RIP: Sir Bobby Robson

Sir Bobby Robson (1933-2009)

There may be better quality photo's of Sir Bobby around, but this is how I'll always remember him. Full of joy as manager of my beloved Ipswich Town, as yet another team are brushed aside by our glorious passing game and team spirit.

My Dad and I hardly missed a home game during the Robson era. Those European nights were special - staying up late despite having school the next day. It was just the accepted thing to do in our town.

I'll never forget Sir Bobby coming to our school to judge a ball-juggling competition. He was the ultimate inspirational figure for all us kids who grew up in Ipswich during the seventies and early eighties.

We are - and shall always be: "Bobby Robson's Blue & White Army".

Jitter World EP - SOLD OUT:

Abstract Forms were adamant Jitter World should be a very limited edition as a treat for those who still love collecting Techno Vinyl. The initial run - originally intended to be severely limited to 200 copies - was expanded by another 100. These were all snapped up on pre-sale and gone within days.

Abstract Forms have listened to my pleas for them to re-press sometime in the future. They aren't promising anything, but a repress without the hand-stamped inserts is being considered.

Check the Abstract Forms website for further news:

ABSTRACT FORMS

Samuel L. Session charts Jitter World:

Jitter World is No.4 in Samuel L. Session's Juno Top Ten chart for July 2009:

Samuel L. Session Juno Chart - July 2009

DJ Magazine: Jitter World EP Review

Kirk Degiorgio - Jitter World EP (Abstract Forms) With Luke Slater in firing form and Kirk Degiorgio returning, you'd be forgiven for thinking a UK '90s techno revival was under way. 'Jitter' shows that Degiorgio is as relevant as ever; the title track is a layered deep house affair centred on a swinging rhythm; 'Back in my Head' mines the abstract As One sound with sublime melodies unfolding over a wiry, offbeat groove and 'Traject' is a full-blooded deep techno track. Sublime stuff.

DJ Magazine - August Issue No. 476. Review by Richard Brophy.

Top Ten July 2009

July 2009 (alphabetical order):

A. Mochi: Blackout EP (Figure)

Artis: Skeptic (Numbercult)

John Tejada: The Locus Of Points (Palette)

Mariano DC: Damage Blocker (Varianz)

Obscurum: Dom (Reeko Remix) (Mechanisms Industries)

Oliver Huntemann: Shanghai Spinner (Joey Beltram Remix) (Ideal Audio)

Psycatron: Deeper Shades Of Black (After Dark Mix) (Guilty Pleasures)

Redshape: Violet (Delsin)

Rick Wade: Intelligence (Laid)

Tom Trago: Brothers Of String (Yuro Trago Remix) (Rush Hour)

Book Choice #16:

Nathan Englander: The Ministry Of Special Cases

A harrowing, powerful account of life in Buenos Aires during the seventies. It's as if the military junta took Kafka's 'The Trial' and used it as some sort of social control policy. The odd occupation of Kaddish and the Jewish cultural background to the story add an extra layer of interest.

The writer hits the heights for me with his respect for the 'disappeared' Pato by not revealing his final words written on hidden, crumpled scraps of paper - swallowed by another of the 'missing' and eventually lost as she is dropped to her death from an aircraft.

Reading this novel is akin to one of those 'anxiety' dreams where you can never quite accomplish an abstract goal upon which your life depends.

ART Studios - Flickr Set

ART Studios 2009

Kirk Degiorgio - ART8

Kirk Degiorgio - "Mass" - ART 8 (2009) by kirkdegiorgio

ART8 Resident Advisor Review:

ART8 Review by Richard Brophy

Book Choice #15:

Roberto Bolano: The Savage Detectives

A vast, sprawling, engaging novel revolving around the members of an obscure Mexican-based poetry movement known as the 'visceral realists'.

Essentially, a story involving a night-time escape from Mexico City by a group of poets protecting a girl from her violent pimp. This escape also becomes a search for an elusive poet in the deserts of Northern Mexico.

But sandwiched between this story are a series of wonderful short stories - told 'talking heads / documentary style' describing various adventures of the poets - taking us from Mexico to Nicaragua, to Paris, Barcelona, Israel, Angola, Liberia, etc.

Such is the scope of this novel that I will probably need to read it again to fully appreciate everything within. A monumental work.

Sound Obsession - July 2009

Michael Jackson Tribute

Jackson 5 - I Want You Back - Motown

Jackson 5 - ABC - Motown

Jackson 5 - Ready Or Not (Here I Come) - Motown

Jackson 5 - Can I See You In The Morning - Motown

Jackson 5 - Darling Dear - Motown

Jackson 5 - Feelin' Alright - Motown

Michael Jackson - I Wanna Be Where You Are - Motown

Jackson 5 - Looking Through The Window - Motown

Michael Jackson - Got To Be There - Motown

Jackson 5 - Ooh, I'd Like To Be With You - Motown

Jackson 5 - It's Too Late To Change The Time - Motown

Jackson 5 - Dancing Machine - Motown

Michael Jackson - We're Almost There - Motown

Jackson 5 - Forever Came Today - Motown

The Jacksons - Show You The Way To Go - Epic

The Jacksons - Man Of War - Epic

The Jacksons - Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) - Epic

The Jacksons - Blame It On The Boogie - Epic

The Jacksons - Things I Do For You - Epic

Michael Jackson - You Can't Win - Epic

Michael Jackson - Don't Stop Til You Get Enough - Epic

Michael Jackson - Get On The Floor - Epic

Michael Jackson - I Can't Help It - Epic

Michael Jackson - Rock With You - Epic

The Jacksons - Everybody - Epic

The Jacksons - Your Ways - Epic

The Jacksons - Lovely One - Epic

The Jacksons - Heartbreak Hotel - Epic

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean - Epic

Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Starting Something - Epic

Michael Jackson - P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (Demo Version) - Epic

Michael Jackson - P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) - Epic

Michael Jackson - Baby Be Mine - Epic

Michael Jackson - Human Nature- Epic

The Jacksons - 2300 Jackson Street - Sony

Richard Maher Agency:

Richard Maher Agency

I'm very proud to announce that Richard Maher Agency are now the exclusive booking agents for my DJ and Live performances worldwide. RMA are one of the most respected agency's in the dance arena and I am really excited to join their roster.

For all future bookings please contact RMA through the website at:

http://www.richardmaheragency.com/

Book Choice #14:

Simon Singh: Fermat's Last Theorem

Singh does an excellent job of explaining the complex mathematics behind a seemingly straight-foward theorem. This theorem however, has defied the world's greatest mathematicians for 350 years until Andrew Wiles finally found definitive proof after years of obsessional work.

The book not only explains the workings behind Wiles' proof, but gives the reader a broad history of mathematics from the Greeks onwards. It's rather bizarre just how many great mathematicians ended their lives tragically.

Despite enjoying the book, the obvious point that Fermat could not possibly have used the same methods when claiming his proof is only touched upon briefly towards the end. Perhaps the historian in me yearned for more research into whether Fermat really did have proof as he claimed.

BBC's Horizon documentary on the subject can be watched here: