1. Unquiet Desperation: In 2010, Sheffield's finest monthly event has continued to give the best underground acts, DJs (myself included), writers, artists and photographers a well needed kick up the ladder to bigger and better things. D/R/U/G/S, Gold Panda, Age of Consent, all tore Sheffield a new arsehole in 2010 and opened my eyes to experimental dance music. Acts I wouldn't necessarily even know about or listen to. All for free - for fuck sake. It's been a pleasure to contribute to the night over the past year as a resident DJ, and share the decks with the likes of Sunday Girl, Secret Diaries and Hat & Cakes. I personally wish it every success in 2011.
2. Spectrals: I'm bored to death, quite literally, of singing this bands praises. So it was great to see Spectrals play to a packed audience at Queens Road Social Club alongside Dum Dum Girls in October. I first saw these guys about a year at the Plug supporting Crocodiles when about ten people showed up for what was to be one of the most enjoyable gigs I have ever been to. Be-My-Baby era Spector, dreamy flirtations with garage, doo-wop, and surf. In short, it's the nostalgic sound of kissing your first girl. I recommended these earlier on last year on the blog and if you've not caught on yet I think you should.
3. Misty Lane Records: In July I visited Rome and got the chance to meet Massimo the guy behind Misty Lane Records - who has been reissuing vinyl's and back catalogues of obscure garage, surf and beat bands since 1989. He was one of the nicest guys I've ever met and took time out to meet me for a drink in Trastevere - which was easily my favourite quarter of the whole city. This is the man that was bold enough to re-release the Dovers singles collection which has been sampled by the like of Atlas Sound on 'Walkabout' and Skeleton Jones for 'The Great Escape'. His secret record premises in Rome are the stuff of legend.
4. The Jesus Love Heroin Band: I saw this band last week on a trusted friends recommendation. It's good to see other people from Sheffield who share a love of garage, psychedelia and odd-ball sixties records. I only play them on vinyl and obsess over records I can't afford whereas these guys are out there doing it, and have read somewhere that they have more recordings in the offing. I can't wait!
5. Sheffield's Charity Shops: apart from Record Collector on Broomhill, "chazza" shops are the only place where you can pick up old vinyls. It's a sad state of affairs for me, as I've only been seriously collecting for about the past 18 months; but in that time I've grabbed original cuts of plastic by Francoise Hardy, The Honeycombs, The Chantells, and The Yardbirds for insanely cheap prices over the counter. It's a testament to the older generation, their taste in popular culture, their love and care for records that these artefacts still arrive in my hands in such good condition. Particularly, when a lot of the CD's I held dear as a teen are now in bits and are scratched to fuck.
Anyway - have a good Christmas and New Year - see you in 2011 - eager in anticipation of more things cool as I see them.
Grandchildren of Nuggets x
