The Cosmos Heap

"Brewed & Stewed - inspired by bad weather & Barry's Gold Blend" received mostly positive reviews, with the exception of one person who hated it.  Normally he is a proponent of my work, and I have no qualms with people disliking what I do.  The galling part was the attitude, that somehow he was owed a mix CD that he would enjoy.  My process is always the same, select a bunch of records (about twenty to thirty), hit record and keep going for an hour to an hour and twenty minutes.  Never have I attempted to put together a mix for anyone's enjoyment but my own.  If people like this stuff, that's all good and groovy.  If nobody likes it, then there is not much I can do about that.  Some people do not understand that, and hold me responsible for their happiness, which is quite a hefty job for someone who spends their week wandering around town, handing out free mix CDs.

This time the approach was slightly different: the attempt was to make a painfully self-indulgent mix that hopefully nobody but me would like.  The resulting mix is more morose, headier, and spacier than usual.  If there is an underlying message, it is the feeling of disconnection with humanity and society, but the unmistakeable sense that one is somehow part of the universe as a whole.  Unfortunately since this mix went online yesterday, it has gotten quite a bit of love, which means that this mission was a failure.

01. Nannie Porres & Claes-Goran Fagerstedts Trio - It ain't necessarily so
02. Donald Byrd - Where are we going?
03. Norma White - I want your love
04. Fela Soul - Oohstrumental
05. Janet - Got 'til it's gone (featuring Q-Tip and Joni Mitchell)
06. Visioneers - Ice cream on my kicks
07. Ramp - Daylight
08. El Michels Affair - Hung up on my baby
09. Dionne Warwick - Walk on by
10. Nat Birchall - Peace in Nineveh
11. Bobby Womack - Point of no return
12. Charles Bradley - Victim of love
13. The Vogado Projects - Mas fuerte que el sol
14. Colm K - The attic (featuring Walshy)
15. Massive Attack v Mad Professor - Radiation ruling the nation (Protection)
16. Nostalgia 77 & The Monster - The taxidermist
17. Sun Ra - Moonship journey



Thanks to Sunday Times, Fish Go Deep, Rootical Sound System, Colm K, Cork city and county for the inspiration.

Nu micks

It's been a while since I put together a mix, quite a while. For several yonks I was bringing my laptop out to every gig, hitting record, and then the best hour or so would become a mix cd. Sadly (well it was more unfortunate than sad), a few months ago I was getting up off the couch (something that I never do unless it's very necessary, usually only to make more tea or have a pee) without realising that the power cord of my laptop was wrapped around my foot. As a result my aged powerbook hit the floor at the exact angle required to break one of the hinges. There are many things I like about apple products, but the main dislike is that when things go wrong, they go wrong in a big and or tedious way. The replacement part will cost about fifty quid, and it will only be slightly less complicated than advanced neuroscience to stick it in. In summary, to replace this one bit (which is also the most breakable part), I will have to take out everything else. This is not an exaggeration, a quick google search of "g4 powerbook titanium replace broken hinge crying blood nightmare" will give you an idea of the ordeal involved. Granted, it would probably take a full day to do it and be done, but I haven't worked up the nerve yet (either that or I really couldn't be arsed, take your pick).

So there's my tediously drawn out excuse as to why it's been a while since I've put out a mix cd. I suppose a tracklist wouldn't go astray?



01. Kumasi Walk - Ikebe Shakedown
02. Sneakin' In The Back - Tom Scott
03. Mr. Brown - African Music Machine
04. Four Play (Promo Edit) - Fred Wesley & The Horny Horns
05. La Valla - Bronx River Parkway
06. An Announcement To Answer - Quantic
07. Ease Jimi - Nightmares On Wax
08. Freedom Road - The Pharoahs
09. Eli's Pork Chop - Little Sonny
10. Gasoline Alley - Dave Grusin
11. Droge CX9 - Manfred Hubler & Siegfried Schwab
12. Dance - George Benson
13. Feed Me Good - Har You Percussion Group

Can be downloaded here, if you would like a copy on cd, leave a comment and I'll hook you up.




Wishing you a merry Christmas, and a happy new beard!
Over the last few months I've been feeling a beardy sort of broodiness. I'd see men with impressive facial hair and find myself sighing wistfully. Movember was the cruellest month, so I made a decision to hang up my razor once it was over. It's been well over a year since I undreaded my head and gave my face a jolly good shaving, and there has been a constant stream of questions relating to when I would regrow them, or could I at least bring the beard back? It's bizarre, but I imagine that if I were to retire from DJing, there would be less of a demand to get me back behind the decks, than there has been for me to regrow the beard.

For the inexperienced, it's worth noting that there is more to growing a beard than just not shaving. Getting through the itchies is a test of endurance that few men can tough out. It kicks in after a week and then lasts for about a week and this is when most so-called men tap out. If you know someone who usually looks unkempt and unshaven but has never had a proper beard this is why.

The other major stumbling block for me is what most Irish men are cursed with: The Ginger Beard. I understand that the G-word is no longer considered politically correct, but there's no point calling a spade a spud. Even though having dark hair, brown eyes and eyebrows means I'm not a true blue ginger, when my face furniture is in full effect I experience the slings and arrows of outrageous anti-gingerism.

And yet here I am, face itching likes it caught an std and growing ever more ginger by the hour. It will be all worth it in the end, won't yet? (Yeah, keep tellin' yourself that Señor Gingernuts)