The Independent

I wrote this for The Independent today, expanding on my last blog post:

I should, by rights, be smug about the troubles at the BBC Asian Network. To my surprise I’m not.

A few weeks ago, before all the recent turbulence, the station called time on my weekend specialist music show “Electro East” as well as canning my more serene colleague Pathaan. To apply the Asian Network’s analogy to an archetypal Asian family; Electro East was clearly a black sheep. The family didn’t understand it, and then dis-owned it. It’s like a scene from “East is East”!

Because of that my initial reaction to the story of the stations closure was “what goes around comes around”. In fact, it would be a tragic loss.

The Asian Network had made brave decisions in providing an outlet for new, underground music through my show and others. Alongside 6Music, both stations provide a vital pubic service that can’t be found anywhere else in the UK, if not the world. This platform is not only priceless to up and coming artists that simply can not get airplay anywhere else, but crucial to the fragile independent music industry as a whole.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not been all perfect and rosy. I’ve fought every step of the way to make sure that these platforms are maintained. The public wants new underground music and I still find it strange that the Asian Network ridded itself of two shows that deliver that. I guess this is now a moot point.

Articles point to low listenership on both stations, but they’re collected via Rajar. This does not include one single internet listener. It’s well known that 6Music and Asian Network have a strong online following. The internet is clearly the future (a public point of contention to other media entities, including the paper that leaked the story) and disregarding those listeners seems rather antiquated.

Old fashioned values of impartiality, uniqueness and service are what helped make the BBC so great. To progress with the times would make it greater, while continuing to inform, educate and entertain.

It’d be devastating to lose two stations that provide platforms that do just that, with or without me.

–

As an update the only email address to send your thoughts to at the BBC is srconsultation@bbc.co.uk

It really is “All Change”

A few weeks ago the BBC Asian Network announced that they were ending my show, Electro East. There’s only 3 more shows left and we’re going all out to make them as special as possible, continuing with our “Heroes Of Bass” season that’s already had Fresh, Zinc, Adam F & Horx and Shy FX in the studio. Benga and Audio Dakoos are still to come, as well as the 200 track final show.

On Friday night, as I’m sure you’ve heard by now, The Times leaked a report stating that the BBC Asian Network and 6Music were going to be shut down.

Cue loads of upset, Facebook groups, tweets and uncertainty. The fact is that reviews of the BBC’s output have been underway for a while now and there was always a chance that some stations were going to go. Also, bear in-mind that The Times is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who has a vested interest in the downfall of the BBC. No one knows the final outcome. Until tomorrow morning apparently.

I was really upset that the Asian Network canned Electro East and Pathaan’s Musical Rickshaw as to me, those shows amongst others, were what stood the station apart from the other more mainstream stations Asian or otherwise. I don’t like the idea of dividing music by race, but if it’s going to happen you need to represent the whole spectrum, and I like to think that’s what our shows helped do. Being fired and replaced by someone younger/faster/stronger would have vexed me but at least that platform for underground music would still be alive. To use the Asian Network’s analogy to an archetypal Asian family; Electro East is the black sheep the family didn’t understand, and dis-owned. It’s “East is East” all over again!

And it’s because of that my initial reaction to the story of the stations closure was “what goes around comes around”. But then I realised that it was that same, managerial knee-jerk reaction to close the station that affected me, all be it a few rungs down the ladder. That pre-emptive, stab-at-protective action could take down two stations that do stuff, with or without me, no one else in the world does. They both deserve our support.

Sign the petition, join the Facebook groups to save 6Music & Asian Network and complain directly to the BBC here.

If you want to complain about Electro East finishing too, well, who am I so stop you?

Addendum with regards to ratings:
It may be useful to note that quoted listening figures are collected via “Rajar”, where a selection of listeners note what they listen to via Anlalog/DAB in a diary. I’m not sure but figures collected via listening thought TV figures may also be included. The main point to note from this is that internet listenership is NOT counted. I would hazard a guess that 6Music and Asian Network are consumed mainly via the internet.

Handbrake Turns

February’s been a roller-coaster. I’m going from moments of happy exhilaration to moments of dread rapidly after each other, several times a day. Proper emotional handbrake turns. It follows that this month’s mix is full of musical handbreak turns with Dubstep, Electro, House, Electronica and a splash of D&B:

01 Engine Earz – Kali Yuga (Engine Earz)
02 Badeshi – Nine Body Blade (Other Brother)
03 Placebo – Bright Lights (Randomer Remix) (Placebo)
04 Audio Bullys – Only Man (Jakwob Remix) (Cooking Vinyl)
05 MJ Cole – Sincere (Nero Remix) (Prolific)
06 Benga – Little Bits (Digital Soundboy)
07 Rob Le Pitch – Sticky Fingers (Tom Real and Rogue Element Remix) (777)
08 Zinc feat Miss Dynamite – Wile Out (Bingo Bass)
09 iSide – Wedding Crasher (Dub)
10 Erotic City
11 Slyde – Jetset (Global Underground)
12 Foreign Beggars feat Noisia – No Holds Barred (Affinity Remix) (Never Say Die)
13 Camo & Krooked – History Of The Future (Audio Porn Dub)
14 Noisia – Machine Gun (Spor Remix) (Vision)
15 Midival Punditz – Tonic (Nucleya Remix) (Six Degrees)
16 Jose James – Warrior (Rockwell Remix) (Brownstone)
17 Bachelors Of Science – Bombay Saphire (Horizons)
18 Subterra and Dekko – Unicursal (Shiva Soundsystem)
19 Massive Attack – Girl I Love You (She Is Danger Remix) (Virgin)
20 Mos Def – Quite Dog (Sub Swara Remix)
21 D-Code feat Nerm – Outlaw (Nerm’s Shhh Don’t Tell Anybody Remix) (Shiva Soundsystem)

Click the little down arrow on the player below to cut out and keep your very own copy of this mix for ever!

All Change

What a weird few weeks. Getting back from touring India and into 2010 was awesome. We’re all revitalised and prepared to realise loads of great plans for the year, some of which you’ll have seen rolled out already like this blog and the now fully functional Shiva Soundsystem site.

I’m in the video edit for the next Shiva Soundsystem release, “Fray” featuring Orifice Vulgatron from the kings of UK hip hop Foreign Beggars and we’ve kicked off our new London residency “Return to Bass”. We’ve also just been nominated for “Best Alternative Act” at the UK Asian Music Awards 2010, alongside Engine Earz, Niraj Chag and Bat For Lashes, something that really has taken me by surprise.

So it’s a bit of a shame that the BBC Asian Network called time on my weekend alternative music show Electro East as well as Pathaan’s Musical Rickshaw.

We both started our shows on the same night, Saturday 17th June 2006, in a flurry of palpitations and crippling nerves. Electro East used to be on between 8pm and 10pm which was a brave decision because before then, the slot was for languages so it really was quite a change. The idea was to push what I’ve always believed in – that “Asian” music isn’t all just about Bollywood and Bhangra.

I’d like to think that Electro East has helped prove that. We took unsigned, new and international artists and put them in the mix alongside established names of all underground genres. We made sure that their music was the most important thing that we could emphasise about them on air, not their race.

My role at the BBC Asian Network was to blur barriers and I’m proud that I did just that. I’m never going to stop blurring barriers, on any platform, medium or station continuing, initially, with my new podcast series after March 20th when Electro East fades from the airwaves.

I’d like to thank everyone at the Asian Network for giving me a shot all those years ago and for helping launch my broadcasting career. I was always really humbled by the good nature of my musical heroes that stepped up and shared their work and passion. They turned out to be some of the nicest people and most of all we had a laugh.

The biggest thanks goes to the listeners for such big support & love and the artists for trusting I’d do the right thing with their music, signed or unsigned.

To give Electro East on the BBC Asian Network the send off it deserves, we’ve got some very special stuff planned that started this weekend with our “Heroes Of Bass” season, kicking off with Shy FX and continuing with Adam F and Horx (aka Kicks Like a Mule) next week.

I’m proud of every single track played, every guest we had on the show and the huge amounts of fun we all had doing it. I hope you’ll join me. Every Saturday night, from midnight, on the BBC Asian Network. Until March 20th.

If you’d like to have your say, please email electroeast@bbc.co.uk

Shy FX and Denaeo Unplugged :: Exclusive

On my show Electro East this weekend, we had jungalistic pioneer and Digital Soundboy boss Shy FX alongside cohorts BTraits and Donaeo. On the show’s Facebook wall we’ve recently started to post video short interviews with our guests on stupid, diconnected topics like their favourite vegetable or something like that. This week the interview didn’t go quite as well. We got something way more interesting than vegetables:

Data Recovery

I’ve been feeling nostalgic recently and looking back over the last few years for reasons I’m sure you’re aware of. If not, don’t worry, I’ll explain all on Monday but the fact remains, I’ve been reminiscing.

Coincidentally, I found an old box of mix tapes I’m made in 1997-1999 and my first ever live mix on radio for Eddy Temple-Morris’ show The Remix on X-FM from 2001. Out of them all, I thought I’d share this mix from 1998 of Drum & Bass and what was then Asian Underground.

Mixed completely on vinyl using two belt driven Gemini turntables (which always changed speed by themselves!) and a broken 2-channel Numark mixer.  It was recorded onto a D90 cassette using the mic input of a battered tape deck.
I re-recorded the tape straight into my computer with no treatment/EQ or editing to keep that roughness, not that there is much I can do to make it sound better anyway! I found a silly picture of me from around the same time too.

So bearing all that in mind, I hope you forgive the sound quality & mistakes and that you enjoy this little taste of 1998:

01 Photek – Ni Ten Ichi Ryu (Science)
02 Photek – Margin 98 (Science)
03 Talvin Singh – Butterfly (Island)
04 Osmani Soundz – Spiritual Master Key (Omni)
05 Roni Size – It’s Jazzy (V Recordings)
06 Goldie/Roni Size – The Calling (Remix) (V Recordings)
07 Lelonek – Kizmet (Omni)
08 Photek – The Water Margin (Science)
09 Talvin Singh – Sutrix (Island)
10 Ges-E & Usman – Flute Song (Outcaste)
11 Krust – Warhead (V Recordings)
12 Ges-E & Usman – Talking Tablas (Outcaste)

Something Wicked This Way Comes

January’s a cold month. Here’s some twisted Drum & Bass warmth for you. I’ve called it “Something Wicked This Way Comes”:

Download link: http://www.sendspace.com/file/f9qg2o

01 Royalston – The Test (Med School)
02 Dexcell – Blissful Thinking (Dub)
03 Subterra & Dekko – Why (Dub)
04 Blu Mar Ten – Believe Me (Blu Mar Ten)
05 REDS & Randomer – Standoff (Dub)
06 Soul Intent – Bro (Blindside)
07 Circa – Future Funk (Dub)
08 D Bridge – Wonder Where (Exit)
09 Randomer – Blind (Med School)
10 Amit & Outrage – Reclaim The Symbol (Function)
11 Deepz – Nitefall (Shiva Soundsystem)
12 Kantyze – Orchid (Basswerk)
13 Logistics – Glow Worm (Hospital)
14 Drifta – Source (Dub)
15 Subterra & Dekko – Eighty Five (Shiva Soundsystem)
16 Nuphlo – Treasure Beyond Measure (Nasha)
17 Blu Mar Ten – Clipjoint (Blu Mar Ten)
18 Randomer – Seeing Angels Redux (Dub)
19 Lynx – Disco Dodo (Creative Source)
20 Alix Perez ft Foreign Beggars – The Cut Deepens (Shogun)

Night for Haiti @ The Den

If you’ve missed any of the horrible shit thats happening in Haiti then read this.

Want to help? Feel helpless? Don’t. True Tiger and Chantelle at  Ctrl.Atl.Shift are throwing a massive charity night at The Den, so you can rave and help people:

Ahhh, the good ol’ days

Remember when CD-R’s were a brand new concept? Remember when Philips introduced the first dual deck CD Burner? Remember this ad? Name that tune…

“We start at the beginning once again”

In 2003, Shiva Soundsystem, the record label I run, started a Blog which ran til 2008. While that’s being archived into the new under-development website, and the new blog’s being created I thought I’d start mine up too. For all Shiva Soundsystem stuff head over there.

This Blog’s is something else. A place for me to rant, share cool sh*t and get a little bit personal.

Sure, my broadcasting work and other projects will pop up here and they’ll be a bit of overlap with the DJing on Shiva Blogsystem, but I’ll try to keep them as separate as possible.

Think of this as an extension of the stuff on Twitter and Facebook.

Let’s get stuck in.