What is Radio Clash?

Well maybe there isn’t a more direct connection to Cameron to fully support a PM toppling move yet, but if one were to be proved…

You already have phone hacking, lies, chief spin person to David Cameron who used to be editor at a paper full of unethical journalists who say Andy Coulson knew what they were doing (really hard to believe a newspaper that wouldn’t discuss sources, especially with the boss who could take the rap or even jail for them?), the Murdoch family and their stinking pile that is called News International going after the BBC (the whole license fee and BBC Trust/6Music attacks are due to their political/media pressure and money they throw around) and ITV/Thames at varying times.

More worryingly the fact the Metropolitan Police buried evidence from the CPS, didn’t investigate other journalists despite obvious evidence that there was more than the 2 people involved, and that high up police and military and government ministers and MPs were on the lists they recovered. Is this blackmail? Does Rupert Murdoch know where the bodies (or protesters) are buried? Scary stuff.

The funny thing is they’re about to be sued by 4-5 people, one is actually someone who works at Sky, who was a victim of the hacking too.

The most damning thing though? It takes the New York Times to report this – and the FT and Guardian (and now Independent) to meekly follow suit, with nary a peep from anyone else apart from Private Eye who always cover this. They’re all too scared of Uncle Rupert. Cowards.

Well at least John Pilger dared write about it – it’s very true, some parts of Liverpool still don’t sell The Sun because of this shocking piece of hackery, and quite rightly so. If the Pakistan Cricket allegations also turn out to be false also, expect similar burnings of their newspapers (and hopefully not poor donkeys – LEAVE THE DONKEYS ALONE! May I suggest effigies of Murdoch?).

Oh I am so banhammered on all the corporate WebNannyShieldManagerProFascistAntiGayCocksucking firewalls for that subject line, but I don’t give a fuck. I’m in a great mood cos not only has the proper video for Cee Lo’s TRACK OF THE YEAR dropped – and no he’s not paying me a dime, cos he’s more like Atari, and doesn’t have a Ferrari – but he does have a kickass video:

…also Ride On Zeitgeist Kleptones has done a quickie mash of said track with Flaming Lips ‘Do You Realise’. I think this is confirmation, along with the 4 million (!) hits in a week and a half this track is gonna be huge, and the corporate web censorin’ radio-friendly blanddogs are gonna be busy…not since Man Don’t Give a Fuck and Fuck the Pain Away has the bleepmachine probably gone into hystrionic meltdown, I bet…cos if it’s so evil why does it sound so GOOD? And why do you cheer Mr Green at the end of the video vs the bitch from hell when she gets her comuppance, reverse Cinders style.

Caused by coming across this scarily accurate list, for those who thought Swamp Thing, Rednex and Doop were bad we have equally bad delights to share (although I disagree on their additions of Rushin the House, Trip to Trumpton and SmartE’s although yes Roobarb and Custard was always bad and lazy even then)

Above is Slipstreem’s terrible version of Rod Stewart’s Sailing cannily renamed We are Raving, which not only should be scuttled and keelhauled; it was directed by Jarvis Cocker. I bet he sent a few scurvy dogs over the plank for that one…

Next is Scooter whose whole output should be on this list (apart from that quite-good Billy Idol cover of Eyes Without A Face, well I liked it) but taking a Shut Up and Dance classic, singing it badly then adding faux-acid and Scotland the Brave? No I’m not raving I’m sitting this one out.

I’m ashamed I used to like Oceanic but really, yes this is shite, and completely out of tune, on the upside if Florence leaves her Machine or La Roux needs another day job, safe to say here’s another singing job they could fill in on:

Fuck the macarena. Well fuck this fuck the macarena, it’s horrible too, probably worse than the Macarena actually.

I’d add these to this list:

The terrible DJ Miko What’s Up cover on the list cannot actually beat A.D.A.M. ft Amy’s scary version of Zombie. Yes the Cranberries one – which was an annoying track to start with – I know lets add happy hardcore to it, that’ll improve it! Err, maybe not. I blame Almighty for crap like this, even though I don’t think it’s one of theirs, the banal female diva cover plus happy handbag backing is totally their invention. And bane of the gay scene, I remember sitting in the Kings Arms when this first came on. I then despaired for the taste of my fellow gays.

Hmm I used to think a techno version of the Das Boot theme was a good idea. I was younger then.

Smash Hits lyrics: Poing, Poing, Poing, Poing, Poing, Poing, Poing, Poing, Poing, MAKE IT STOP!

I used to play this at the end of my Parkade sets as the ultimate in Edelweiss style Scooter good/badness. It’s so bad it transcends into goodness as it has passed the worst barrier into a new realm, Star Trekkin’ style.

And I refuse to even link to Crazy Frog – Axel F. Ugh.

So what are YOUR worst novelty dance records? It does seem rave, happy hardcore, trance and house spawned quite a few monsters…

Thanks to Brian Greene for directing me to Free Radio (over an argument over the term Pirate Radio vs Free Radio) – I had heard about Free Radio Berkeley but didn’t know they had a site, and were still going teaching people how to make their own transmitters.

You see Pump up the Volume wasn’t a fantasy…I wonder if DAB will eventually get pirate radio, or whether the central approach nixes that? That would be a shame…Also sad that I doubt there will be more community/local radio access when the digital switchover leaves more frequency space, because in reality there could be 1000s of radio & TV channels once the very wideband TV frequencies are switched off – but I doubt Clearchannel and the BBC will want to allow that.

But in the US FRB was successful in getting some LPFM provisions through – although very limited, and sound similar to the provisions in the UK around ‘restricted services’.

If you want to setup your own station, Free Radio Berkeley has this handy video guides. Go to it, kids!

I wrote about DM50 a while back with Buraka Son Sistema’s great cover of Buffalo Stance, but although I get the emails I wasn’t so into the next few releases and had tuned it out…but Dunproofin posted the latest one to Facebook and I was entranced…the surreal and charming video (not involving the band) totally makes it – and harks back to a time where people made videos that didn’t have to make sense, nor had some brand manager insist they focus on the band to up their profile or sell more records…as Factory records proved the abstract and less commercial approach is far better – although ironically it takes what essentially is an extended ad for Doc Martens boots to have the freedom to do that.

Strange times indeed – sometimes I think the fashion industry – once the more conservative, now understands and supports radical and experimental statements now much more than their former homes of music and fine art – certainly within studio photography this is very true.

Anyway a band that’s been on my ‘must check out’ list for ages – I loved Dead Sound from Lust Lust Lust and Here Comes Mary according to Mr iTunes – cover I Wanna Be Adored in lovely floaty style, reminding me of XX and how the Raveonettes must be an influence of theirs. Still, I prefer the in-progress ‘in the studio version’ (below) without any drums or percussion, just feedback and vocals. Sometimes less is more…they should release that version too.

Oh and as before you can download the MP3s free from here. (requires registration)