Producer Jacob

Busiest week ever: Tuesday

2009-01-06T15:06:00.002Z

Photo of the platform at Sevenoaks station, taken by me. All rights reserved.

Today I've been working on various projects for the show, eating rice, listening to music and getting through emails. As I said... it's a busy week. Tonight I'm off to band practise.

I've just uploaded to my Flickr page some photos I took on the train on Sunday (and there's another one above). I got a posh camera for Christmas so I've been taking it around with me to various places and looking like a proper arty photographer, which is a bit weird.

If you didn't catch David Hooper's Disgusting Electronica when it was rebroadcast on Radio 1 over Christmas, you must go to the show's MySpace profile and listen to the clips. I haven't heard anything quite as innovative and random on the radio since Chris Morris pumped helium into the news booth.

By the way - sorry this week's show hasn't appeared on the BBC iPlayer yet. We're looking into it.

Busiest week ever: Monday

2009-01-05T20:52:00.003Z

Hello, today is officially the first day of The Busiest Week Of My Life This Year So Far.
Just because I haven't properly grasped the fact that my week will be really busy this week, I plan to blog about what's happening at every possible opportunity.

Today I put together something I've been thinking of doing for some time... and you can listen to it below. It's my A-Z Of Music, using artist names and song titles to piece together 26 songs in under 14 minutes. It's not necessarily a list of my favourite songs, but they're definitely all songs I really like and I think the collection represents my musical taste well as a whole.

Download it as an MP3

Some of the other things I'm doing this week:

Working on a new geeky radio website which I launched last week. It's at stationsound.com (only radio people will appreciate it, and even then they'll probably think it's a bit weird).
Putting together entries for two radio industry awards that we are entering the show into.
Playing the drums at a gig near Folkestone on Thursday.
Going to lots of meetings.
Working on Greg James and Chappers & Dave this weekend at Radio 1 (hence the photo above).
Producing BBC Kent Introducing (as normal) on Sunday night.
Going to visit Rob da Bank's show at Radio 1 last thing on Sunday.

BBC Kent Introducing's Best Of 2008

2008-12-28T15:35:00.002Z

Hello, me again. Sorry I haven't blogged for a while, I've had a lovely week off.
Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas...

Tonight on BBC Radio Kent is the BBC Kent Introducing Best Of 2008 special show.
It's a whole hour of the best songs we've played on our radio show throughout this year. Many of the songs are previous hottest records, and lots of other things that we've been loving in 2008.

You can listen live at 8pm tonight on 96.7fm, 104.2fm, on DAB Digital Radio or online at bbc.co.uk/kent. If you miss it or want to hear the show again, it'll be available as usual on the BBC iPlayer for the following seven days.

(By the way, please don't text us during the show tonight - we're on tape. We all deserve a week off sometimes.)

Christmas offering: Brigadier Ambrose

2008-12-21T00:30:00.006Z

Yet more exclusive festive fun, from Brigadier Ambrose...
Due to the content of this piece, some listeners may find it offensive.

If you like that, make sure you tune in to BBC Kent Introducing tonight from 8pm on BBC Radio Kent. You can listen on 96.7fm, 104.2fm or on DAB digital radio in Kent, or online around the world at bbc.co.uk/kent.

On the show we're playing the new Brigadier Ambrose single Mindreel, which was our hottest record on the show three weeks ago, and we've also got Christmas tunes from Seven Story Down, Tom Williams And The Boat with Klaus Says Buy The Record, Nick Harrison and MexicoFallz.

It'll be huuuuge.

Christmas offering: Polka Party

2008-12-21T00:14:00.002Z

To get you in the festive spirit in time for our BBC Kent Introducing Christmas special tonight, here's a nativity story by Chatham punk trio Polka Party...

Intimate at Ashford School: Underground Heroes

2008-12-20T10:59:00.002Z

Photo of Underground Heroes mattressing it up, at the Proud Galleries in Camden, by Tammy Myers.

I went to another gig last night... yeah, I know! Crazy stuff!
It was the Intimate Gig at Ashford School with Underground Heroes, The Suggestions, Hold Fire, The Getaway Team, Elephants and comedian John Lally.

The turnout was good, and although I felt like I was the oldest person in the audience (which is worrying), it was a good crowd who had a good knowledge of the bands. There was definitely a fair amount of genuine fans there.

Before the gig I went to find Chatham indie four-piece Underground Heroes... here's what happened:

Seven Story Down at The Forum

2008-12-19T11:35:00.004Z

Last night I went to Seven Story Down's Christmas party at the Tunbridge Wells Forum.
Supporting were London indie trio Stayaways, and Kent bands Asteroids Broke My Stereo and Sunset Teens.

I went to talk to them afterwards...
Here's what happened:

(Yeah, that's right... new material and an exclusive Christmas track from Seven Story Down on the show this Sunday! - even more reason to tune in to BBC Radio Kent from 8pm).

Photo of Seven Story Down's Christmas party by A R Tanton, used with permission

Floors And Walls: the best band in the world... official

2008-12-18T15:34:00.002Z

Thanks to tip-offs from tipster Phil on the messageboard, and Peter who works with the band, we learnt on Tuesday morning that Thanet band Floors And Walls had won the Global Battle Of The Bands.

Tune into the show this Sunday evening - we'll be speaking to the band on the phone about their achievement, and playing one of the tracks from their album. (They also have exciting news about some of their new material... if you're a fan, make sure you listen to the show in the new year to hear it first).

BBC Sound Of 2009 - what I reckon

2008-12-09T17:15:00.010Z

So the BBC's Sound Of 2009 longlist has been announced.
I'm still not on the judging panel - I'm well disappointed. Maybe next year.
(Here's how it's done if you care).

Remember that the BBC Sound Of polls always unearth artists who are definitely going to be big in the year to come - 2008's winner was Adele, whose number-one album 19 sold well over a million copies. Previous winners have been Mika, Corinne Bailey Rae, The Bravery, Keane and 50 Cent. And even the longlist for last year's poll reads like a list of 15 of 2008's most popular bands.

If you haven't heard of any of the artists below, take note... and remember you heard about them here first! Come back to this blog this time next year, and I can guarantee there'll be loads of familiar names.

For no reason at all, other than it gives me an excuse to listen to lots of music, here's what I think of each of the acts.

This is one of the acts I'd heard of, but not actually heard.
First listening - to Too Young To Love - and the first ten seconds are quite good. Then the next four minutes are pretty much the same.
The vocals remind me of epic stadium rock, Glasvegas or Radiohead style, with a mushy bassy accompaniment that I think sounds a bit cluttered, and is relentless to the point of it being annoying. Sounds like the kind of thing that would sound a lot better live.
Not exactly a masterpiece - but then this is the only track I've heard.

Another act I'd heard of but didn't know any music by. First thing I listen to is his single Yours, which sounds starts strongly with a nice funky riff and driving beats. The song is nice and poppy but - in the same way as The Big Pink's track - doesn't really go anywhere.
It's the kind of track I can imagine liking when it comes on the radio for a bit, but even during the course of the song I'm getting bored and this is just my first listen.

An interesting one this. I'm hearing Crying Blood and the beat instantly makes me take note. When the vocals and synthy riffs kick in, it takes me to a 50s shiny-chrome jukebox bar - sounds retro and rock'n'roll in a nice modern synthy way.
Although it's not melodically thrilling, the vocals are strong and it's really catchy... definitely my favourite so far.

Finally! A song I've heard before!
I'd already heard Walking On A Dream on the Mashup so I knew what to expect.
The song reminds me of The Rose by The Laughing Light Of Plenty - but this track has the distinct difference of being quite good (I'm surprised they're not in the list, incidentally)...
I'm not convinced by their Eqgyptian pharaoh look, but it sounds good and it's catchy. (It's got the same electro-disco-pop feel as the others have so far, and is similarly not very interesting... noticing a pattern?).

If you were worried that indie is dying, this should cheer you up.
Or maybe it's depressing that Florence about as indie as it gets in this list?
I've liked her quirky melodic pop for a while, having been introduced to her much earlier in the year by Ashley at likesounds.
I then saw a video of her play at SXSW 2008 in Austin (where she fell off a boat or something).
The first track I heard was Girl With One Eye and I think it's still my favourite - I'm not really convinced by her new track Dog Days Are Over.
She also has a Kent connection... she's worked with Kid Harpoon!

I heard Three Little Words a couple of weeks ago on Rob da Bank and was reminded about it again by a blog post at Circle Square Triangle.
I can't decide yet if I like it... it's well made, catchy and poppy but I'm put off by the Mika-esque falsetto vocals (something I also think about bands like MGMT).
The main thing I'm noticing from the list so far is how much of the music is reminiscent of 80s and 90s pop and rave... synthesisers, neon colours and men in shirts seem to be making a comeback. Not sure if i like it.

Yaaay! I love Kid Cudi. He's talented, funny, and he's worked with Crookers - three factors that make him instantly my favourite so far.
I heard Day'n'Nite a couple of months ago on the Mashup and probably on Westwood too, and eventually found the Crookers remix for my iPod. I've been listening to it ever since.
At first I was skeptical of dubstep, but now I really like it and I love how it can cross over so many genres, as this track demonstrates really well.
I love little gaps and bits of silence by the way, so the drop out of the chorus makes the whole track great.

More of the same female-fronted electro-pop. It's alright, but will rapidly become annoying if it all goes on the same... I think I'm not keen on the light, happy, airy feel to it - imagine it more along the lines of Crimewave by Crystal Castles, and I reckon you're onto a winner.
Hopefully by the end of 2009 all these artists will have furthered their style enough to mean that people won't get too bored of them.
I think I'm also put off by the cheesy retro video for Quicksand.

Somewhere between Ladyhawke and MIA, perhaps? With something of Britney or Missy Elliot about her?
It's similarly retro and catchy in a pop sort of way, but not particularly strong lyrically.
There's a sort of male-voice smooth r'n'b bit in Just Dance - a bit like Chris Brown - which makes me feel sick.
Also... she should also put some clothes on, and stand up straight, before I get distracted.

Wohoo - Little Boots! Another familiar name, face and voice.
(I've got her phone number and you can't have it).
This was another artist I heard via Ashley and was instantly hooked - I first heard Meddle, then Stuck On Repeat, then got really excited when I realised I'd been listening to the Fake Blood remix for a few weeks (I'm still obsessed with the way she's cut up to sing 'Fake Blood' halfway through).
I've heard Meddle too much now and I'm bored of it (through no fault of Little Boots or her music). But I'm definitely interested in hearing new stuff from her, and I can see her coming out on top of this poll too.
I know this sounds a bit weird and stalkerish, but I preferred her when she had brown hair (as depicted above).

I was looking forward to the day when Chipmunk arrived in the list... but this'll have to do. And actually, Master Shortie is a damn good replacement.
This works out perfectly for the musical Britain that's still riding the grimewave brought on by the likes of Dizzee Rascal and Wiley, and Dead End is yet another catchy hip-hop single with some nice disco hand-claps in.
His real name's Theo Kerlin - don't you think that sounds more cool than Master Shortie?

I first heard of Mumford And Sons back in the summer when Tom from the show told me about how he'd just seen Laura Marling play live. Mumford And Sons are Laura's backing band for her live shows, and also make music in their own right... I finally got round to listening to them for the first time today.
Feel The Tide instantly reminds me of the thoughtful and melodic Death Cab For Cutie, or the happy folk of Noah And The Whale. I like it.

I'm not keen on Passion Pit. There, I've said it - and I'll look silly in 2010, because I can equally see that they're going to be big.
You can already hear the annoying falsettos of Mika - or MGMT! - in there, and the music is messy, painful and confusing.
I heard them first via Ashley (noticing another pattern?). I've since heard Sleepyhead played by Annie Mac, Rob da Bank and Zane Lowe... which makes me want to like it, but I don't. Sorry.

With a name that reminds me of Passion Pit, my relationship with The Temper Trap was never going to work out.
The sweeping-stadium-rock sound is boring (and yes, I thought that even before I heard Glasvegas).
I can imagine Sweet Disposition sounding good live... it has that epic indie feel to it that would sound good in a big room. But here in the little studio I'm sitting in, it does nothing for me.

Last but not least... yet another band I heard first from Ashley. So that's who I need to thank for shaping my music taste over the past few months... thanks Ashley!
I quite liked Death... I liked the Crystal Castles remix too... and then I heard To Lose My Life on Zane's podcast and decided I really like them.
They remind me of Editors - who I think are dull. So maybe I'll tire of White Lies fairly soon... but for now I think they have something unique and their songs are catchy, memorable and definitely worth playing on repeat for a while.

In conclusion
Babby pappy female synth-pop is the way forward next year.
If anyone's going to win, it should be Kid Cudi, Little Boots or Florence And The Machine.

What do you think?

Second Good Books album due in May

2008-12-08T22:22:00.003Z

Good Books examine my blog sidebar

Sevenoaks band Good Books have announced that their new album will be out on 4th May. They've been recording it here in Kent. More details here.

You can see them live this Thursday at the Proud Gallery in Camden, or in February with Dan & Scroob at the Bush Hall in West London.

(By the way - if you're thinking it should be spelled GoodBooks, you're wrong. They've now been awarded the luxury of a space-bar, as you'll see on their MySpace).

On tonight's show...

2008-12-07T10:13:00.003Z

...old favourites come back with new material, in the form of Maidstone's Outa City Committee and Chatham band Brigadier Ambrose...

We'll also be chatting to Polka Party on the phone, and playing their track Serbian Tennis which was our hottest record a couple of weeks ago.
Here's them on the phone to us:

Also there's new music from Two Wounded Birds and Silversky, and our mashup is from Bodymachine.

See you there - tonight from 8 - listen online here.

Let's make it Christmas number one

2008-12-06T11:23:00.000Z

Do one thing at bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces

iPlayer excitement

2008-12-02T19:02:00.002Z

Is it wrong to be excited about this?
We're on the BBC iPlayer! (The old Listen Again style will stay in place for the time being though). You can now rewind and fast-forward as much as you like.

I'm such a geek.

Seven Story Down and Underground Heroes at the Leas Cliff Hall

2008-11-30T12:34:00.010Z

On Friday night I went to the Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone for the Holloways gig (although obviously I was there to see Kent bands Seven Story Down and Underground Heroes).
That's Ollie and David from Seven Story Down just up there.

All three bands played awesome sets, and it certainly topped the other gigs I've been to at the Leas Cliff Hall (umm... Morcheeba? Scouting For Girls?).

Seven Story Down's set was a nice mix of old (ravey and loud) and new (atmospheric and poignant) material, and was enough to win over yet more of my friends.
Here's what happened when I caught up with them afterwards (my voice sounds hoarse obviously - it was neccessary to sing all the lyrics I knew in order to gain extra indie-points).

Jak from Underground Heroes came on stage to set up his pedals, and my friend shouted "Wooop! Aaron!".
Jak mouthed back "I'm not Aaron mate."

After Underground Heroes' set, which as usual was dancey and happy all the way, the real Aaron hopped over the barrier for a photo with us. What a legend. For your convenience, I've added some handy arrows so that you can identify me and Aaron (you love it).

Engineering works

2008-11-24T00:51:00.002Z

I've only just got back home. Public transport always seems to be ridiculous on Sundays, especially when it's freezing cold and you're really tired. Add to that a random person 'trespassing' on the track somewhere near Ashford, which held us up for a good twenty minutes.

I should be on Grumpy Old Men.
(...except I'm not that old, and I'm not even technically a man.)

I'm happy now though - I'm listening to Rob Da Bank.
Glad I've got a day off tomorrow before the week starts again.
Having said that, I need to update the MySpace page before I go to sleep...

My new friend

2008-11-24T00:48:00.003Z

Nothing says 'friendly local railway station' than a station-master’s cat.

When I was waiting for the train to take me to work on Sunday I was greeted by the Sandling station Customer Service Cat, who watched me buy my Permit To Travel and then sidled over and sat on my lap until my train arrived.

I really like cats, and having just walked in the rain for half an hour it cheered me up no end.

Christmas list

2008-11-11T19:04:00.006Z

Buy me these please.

(The list is in no particular order - it's just lots of stuff I want).
Probably gets more ridiculous as it goes down.

digital SLR camera
electric drumkit
a car
clothes that aren't falling apart
Canon XL2
colour laser printer
80gb iPod - I've filled up my Nano already
a Macbook
a phone that isn't full of pocket-fluff
a Microkorg
Protools

Mmm! Yes please.

Other brands of video camera, portable music device, laptop computer, synthesiser and industry-standard digital audio editing package are available (but none quite as good as the ones I want).

Grrr

2008-11-11T18:01:00.002Z

Photo: drivin' bye by Flickr user eye of einstein. Used under license.

The week so far has been, as a weather forecaster would say, a mixed bag.

The highlight of the week might easily be Elevator Safety Awareness Week, but coming in a close second is Sunday's show which we presented from the new studio. It went as well as could be expected given the fact none of us were used to the new environment. Probably didn't sound any different to you - but that's a good thing of course!

Today, though, I failed my driving test for the second time. One serious and three minors. It was frustrating enough the first time, but this time it feels like it wasn't my fault (although it probably was).
That explains why there's a random photo of a car up there.

Tomorrow I've got a meeting about a career in the police force (don't worry - I'll stay in radio! Just interested).

On Friday it's Seven Story Down and Tom Williams And The Boat at the Twells Forum - really looking forward to it (although would have been better if I could have driven myself there!).
See you there... I'll the one in the massive Pudsey outfit. (Not really).

Kent bands on video

2008-11-04T19:01:00.003Z

Photo of a cat - called Yawn! - by Flickr user kaibara87. Used under license.

Really tired.
Probably something to do with the fact that I got up at 5.30am yesterday and went to bed at 12... and then woke up again at 7am... and have actually done some work in that space of time too.

This is a post I've been planning to write for a while - it's some music videos featuring Kent bands. Have a look around YouTube for some more - and if you know of any I've missed out let me know.

Breezy - I Get Drunk

The Foxes - Trauma Town

Underground Heroes - Skinny Twins

The Long Weekend - Record

So there you go... woo.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T15:02:00.004Z

Photo: Halloween pumpkins by Flickr user markhillary. Used under license.

Woah woah woah. I ought to blog more.
By way of apology, here's a stream-of-conciousness post about some new music I've been listening to recently...

Razmataz Lorry Excitement
Bleepy and hand-clappy 80s dance pop... think Does It Offend You Yeah? meets Friendly Fires. Plus he's a BBC Introducing artist... watch the video of him playing live at Reading.
And then listen to Make It Break It.

Killcode
Thrashy metally rock from across the pond with Nirvana-esque vocals and lots of rawky attitude and intense guitar solos. Raaah. (Do I sound like a Kerrang reviewer?)
Listen to 6am Again.

Sophie Ellis Bextor
I decided the other day that I'm not going to be embarrassed about music any more. Life's too short... and after all, if the music's good then it shouldn't matter. I've also been listening to lots of Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry, which would previously have been 'guilty pleasures' but are now proudly in my top-rated list.
Listen to Catch You. Please. Just once. Then tease me about it.

And Kent band The Long Weekend
Finally getting round to listening to this album properly. I'd heard most of the tracks separately but I only actually heard it all in the right order yesterday. The new single is Record - and it's even got another black'n'white Tap'n'Tin video.
Listen to Medway Is The Distance.

That's enough for now...
To see more of what I've been listening to, see my last.fm profile.

Mr Basista

2008-10-20T20:21:00.002+01:00

Next week on the show you'll hear Booda by Tunbridge Wells MC Mr Basista. That's him just up there.

He's been picked as the Music Curator's Choice at this year's NOISE Festival which is the UK's first virtual creative festival. This year the music curator is the producer of Wiley's Wearing My Rolex - a man called Bless Beats (apparently not his real name).

Bless Beats, having listened to Booda which is taken from Mr Basista's debut album Thunk, said: “What I found interesting about Mr Basista was that he actually came up with something very original and very well produced, it had this really feel good track and it was so original and very distinctive.”

Technology is ridiculous

2008-10-20T11:20:00.002+01:00

First of all there (above) is the video from Maida Vale.

The documentary about our day at the Maida Vale Studios with Tom Williams And The Boat went out on BBC Radio Kent last night - you can hear it here until next Sunday evening.

Now time for a rant about technology:
Sorry if you came to visit my blog over the weekend and found that it didn't exist. The lovely people at my web hosting company (who shall remain nameless) forbade me access to these hallowed pages even though I'd just given them £35 for the privelidge. And then when they managed to make it work, they denied any knowledge of it having being broken. Grrr.

Appreciating sitcoms, posters and music

2008-09-29T21:18:00.002+01:00

Generic image of a policeman pointing at people breaking the law, stolen mercilessly from BBC1's Traffic Cops.

Evening.

Here are the best things in life at the moment:

Gavin And Stacey

I discovered this ages ago when I heard someone talking about it on the radio and thought I'd watch a bit. I've since been quoting all sorts of bits of it and remembering the gags I watched ages ago, but it hasn't been on telly for a while so it's nice to have it back.

Traffic Cops

...is always good. Another iPlayer favourite.

In the process of finding that link I've discovered there's a new episode of Sky Cops so that's what I'll watch when I've posted this! Ahaaaa, I'm such an obsessive.

Anyway, when I'm not watching police shows I'm watching geeky live streams.

The posters in NME this week

Nice big Arctic Monkeys poster. Wohoo.

New music I've discovered

I know some people are - as I said before - keeping a stalkerish eye on my music tastes via my Last.fm profile, but in case you're not a member here are some of things I've been listening to which I've enjoyed, followed by my iTunes rating for the track.

The Rapture - No Sex For Ben (5*)

I've always liked The Rapture but somehow only discovered this track. I'm obsessed with it, it's so catchy.

Chase And Status ft Plan B - Pieces (5*)

Arrrrgh I can't wait for the album. It comes out on Oct 13th - the day before my driving test. Those two events make that week the most exciting this year, pretty much...

Hadouken! - Crank It Up (Noisia remix) (4*)

I got this free from the band's email newsletter, and I really like it. It's praahperly filthy.

The Rasmus - Livin In A World Without You (3*)

Catchy pop-rock, woop woop.

The Long Weekend

2008-09-28T19:25:00.003+01:00

A few weeks ago I rang up Oliver Burgess, who's the lead vocalist of Medway indie band The Long Weekend. The band take their influences from 60s surf-rock and more modern indie, and now their debut album 20 Minutes, 13 Stops is released tomorrow.

You can hear an exclusive album sampler from the band with Jim and Tom on tonight's show (BBC Radio Kent from 8pm), or if you miss it you'll be able to hear it using the BBC iPlayer up until this time next week.

The Lovedays

2008-09-28T13:38:00.003+01:00

WOAH! A new blog post!

Sorry I've neglected you over the past week, it's been very uncharacteristic of me but I've been obscenely busy.

To make up for my period of downtime, here's an interview I did a few weeks ago with Ben, the frontman of Medway band The Lovedays...