like Hurricane and Rick Rubin?

Looking back, are there DJ’s who have done to the turntables what Miles did to jazz tonality? Are there DJ’s after you who have innovated and taken it to the next level?

Umm, not really. You know, the guy who mentored me the most on tour was Ad-Rock.I mean, as far as nerves and the challenges of being on tour, and being able to take it all in and handle it. He was really there for me. I remember him telling me, “Just do what you do." That’s the best advice I could have gotten.

Oh of course. There’s Craze, and of course the Beat Junkies, the X-Ecutioners, you know, it’s the same core that we started out with, and now they’re doing it on their own. It only helps build the culture if we all just keep it going.

So what would you say is the most significant challenge that you have faced in your career and the path you have taken as a DJ? I would say the only thing that comes to mind ... you know, I’ve been ten years sober. I think that being sober has taken me to that next level, where I wanted to be. If you’re a musician there are so many other things attached to that. It’s not a bed of roses, and I’ve had some challenges and some demons, but you know, thank God ... the thing I'm proud of most is that I’ve been sober for ten years. It's an amazing thing, especially when you're out and about.

Everything is for free, you know? So that’s something I’m very proud of.

When you stepped into the Beastie Boys ensemble, at what point were you in your career at that point, and how did that deal look to you from your side?

Well this was right after we formed the Invisibl Skratch Piklz. Right when I got that call from the guys I was like, you know, I’ve got to

Would you say they ascribe to that same philosophy?

Yeah exactly. It’s whatever happens. He told me, “Mistakes happen all the time on stage.” When he told me that it really loosened me up. Give me that attitude of whatever happens, happens. I’m an improvisational musician, so I was also able to adapt really quickly, you know, so thank God. You’ve compared yourself with Coltrane, Miles, Thelonious Monk ...

Is that how you consider yourself as a musician?

I mean, definitely. I’m taking a lot from those guys. Those guys are my teachers, you know. Just the way they play with the same passion, the way they hit the notes, you know? It’s awesome.

So you approach the turntables with the same mindset a jazz musician approaches his instrument?

Yeah. You know what? When I touch the turntables, it’s emotional.

It’s emotional for me. When you see a lot of DJ’s out there it’s not emotional for them. They’re just standing there, but for me it’s like a nirvana state. When you can project emotion, people can ride with that. We live in an emotional world, and if I can take thousands of kids away for just an hour, I know I’ve done something good with my life.

In Dublin there isn’t a massive turntablist scene, loads of house and techno for sure, but scratching is rarely seen in clubs. When you come to cities like that, do you find that it’s harder for crowds to interact with you?

Not at all. Not at all. I just let it all hang out you know, it’s all an experience. People pay to come see it and get entertained, so I’m going to make sure that I’m going to entertain them and put smiles on their faces. I see kids in the audiences with their eyes closed and I’m like: Wow. That’s what it’s about.

Cant wait! See you in The Button Factory…

Later.

Mix Master Mike //// The Button Factory //// 15-03-2010

they play anymore) posted to myspace, followed by a deal with Kitsuné, the release of their debut single Something Good Can Work in March ’09, and immediate support from radio (especially Radio 1’s Steve Lamacq).

The album simply multiplies the single’s surfeit of ideas and sounds. Take the opening Cigarettes In The Theatre, which instantly nails the band’s light-footed, but hard-driving, energy. It begins with an ambient rumble, then adds a niggling guitar (or it could be a synth) line, which develops a siren-like insistence over a nervy beat pattern before a telling pause and a newer, deliciously – almost deliriously - danceable song kicks in. The icing is Alex’s vocal melody, with its almost dreamy brand of urgency, and his bare-boned narrative of meeting his last girlfriend (“We’ll pass the burning light / we’ll just keep talking on / tell me your favourite things”). And then there’s the exhilarating trumpet coda. Brilliant.

It’s followed by Come Back Home, a sequel of sorts; witness an introductory bed of woozy synths that build to a launching pad for a digi-funk backdrop that bounces, swings AND rocks behind Alex’s confession that the aforementioned relationship is over (“Another Saturday, another careless move tells the world that you’re thinking of what to do / a window opens up and someone calls your name/ but I can tell you don’t know how to play this game / I know this isn’t it”). “I I like things to correlate musically but also lyrically,” says Alex. The album, he explains, has two general themes – ‘love’ songs (“but not in a typical sense; I’m adamant about avoiding clichés”) and songs that chart, “our progression over this past 18 months. Where we’ve come from to where we are now with this album.”

Undercover Martyn is one of the ‘band’ songs, based on a fictional secret, “who’s got this big job to do but he’s too scared. It’s what we were trying to do, to build up courage to do this full time rather than go to university.” The seeds of doubt are expressed in What You Know, I Can Talk and You’re So Stubborn, which are loosely linked by the theme of arguments and justifying what you believe in. The trio were faced with choosing between the security of university/potential career and the uncertainty and thrill of the band; we all know which won out, but Something Good Will Work is a self-explanatory lyric by Alex to the other two, likewise Do You Want It All?, “a song of hope, to keep us going, with the thought that if we try hard enough, then we’re gonna do well.”

POD presents

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Saturday March 6th - The Button Factory, Curved St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

Doors 8pm - Tickets €13 (inc. booking fee)

In this day and age, a record that defies you to spot what music its makers have been listening to is a rare beast – especially one that makes you dance and sing as well. The fact they’re still so young – and, by definition, inexperienced - makes it even more extraordinary. Northern Ireland’s Two Door Cinema Club are a music-mad trio and their debut album – so fresh off the presses that they haven’t decided on an album title yet - fizzes with invention and sparkling tunes. It’s undeniably pop, and it draws on electronica/electro, rock and Afro-beats without ever recalling hopeful dilettantes, but the sum is greater than any ‘indie electro pop’ parts. The album also re-defines short, sharp and sweet - 10 songs, 32 minutes and no wastage whatsoever – as classic debut albums should be. And they’re signed to fab French independent Kitsuné – ‘nuff said.

Their story begins with three 15-year olds at school in Bangor, Northern Ireland. Vocalist/ guitarist Alex Trimble and bassist Kevin Baird studied music together; guitarist Sam Halliday was a mate of Alex’s. They initially bonded over a love of Scots rockers Biffy Clyro, and formed an emo-styled rock band with a drummer, but he left and the remaining three realised, says Kev, “We

were playing music that we weren’t enjoying, so we said ‘let’s write some songs, without any pretence of what they’ll sound like’. That’s why we find it so hard now if people now ask us what genre we are.”

Experimenting included using a laptop to generate beats. “It was born of necessity at first because we didn’t know any other drummers,” says Alex. “We weren’t sure it would work but it did.”

They have now enlisted a drummer to beef up their live shows.

Their name was a happy accident. A few days after they’d all visited The Tudor Cinema, which specialised in ‘50s/‘60s B movies, Sam suggested Two Door Cinema Club, which the others thought was really cool. “We asked him how he came up with the name,” Kev recalls, “and it turned out he thought ‘Tudor’ was pronounced two-door’!”

By this point, the boys’ tastes had gravitated toward alt.pop, such as Death Cab For Cutie, Architecture In Helsinki, Bloc Party and Modest Mouse, whose collectively leaner, rhythmic and melodic approach spilled over into their own music. Gigs were quickly secured on the back of two songs (neither of which

THE JIMMY CAKE Whelans Live presents...

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// + guests - Sea Dog & Patrick Kelleher Saturday 20th March - Whelans, Wexford Street Tickets: €12 (ex booking fee) - Doors: 8pm

Whelans live will be celebrating 10 years of instrumental rock gurus THE JIMMY CAKE on Saturday 20th March. Currently in preparation for a new album due this summer they play home from home Whelan’s of Wexford Street where the new material will get another airing before finally being committed to disk.

Formed in 2000 from the simmering ashes of the recently defunct Das Madman, the Jimmy Cake were only initially to play a one off show in Eamonn Dorans. But people kept coming, and the music kept getting louder.

Following on from 2008s critically acclaimed Spectre and Crown, The Jimmy Cake have a new set and a new sound. Reduced from a cast of hundreds to a slimmed down six piece, we find the Jimmy Cake’s music equally stripped back: where once there

were strings, accordion and tubas there is now the esoteric appeal of the vintage synths and tightly coiled, pounding rhythms. Guitars are back, and they mean to do some business.

Headlifting, powerful, hypnotic, the Jimmy Cake have embraced change once more, and, it’s with this feckless bravado in mind that they embark on their latest adventure. In 2009 they have played to a full Meeting House Sq at the DEAF fundraiser and on the Crosby Stage at Electric Picnic. Expect a new album this summer.

Do You Want It All also shows the subtler side of TDCC despite the high bpm and the escalating switch into an exhilarating sprint, led by Sam’s dizzy, brilliantly simple guitar. “He’s a massively versatile guitar player,” Alex says of TDCC’s more interview-shy member. “He has a great ear for what sounds good, and incorporates a lot of different styles, which provides a nice variation throughout songs.”

The only constant between songs is the length of them – namely, short. The songs average out at a pop-perfect 3 mins 20 secs each. Says Kev, “We’ve never seen the point of adding something on to make the song longer. Or to cram in lots of songs. We just wanted a really impressive first album, where every song could be someone’s favourite.”

From the Afro-pop lilt of Something Good Can Work (imagine Vampire Weekend with an acute pop sensibility) to the smooth/jittery combo of Eat That Up It’s Good For You [about the rise of women emulating men’s worst boozing-andcruising habits: “that’s me venting my anger, in a happy pop song,” Alex grins), there are TDCC favourites all over the shop.

If they can make such a mature album this early on, think of what they can do next time and the next album after that. Eat it up, it’s good for you...

New Young Pony Club

/////////////////////////////////////////////////// Saturday March 13th - Tripod, Harcourt Steet, Dublin 2 Tickets €20 - Doors 7.30pm

Forget everything you thought you knew about New Young Pony Club, because on their second album it's all changed.

If 2007's critically acclaimed, Mercury Music Prize nominated 'Fantastic Playroom' was the culmination of the hybrid disco sound they pioneered, 'The Optimist' heralds the beginning of a brave new future for the band.

From the moment the band released their debut 7" in 2005, their unique blending of dark disco, pop punk and anthemic new wave found itself swept up in the cult of 'New Rave'. Despite the fact NYPC quickly became one of the key figures in the movement, something was amiss.

"We realised that actually we're outsiders," admits singer Ty Bulmer. "'Disco Punk' came to this country from the fringes of New York and it felt like an outsiders scene. We were so passionate about it, but soon it became glossy and banal. We stepped back and thought 'We don't want to be part of this world'."

So the creative nucleus of Ty and Andy Spence moved away from the flashing lights of LDN and instead looked inside themselves to locate their next step."I do remember making certain guidelines for this album like: no four on the floor, no cowbell and vocally no 'sexy talk' or monotone vocal," jokes Andy. But musically they were boldly venturing into uncharted territory. The turning point came with the album's title track; a swarthy, deliciously menacing number that pushed the band completely out of their comfort zone.

"It was a key moment that took us by surprise," says Andy. "It was one of the first instances where we abandoned what had come before. Ty came in with the vocals and bass line. I played it on a guitar that we'd never used before and it created this whole new extreme and strange sound. But we were so pleased with the results." This new lease of creative freedom opened the band up to explore more experimental sides of themselves; like the psychedelic balladry of 'Stone' and atmospheric, cracked beauty of 'The Architect'.

Ocean Colour Scene /////////////////////////////////////////////////////// March 6th - Olympia Theatre, Dublin 2 Tickets from €30 - Doors 7.30pm

Birmingham’s emperors of rock’n’folk Ocean Colour Scene are back with their ninth studio album, entitled "Saturday". In the two years since 2007’s On The Leyline – described by Uncut as their “career best” – they’ve played with thrash metal bands in Korea, stolen the show at this Lyrically too, the glamorous themes dealt with on year’s ‘V’ (where they were named ‘Band Of The 'Fantastic Playroom' were left behind. "The last Festival’ by Radio 2 and Absolute Radio) and later album was about a particular persona," says Ty. this month arrive in Dublin as part of their "And it was my sexy, party animal, idealised self. promotional tour.

Sometimes I am that person, but in the wake of a 10 year relationship ending I felt it was important In between times, guitarist Steve Cradock has to be a bit more honest." So the album 'The released acclaimed solo debut The Kundalini Optimist' delves into psychological black holes Target, and played a key role in Paul Weller 22 with brutal clarity. "The last album had an Dreams, while Simon Fowler’s plans to record a intellectual depth but not an emotional one," she solo album inspired by Sandy Denny and Bert adds. "I played it to my friend and he said 'it Jansch with acclaimed folk musician John makes the first sound like a bunch of nursery McCusker were only scuppered by an invitation rhymes'!" Indeed the new album captures the to tour the world with Mark Knopfler (for John, band at their most extreme. not Simon). All of which serves as reminder that,

the barnstorming OCS of yore. “Gavin was keen to make a classic OCS record,” says Steve. “That gave us a direction for where we wanted the album to go. We did some demos at his studio which meant we had most of the songs ready before we headed for Rockfield.”

Self produced and more importantly self funded and self released, 'The Optimist' is the sound of a band taking full control of their present and future, circumnavigating their own way. It's an assured, deliciously adventurous next step for New Young Pony Club. Have a listen for yourself, they play Tripod this month. We have tickets to give away on PHONiC.ie, just log on and answer the easy-peasy question to win!

Lyrical themes ranging from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist (‘Mrs Maylie’) to the British way of life ( standout ‘Village Life’), meanwhile, are a reminder of Simon’s acute observational eye. “I live in a small village in the Cotswolds which has a few local pubs, a village green and an acupuncturist - there’s even a Maypole,” he explains. “I tend to write the lyrics while out walking, so you naturally take in what’s around you. It’s the sort of place where everybody knows how many pints you had last night.

Which can be good or bad, of course. But I love it.” Musically, it’s just as impressive. Listen close and you’ll hear echoes of everyone from Simon & Garfunkel to Mott The Hoople and Vivaldi in these loose-limbed grooves, not to mention trippy string sections, sky-scraping ‘Great Gig In The Sky’ backing vocals, punk riffs and even the occasional burst of mandolin.

as they approach their 21st anniversary together, OCS remain as sincere and passionate about music as they were when this writer first bumped into them on early ‘90’s TV show The Word promoting debut single ‘Sway’. Back then, with their Breton shirts and Beat Club haircuts, they were at the vanguard of a new generation of bands determined to shake off ‘80’s miserablism and get a piece of the action.

Little did anyone know that by the release of their second album Moseley Shoals in April 1996, OCS would be bonafide rock stars, their intuitive grasp of pop dynamics on hits like The Riverboat Song and The Day We Caught The Train leaving an indelible print on the zeitgeist (Moseley Shoals stayed on the charts for eighteen months). Follow up Marchin’ Already (released in September 1997) even knocked Oasis’ Be Here Now off the top spot, prompting Noel Gallagher to send the band a plaque engraved with the inscription: ‘To The Second Best Band In Britain’.

Foggy Notions presents

OWEN PALLETT (Final Fantasy)+ special guest David Celia ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Thursday 18th & Friday 19th March - Whelans, Wexford Street Tickets €24 incl. booking fee - Doors: 7:30pm

Owen Pallett is a singer/violinist from Toronto best known for his solo recordings as Final Fantasy. Classically trained from an early age, at 15 he started playing solo violin shows. As his musical interests shifted to indie pop, Pallett collaborated with a multitude of indie artists, including Jim Guthrie, Royal City, the Hidden Cameras, the Vinyl Cafe, Gentleman Reg, and Arcade Fire. As well as touring in various string sections in the mid-2000s, he was an active composer, writing arrangements for Arcade Fire†s groundbreaking Funeral and Neon Bible, along with albums for Fucked Up, Beirut, and the Last Shadow Puppets. Despite being the go-to violinist for

other artists and an avid remixer, Pallett†s primary focus remained his own work as Final Fantasy. In 2005, he released Has a Good Home, which he followed up with 2006†s He Poos Clouds. In 2009, Pallett announced that he would no longer be using Final Fantasy as his moniker, to avoid confusion with Square Enix†s popular video game series by the same name. Plans were made to repackage his Final Fantasy back catalog, and just last month, Pallett released his new album entitled Heartland under his own name. Pallett plays Whelans on the 18th and 19th of March with thanks to Foggy Notions.

If triumphant appearances at Knebworth and their own sold-out tours (their 1998 arena tour was the biggest by any U.K band that year) have ensured their history has become intertwined with Britpop, the band’s innate ability to craft a tune has guaranteed them a longevity only matched by Primal Scream and fellow Midlanders, The Charlatans. Any turbulence experienced in the wake of original bassist Damon Minchella’s departure in 2003, meanwhile, has been countered by the astute recruitment of guitarist Andy Bennett and bassist Dan Sealey, both of whom contribute songs to Saturday.

“We’ve always been the sort of band who like to share our ideas,” explains Steve. “I remember Ian Brown saying that what spoiled it for him with The Roses was that John Squire would bring songs in fully formed. It keeps things exciting knowing that everybody is bringing something to the table. That working relationship gels a band together, it’s a collaborative spirit.” Put it down, then, to re-charged batteries or the confidence which comes from having a settled line-up, but Saturday finds the band as vibrantly tuneful as they’ve ever been. Recorded over six weeks last Summer at the iconic Rockfield studios in South Wales with producer Gavin Monaghan (Editors/ the Twang), it’s a return to

From the opening bars of psych-folk opener ‘100 Floors Of Perception’ - written by Simon about the on-going financial crisis - to epic climax ‘Rockfield’ (think ‘Baba O’Riley’ meets ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’), it’s a reminder than when it comes to delivering classic rock hooks there is simply no one better. Denim-driven boogie ‘Old Pair Of Jeans’ (written by Bennett) will delight those hankering for the full-tilt mod-pop of ‘For Dancers Only’, while Harry Kidnap’ (written in tribute to John Weller) boasts shades of North Atlantic Drift stand-out ‘Make The Deal’.

“I had a little battery operated record player in my room while we were recording” says Steve.

“I’d listen to everything from classical stuff to Eastern European folk music. Then I’d go into the studio in a pissed stupor and play a punk song like ‘Postal’!” Surefire smash ‘Magic Carpet Days’, meanwhile (key lyric: “The world won’t shake you/Knock you down and break you/I’ll steer you through these magic carpet days”) is a reminder that their belief in the Mod aesthetic of self-improvement remains as strong as ever.

“I think that’s how you’ve got to look at life when you’re 44,” grins Simon. “We’re not getting any younger, but that enthusiasm will never leave us I don’t think. Especially when we’ve got a few glasses of pop inside us.” If the album’s working title - Blue Sky Drinking - tells you something of Saturday’s feel-good spirit, it’s also proof that even as the reach the age of maturity, OCS aren’t prepared to grow up just yet. “Me and Steve are very different in many respects, but we do both like laughing a lot,” adds Simon. “And that’s what keeps us having fun. It’s our 21st year in 2010 so we want to get out there and remind people we’re still here.”

With a full tour booked for 2010, OCS will be celebrating in style.

In the meantime, they’ll see you on March 6th.

once off club listings

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Friday 12th March M.A.N.D.Y (Patrick) @ The Priory @ Kennedys Friday, 12 March 2010 10pm - 3am Kennedy's/ Westland Row €12 adv / €15 on the door Facebook.com/priory.dublin Boris Werner (Moon Harbour, Remote Area) DeepIntoTheBowelsOfHouse Max Conte Barry Dempsey Antonio O' Duibhir Cookiie (Kalieda, Belfast) Friday, 12 March 2010 10:00pm - 3:00am Turks Head/ Parliament Street & Essex Gate, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

10 EURO Admission Scribble Records: Scribble Soundsystem feat Mc Little Tree at The Bernard Shaw Also Ophelia, G Frequency, Chuckie, Tom B & Harry Moschops Friday, 12 March 2010 8.00pm - 1.00am The Bernard Shaw / 11-12 Sth. Richmond Street, Portobello, Dublin 2,Free Admission Mud: Breakology present: Shut Up & Dance at The Twisted Pepper Also BREAKOLOGY DJs & GAMEPAK Friday, 12 March 2010 23:00 - 03:00 The Twisted Pepper/ 54 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1 €8 Advance / €10 Door / €8 Members Saturday 13th March Discotekken with Tr-One & Louis Scully Saturday, 13 March 2010 10:00pm - 3:00 am The Twisted Pepper/ 54 Middle Abbey Street; Dublin €6 on concession list, €8 with pass, €10 on door Expect Disco, Boogie, Funk, House, Electro, Techno & any other party jams that do the trick.

What The Fuck pres Lerosa at The Underground, Baker PLace, Limerick Lerosa - live (Ostgut, Uzuri, Quintessentials, millions of moments) Moons residents Jack Buckley & Jim Plugd(cork) Frawl, Did, Andrew O donoghue Andrew O donoghue Saturday, 13 March 2010 €7 before 11, €10 thereafter, students €5 all nite Groovement Soul @ Shebeen Chic Date / Saturday, 13 March 2010 Time / 9.00pm - 1.30am Venue / Shebeen Chic, 4 South Great Georges St , Dublin 2 Cost / Free This Saturday 6th March we're back with our 4th installment of Expansions @ Shebeen Chic (downstairs). The real Jazz/Soul Sessions. Ancient to Future Jazz/Soul. Taking inspiration from Southport Weekenders Beat Bar, Jazz Room and Connoisseurs Corner. You can expect to hear Jazzfunk, Nu jazz, Nu Soul, 70s Soul, Modern Soul, Latin, Rare Groove.

Sunday 14th March 12...John Mahon & Conor Dunne at The Bernard Shaw Date / Sunday, 14 March 2010 Time / 4pm - 12am Venue / The Bernard Shaw/ 11-12 Sth. Richmond Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Cost / Free Bernard Shaw stalwarts John Mahon and the baby faced bummer, Conor Dunne, take to the plates this week as a warm up to our Paddys Day Party Tuesday 16th March HYPE - Derrick Carter @ POD Date / Tuesday, 16 March 2010 Time / 11:00 - 3:00am Venue / Pod, Old Harcourt Station, Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 Cost / €16 Derrick’s sets are rooted in house, but he freely travels outside club tastes, seamlessly incorporating old-school disco, soul, jazz and whatever catches his fancy Lucio Aquilina at Andrews Lane Theatre Barry Dempsey Karl Lambert Automated DJs [Blue Nun+Citizen Black] Back to Back Italian Factory DJ Date / Tuesday, 16 March 2010 Time / 8:00 - 03:00 Venue / Andrews Lane Theatre/ 9-17 St. Andrews Lane, Dublin 2 Cost / €12-€16 Welcome to the Jungle back in the forest of sounds ... This time the group of Italians call to play 4 top Irish artists of the underground scene ... and directly from Naples [Italy] one of the most 'great talents of the last 10 years 515 presents Laurent Garnier at Tripod Date / Tuesday, 16 March 2010 Time / 11pm Venue / Tripod/ Old Harcourt Street Train Station, Harcourt Street Cost / €22.50 Support from LRB Tues 16th march @ Tripod Advance tickets €20 Advance Tickets from usual outlets.

Phone/internet bookings subject to extra service charges.

Pogo Paddy's Eve with Andrew Weatherall // Muleketu (Live // Breakdown & More) at The Twisted Pepper Date / Tuesday, 16 March 2010 Time / 10pm - 3am Venue / The Twisted Pepper/ 54 Middle Abbey Street; Dublin Cost / 10e / Advance Tickets 8e or 4 for 20e limited run The Basement: Andrew Weatherall TAYOR & EOIN CREGAN The Stage MULEKETU (20 Piece Parisian Samba-Reggae Band) GLOBAL DJs + More TBA The Mezz: BREAKDOWN DJs The Box: THE SHOEBOX DISCO RETURNS Makaton & Inigo Kennedy at Kennedy's N.O.S. - NothingOrdinarySir.com

wooooooo Hooooooooo!

Date / Tuesday, 16 March 2010 Time / 11pm - 3am Venue / Kennedy's, Westland Row Planetlove presents Eddie Halliwell + Guests at Savoy Theatre Date / Tuesday, 16 March 2010 Time / 10.30pm - 2am Venue / Savoy Theatre, Cork, Ireland Cost / 20euro Support / Mark Kavanagh, Remik, Mucca Eddie Halliwell finally returns to Cork after nearly a 3 year absence on Paddy's Eve for another massive Planetlove event. After the huge success of Sander van Doorn and Jordan Suckley at the Savoy in February, the Cork public are relishing the next big one from the Planetlove team and what better Dj to give it to 'em than Mr. Halliwell himself?

St Patrick's with Eve Dave Clarke at The Forum Date / Tuesday, 16 March 2010 Time / 10:30pm 3:00am Venue / The Forum, The Glen, Waterford Cost / €15 Throughout the “noughties” Resistance brought the World’s best DJs to Waterford, and South East clubbers showed the likes of Laurent Garnier, Groove Armada, Timo Maas, Erick Morillo, Jeff Mills, Deep Dish, Felix Da Housecat, Green Velvet, Mylo, Slam, Carl Craig and many more that the Resistance atmosphere is hard to beat.

For their first event of the new decade, it was clear that there was only one DJ worthy of the headline slot, Resistance favourite Dave Clarke, who makes his 8th appearance for the club. DC loves coming to Waterford and in the past has played the club on his birthday, and also played his first ever set anywhere in the world using CDs, for Resistance clubbers.

Andy C & Mc Gq at Think Tank Frontier Events, Hertz-U Sound System Date / Tuesday, 16 March 2010 Time / 11.00pm - 3.00am Venue / Think Tank, 24 Eustace Street TEMPLE BAR Dublin 2 Cost / €17.50 - €20 @ Door Support/ Fraher Last year saw Andy C reign supreme once more as he was crowned Best DJ

by Drum & bass Arena for the 6th successive year; a record for the drum and bass industry. He was the highest drum and bass representative at DJs top 100 DJs Poll at number 28, and started the year getting the ultimate accolade from the bible of dance music Mixmag listing him in the top 10 of their Club lands Ultimate Power List. While running his label, signing new talents, producing and traveling across the globe to play some of the biggest clubs, Andy C is a busy man, and one of dance musics best ambassadors.

Wednesday 17th March Happy Birthday You F**king Pyg!: Pan-Pot, Soul Clap, Pyg Residents at Pygmalion Date / Wednesday, 17 March 2010 Time / 20.00 - 03.00 Venue / Pygmalion, Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, Sth. William St, Dublin 2 Cost / €10 The Pyg celebrates one year of existence by throwing a big birthday bash on Paddys day. Two of our favourite twosomes of last year return to shake things up for what is sure to be a serious night of tunes. Pyg stalwarts warm things up as always before the big guns.

12 Paddys Day All Dayer at The Bernard Shaw BARRY REDSETTA HANDSOME PADDY JAYCEE JOHN MAHON CONOR L Conor Dunne AARON DEMPSEY Louis Scully & MORE TBC Date / Wednesday, 17 March 2010 Time / 12pm - 12am Venue / The Bernard Shaw/ 11-12 Sth. Richmond Street, Portobello, Dublin 2 Cost / Free Lowerstate: Wbeeza (Live) at Deeper Date / Wednesday, 17 March 2010 Time / 11:00pm - 2:30am Venue / Deeper/ Eglinton Street, Galway Cost / €10 Signed to the very highly regarded Third Ear Recordings, WBEEZA is sitting comfortably amongst names like Brendon Moeller, Fabrice Lig and Theo Parrish, bringing some well needed freshness to the capital's dance music scene. Wbeeza's production can be jacking, swinging, jazzy, soulful, tough, deep and raw. He takes in the history of house, with an ear for Detroit, and gives it a true London stamp.

Friday 19th March Mud: Analogue present Zomby at The Twisted Pepper Date / Friday, 19 March 2010 Time / 23:00 - 03:00 Venue / The Twisted Pepper/ 54 Middle Abbey Street; Dublin Cost / €8 Advance / €10 Door / €8 Members The Mezz: Tribe DnB & Jungle Sessions The Analogue crew are back into gigland with a bang presenting one of the most exciting & mysterious bass producers of the moment, Zomby (Mad Decent, Hyperdub, Werk).

Scribble Records with Jaycee & Jae Brown at The Bernard Shaw Date / Friday, 19 March 2010 Time / 8.00pm Venue / The Bernard Shaw/ 11-12 Sth. Richmond Street, Portobello, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Alive presents Unit 9 at The Queens Hotel & Nightclub

c --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Friday 19th March cont.

Date / Friday, 19 March 2010 Time / 11.00pm - 2am Venue / The Queens Hotel & Nightclub / Abbey Street, Ennis, Co. Clare Cost / €7 Support: John O' Connor, Kenji Friday March 19th 2010 - Unit 9 (Ministry of Sound, London) John O' Connor & Kenji - The Sanctuary.

Saturday 20th March Pogo: Test present Robert Hood & Delta Funktionen at The Twisted Pepper Date / Saturday, 20 March 2010 Time / 10.00pm - 3.00am Venue / The Twisted Pepper/ 54 Middle Abbey Street; Dublin Cost / €10 presale, €12 on the door Support/ Dan McElligott Shelter & Get Down presents Chez Damier at Room Two @ Rubys (First Time In Ireland) Date / Saturday, 20 March 2010 Time / 10pm doors Venue / Room Two @ Rubys / Ruby's/ 43 John Street, Waterford Cost / € 12 Get Down & Shelter is teaming up to bring you one of the founding fathers of the dance music scene. Chicago and Detroit Legend Chez Damier.

Fried Egg presents Spectrasoul at The Underground Date / Saturday, 20 March 2010 Time / tbc Venue / The Underground/ Baker Place, Limerick Cost / 10 Euro Before 11 12 Euro after Dj Boss & Fran Hartnett at The Underground Date / Saturday, 20 March 2010 Time / 10:00pm - 3:00am Venue / The Underground, Kennedys, Westland Row, Dublin 2 Cost / €15 / €10 b4 11.30pm or w-student ID DJ BOSS as one of only a small number of Slovak DJs has managed to rise from the very bottom to the top of the current techno scene. This is confirmed by the list of famous DJs he has shared a stage with (as well as recorded with) - Dave Clarke, Speedy J, Jeff Mills, Westbam, Radial and DJ Rush. As a producer he has also cooperated with Marián Cekovsk�, Dara Rollins, Toky, Dalo and other stars of the local Czech and Slovak music scene.

Will Kinsella 4 Hour Set at Pygmalion Date / Saturday, 20 March 2010 Time / 23:00 Venue / Pygmalion, Powerscourt Centre, Sth. William Street, Dublin 2 Cost / free Fergie at Liquid Lounge Date / Saturday, 20 March 2010 Time / 11pm - 3am Venue / Liquid Lounge, Marlboro St, Cork Cost / €15 Sunday 21st March 12...Tom Beary & Louis Scully at The Bernard Shaw Date / Sunday, 21 March 2010 Time / 4pm - 12am Venue / The Bernard Shaw, 11-12 Sth. Richmond Street, Portobello, Dublin 2.

Cost / Free Not again I hear you say! The prodigal

son and original 12 resident Tom Beary, returns to his roots here for one night only playing all the records we used to know and love him for. While Tom now firmly plays in the Scribble style at his Friday night residency alongside his group, The Scribble Soundsystem, he used to play some mean selections of Disco, House, Techno and the like, which he shall be dusting off for a one off tonight.

Friday 26th March Hype - Claude Young at CrawDaddy Date / Friday, 26 March 2010 Time / 11:00pm - 3:00am Venue / CrawDaddy/ Old Harcourt St Station, Dublin Cost / €15 Support: Eamonn Doyle [Live] Jon Hussey Kasper (Esperanza, M_nus, Som Undergroud) at Turks Head DeepIntoTheBowelsOfHouse Date / Friday, 26 March 2010 Time / 10:00pm - 3:00am Venue / Turks Head/ Parliament Street & Essex Gate, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

Cost / 10 EURO Kasper a Friend of the Net 28 family for a long time, now Kasper officially joins the Spanish crew. Madrid-based artist with a musical background made of a broad variety of music from post-punk, rock, jazz, rap to of course, electronic music, being specially influential labels such as Studio 1, Basic Channel, Profan, Chain Reaction, Mosaic, Schatrax, Perlon, Planet E. Tenth Planet: Terence Fixmer Live at The Good Bits Date / Friday, 26 March 2010 Time / 11:00pm - 3:00am Venue / The Good Bits/ Store Street, Dublin 1 Cost / €8 before 12 / €14 after Terence Fixmer is a true veteran of the French Techno scene. Electro, techno, Fixmer has put his stamp on it. .

Terence released the seminal album “Muscle Machine" on Hell's Gigolo in 2001. Since then he's followed it by a slew of classics on labels such as Novamute, Datapunk, Different, Music Man. As a producer he's known for his trademark dark pounding techno releases and for equally pounding live sets.

2009 saw Fixmer sign on Dave Clarke’s label White Noise and on Speedy J’s label Electric de Luxe. Tenth is delighted to have Fixmer check in and give us a live lesson.

Shock & Nightflight: Ewan Pearson (Kompact) at The Button Factory Jon Averill (Shock, London) Sol O'Carroll Date / Friday, 26 March 2010 Time / 10.30pm - 03.00am Venue / The Button Factory / Curved St., Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Cost / €12/€8 advance from www.tickets.ie Right now seems like Ewans more popular then ever, having just finished production of the Delphic & Tracy Thorn albums & a new mix CD immanent.

Although Ewan has never yearned for the spotlight some other DJs clearly enjoy. Instead he's spent the last ten years creating some seminal productions. Ewan Pearson is quite simply one of the best DJs out there & every time

he's guested for Nightflight has never failed to impress.

515 presents Popof, Style Of Eye at Tripod Date / Friday, 26 March 2010 Time / 11.00pm - 3.00am Venue / Tripod/ Old Harcourt Street Train Station, Harcourt Street Cost / €20 Support:DANNY ALONS0 Bar:A1 BASSLINE SUPPORT: TRANSMISSION DJS Advance tickets €20 Advance Tickets from usual outlets.

Phone/internet bookings subject to extra service charges. www.ticketmaster.ie /24hr Hotline 0818 719 300 More info www.pod.ie Scribble Records || Proudfoot, Dazboy & Stephen O Connor at The Bernard Shaw Date / Friday, 26 March 2010 Time / 8.00pm Venue / The Bernard Shaw/ 11-12 Sth. Richmond Street, Portobello, Dublin 2 Line-up / Proudfoot Dazboy Stephen O Connor Proudfoot are in for a live performance to kick off the night. Scribble Records resident Dazboy is joined by Stephen O Connor who is in on the action for the first time down at Scribble.

Mud: kaboogie present Krome & Time // Hertz-U with S.P.Y at The Twisted Pepper Date / Friday, 26 March 2010 Time / 23:00 - 03:00 Venue / The Twisted Pepper/ 54 Middle Abbey Street; Dublin Cost / €8 Advance / €10 Door / €8 Members Line-up / The Basement: !Kaboogie Present...

KROME TIME !KABOOGIE DJs The Mezz: Hertz-U Present...

S.P.Y (Innerground, Brazil) SYNERGY Kaboogie return to the basement after their triumphant 4th birthday with special guests Krome & Time. Upstairs in the Mezz Hertz-U proudly present Brazilian DnB star S.P.Y with a smooth set of liquidy and sunshine grooves.

Saturday 27th March Donnacha Costello Album Launch Lunar Disko present Neville Watson at The Twisted Pepper Date / Saturday, 27 March 2010 Time / 9pm - 3am Venue / The Twisted Pepper, 54 Middle Abbey Street; Dublin Cost / 10e / Advance Tickets 8e The Basement: Donnacha Costello

Never going as well

wooooooo Hooooooooo!

BARRY REDSETTA The Stage: Dead Chickens & Skinny Wolves Present...

GIRLS NAMES LA LA VASQUEZ LOGIKPARTY + SKINNY WOVLES DJs The Mezz: Lunar Disko Present...

Neville Watson (Clone, NL) KENNY HANLON Donnacha Costello launchs his new album & sound in the POGO basement with support from POGO's finest house & techno resident Barry Redsetta. As Lunar Disko once again returns to the Mezz with special guest Neville Watson Strutt presents Dj Claude Young at Bakers Place, Limerick Date / Saturday, 27 March 2010 Time / 9.30 pm - 2.30am Venue / Bakers Place, Limerick / Bakers Place, Tait Square, Limerick Cost / 10 Euros Before 11 PM 12 Euros Afterwards Frawl ( Strutt , WTFTH) Niall Power(Electric Circus) Bad Boy Blast (Strutt) DJ Claude Young (Detroit) Strutt are no strangers to hosting nights where music and atmosphere are our number one concern!!

Sunday 28th March 12 Boat Party No. 2 at The Bernard Shaw w/ 12 RESIDENTS CONOR L JOHN MAHON Louis Scully Date / Sunday, 28 March 2010 Time / 4pm - 12am Venue / The Bernard Shaw/ 11-12 Sth. Richmond Street, Portobello, Dublin 2.

No Airbound this year unfortunately, but alas not to worry, If you got the urge to hit the deck on the high seas, we are providing the chance again with our second Boat Party after the manic insanity of the one we did last September. Once again our trusty 12 residents will be at the helm with the tunes and as with last time admission is free but is limited so if you want to come, sign up at the invite list below Sunday 4th April Easter All Dayer featuring Theo Parrish at The Bernard Shaw Date / Sunday, 4 April 2010 Time / 12.00pm Venue / The Bernard Shaw/ 11-12 Sth. Richmond Street, Portobello, Dublin 2 We celebrate the resurrection at 12 this year with return of an almost jesus like deity, THEO PARRISH returning to the 12 decks for the first time in over 2 years to provide you with your religious fix with a trademark marathon set. Support with come from 12 residents and more.

515 presents - Frequency 7 at Tripod Date / Sunday, 4 April 2010 Time / 11.00pm - 3.00am Venue / Tripod/ Old Harcourt Street Train Station, Harcourt Street Cost / €20 Frequency 7 (Ben Sims + Surgeon) Support: Sunil Sharpe Advance Tickets from usual outlets.

Phone/internet bookings subject to extra service charges. www.ticketmaster.ie /24hr Hotline 0818 719 300