News Item #2. Live DJ Mix mp3 thing

As a result of the above 'gig', I decided to lash up a quick live mix on the CDJs, to give those people who've never heard of me (i.e. almost everybody) an idea of what they might hear. So, I might as well give everybody the option of listening to it. Just over 20 minutes long, feat. Stevie Wonder, Monkey Mafia, The Phenomenal Handclap Band, Royksopp, Banbarra, The Emperor Machine, DJ Shadow, Mr. Oizo and a few other bits and bobs. Worth a download? I couldn't possibly say one way or the other, but if you think so, it's [HERE]

News Item #3. Music From The Pig Fink * 2006 - 2009

I've decided to upload some examples of what I've been up to since Radio Soundhog 6. Much of this stuff has either been previously heard only in selected circles, or not put out at all. Maybe there's a reason for that? Anyway, there's everything from noisy dance music, to prog rock and library music re-edits, to the occasional old style bastard pop track. 16 tracks in all. You can get it, if you really want, [HERE]

It's going out on BBC Radio Wales on Adam Walton's show (fittingly, the exact same station and programme that my first ever long(ish) mix did, six long years ago). I realise most people reading this won't be able to receive that particular BBC outpost on a proper VHF radio, but you can listen to it live over the internet using that iPlayer thing, or on the telly using one of those digital satellite/freeview boxes. All the  details are HERE. The mix is an hour long, as per usual, and will be going out at 11:00pm (GMT).

I'm not giving out any clues as to what's in it. It will probably appear on the site in the not too distant future, but certainly not for a few weeks at least. I advise you to listen to it now, in case I change my mind. It'll be on the iPlayer for 7 days after transmission, so if you're doing something more interesting at that time of night (which I suspect you might be) then there's an option, I'll post a link for that when it becomes active... Anyway, consider yourselves warned.

There'll be a another, very different kind of mix to download in a few days as well, but more details on that later.

Thank you for your attention. As you were...

Contrary to popular opinion, I've not died or gone to work in an estate agents. It's just that I'm very, very un-busy as far as anything remotely musical goes.

All I can say at the moment is that Radio Soundhog Volume 7 is not a myth. I've been letting it take shape for the last two years or so, but only when I can really be bothered/inspired. This may sound absolutely ridiculous for something which is, let's face it, a load of old records bashed together. I'd agree. However that's the way it is. It currently sits at about the 46 minute mark, so there's another 14 to go.

The current plan is for it to debut on the actual radio, then make it available here a couple of weeks after that. When? Well, I doubt there will be much of 2008 left, put it that way. I hope it turns out to be worth the wait for the casual listener. I have no idea if it's any good or not anymore. Some of it is, for definite, but I can't see the whole picture anymore after having spent so long piddling around with it and listening back to it at least 200 times. Anyway, I'll post up here when some sort of 'release' is on the cards. I'm fairly confident in saying that it will the the last one I do, unless something radical happens in my head/circumstances.

I'm not sure if anything else will be made available before then. I was planning to do a compilation of all sorts of odds and sods... unofficial remixes, psych/prog re-edits (mostly done way before everyone else jumped on the f*cking bandwagon, I hasten to add), the odd unheard bootleg from years ago, etc... Just to clear out the musical sock drawer, and I may still do this. But if anyone's ever paid any attention to my say:do ratio, they'll know that could be a very empty promise! Still, you never know your luck... good or bad, depending on your point of view.

I'm now also on bloody Facebook, against my better judgement - Long Facebook link

Right, as you were. It looks like I'll be doing a one-off DJ thing in Cardiff in November alongside some other very good acts, although I have no idea what sort of stuff I'll be playing as yet.  Obnoxious shit, probably.  There may be one more Mix90 to come, as well. But I can't say that for definite. As usual...

cheers

/ ben sH

Mix90 4? But I thought you said a couple of days ago...

Yes, I know what I wrote, "Mix90 is taking a rest for a few weeks..." Well I don't know if it's the immense amounts of sweeties I've been eating, but a sudden burst of energy gave birth to Mix90 4 in a very short amount of time. If I was sensible, I'd hang onto it until next month at least, spread the stuff out a bit and all that. However, I'm the sort of person who could very rarely be described as "sensible".

So, Mix90 4. 90 minutes of music that could be tarred with the "psychedelic" paintbrush in some way, whilst avoiding the abundance of crappy, noodly arse that's been dug up and reissued by various chancers over the last 20 years since the good stuff ran out. It's a broad church as far as I'm concerned, with room for early '60s tape experimentation, proto-Krautrock from 1970, floppy-fringed effects pedal terrorists from 1990s Oxford, future '70s disco-sensations early work and lots more. All of it is unequivocally brilliant (as far as I'm concerned, anyway, and it's my mix so what I say goes, right? Right.)

Click here to get it, innit.

Funk625 mix ...

Mix90 is taking a rest for a few weeks, but there should be another one crammed full of psychedelic fabness fairly soon. In the meantime, here's something a bit different - nearly an hour's worth of 'funky' (a word which has been so misused over the past 10 years it sets my teeth on edge, but I can't think of a better one at the moment) stuff. Mostly instrumental, mostly '68-'74, some singing, some in Hungarian, some in Icelandic, some stuff from the past two years or so, some electronic, some library weirdness, most of it well known, some of it a bit obscure, all of it bloody great. No flashy mixing, bashed down 'as live', but some of 'em do seem to fit very well together.

Popping over to http://www.soundhog.co.uk will direct you to the good shit, as they say.

You should know the form by now, 90 minutes of music split right down the middle, just like in the good old days. No timestretching or warping is involved, the trick is to choose tunes that work well next to each other - a simple concept that seems beyond many people's grasp. Idiots. There's everything from Hammond led R&B to '70s TV interval music, with a 15 minute section of absolute heaviness at the start of side two. And 'Rod, Matt and Jane'.

Happy Xmas, if you celebrate that kind of thing.  Ho, ho, bloody ho.

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Soundhog - Mix90 3 (25th December 2007)

"...Something To Make Us All Happy..."

------------------------

Side 1:

BBC Radiophonic Workshop - Ideal Home Exhibition
The Elastic Band - Room Full Of Room
The Zerfas - You Never Win
Heads Hands And Feet - Warming Up The Band
Legend - City
Sidan - Dwi Ddim Isio
The Nic Rowley Group - Not The Nine O'Clock News
Brian Bennett - Ticket To Ride
The Small Faces - Grow Your Own
Traffic Sound - Yesterday's Game
The Move - The Words Of Aaron
The Pretty Things - She's A Lover
Tyrannousarus Rex - King Of The Rumbling Spires
Traffic - Dear Mr. Fantasy


Side 2:

Leaf Hound - Freelance Fiend (Soundhog Extended-Edit)
Jody Grind - Plastic Shit
Flied Egg - Leave Me Woman
Steve Miller Band - My Dark Hour
Radiohead - The National Anthem
Paul McCartney - Oh Woman, Oh Why
Free - Trouble On Double Time
Bert Jansch - Poison
The Liverpool Scene - The Raven
Gerry Rafferty - The Long Way Round
Inigo Kilborn - A Tune For Lucy
Fleetwood Mac - Only You
Rod, Matt and Jane - Garden Song
Ohio Express - Sausalito (Is The Place To Go)
Roger Fiske - Jackanory
The Who - Sunrise

Mix90 2 uploaded ...

Yeah, I got bored already. But I forced myself. I'm so good to you lot.

The second installment in the Mix90 series is done and up. Another two 45 minute slabs of the sort of stuff that turns my musical crank.

It's quite scary, but I've almost kept my promise of uploading
stuff "every couple of weeks". I didn't record last night's
live mixathon (which is a shame as it was really good in parts...)
but no matter.

Presenting for your delight and consumption, the first in the
Mix90 series. As you might have gathered from the title, it's
a 90 minute long mix of tunes, split right down the middle so 
you can record it to tape in the proper fashion. Don't expect 
any intricate beat cutting, bastard popping or dance music 
maelstroms - this is a sequed mix to be listened to and enjoyed
(I hope), as it features some of the music I really like.
Maybe you'll really like some of it too. I hope so. Let me know.

Visit http://www.soundhog.co.uk and follow your nose.

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Soundhog - Mix90 1 (30th October 2007)
"...And It Looks Like We've Made It Once Again..."

Side 1:

John Leach - Sun Ride (theme to Ask The Family)
Amon Duul II - Between The Eyes
Alan Moorhouse - Soul Skimmer
Salt - Hung Up
McDonald & Giles - Tomorrow's People
Johnny Scott - Glad Gadabout (theme to Teddy Edward)
J. Geils Band - Funky Judge
Electric Mud - Hausfrauenreport (excerpt)
The Monkees - Circle Sky
Bernard Estardy - Ala Mia Thra
Iron Butterfly - Termination
Appletree Theatre - Lotus Flower
Emitt Rhodes - Really Wanted You
Farmhouse Kitchen (TV theme)
Curved Air - Back Street Luv
Atomic Rooster - Tomorrow Night
Swell Maps - Let's Build A Car

Side 2:

Donovan / Open Road - Clara Clairvoyant
We All Together - It's A Sin To Go Away
Agitation Free - Maelsch
Freddie Phillips - Blue Part Invention
Timebox - Poor Little Heartbreaker
Pink Floyd - Grantchester Meadows
The Raybeats - Calhoun Surf
The Mekons - Trevira Trousers
Focus - House Of The King
Skip Spence - War In Peace
Elton John - Lady Samantha
Barry Stoller - Atomic Butterfly (original Tiswas theme)
The Flies - I'm Not Your Stepping Stone
T2 - J.L.T.
George Martin - Theme One