Two excellent Rave docs

Check these out quick before I repost them on Dangerous Minds with expanded text. They're two different BBC documentaries about rave culture, the first a World In Action special from 1988 (some of this footage has been widely circulated, such as two old cockney ladies talking about flashing lights), the other a BBC North production form 1992 following the set up of a legal rave in a field near Newcastle.

Coming from the BBC, both these programmes contain a typically patronising voice over, but it is interesting to note the difference in tone in both shows. The earlier World In Action special, while coming form 1988, has a more balanced approach, with even a spokesperson for the police admitting that ecstasy use is not that widespread, certainly not as much as the press suggest. The "Rave" programme, even though it is covering a fully legal, licensed rave, is more obviously influenced by an anti-rave/anti-drug press bias that the figures in the show feel they have to counteract.

This being the late 80s/early 90s there are some BAAAD clothes on display, and of course the music is pretty damn aweosme:

WORLD IN ACTION "A Trip Round Acid House" 1988 Part 1



WORLD IN ACTION "A Trip Round Acid House" 1988 Part 2

WORLD IN ACTION "A Trip Round Acid House" 1988 Part 3

BBC North "Rave" 1992 Part 1



BBC North "Rave" 1992 Part 2

BBC North "Rave" 1992 Part 3

Benji B's Soundcloud

is well worth checking out. It features recordings from his BBC1 radio show and also sets from his London club night Deviation.

I have been hooked on a set from Deviation by synth boogie don Dam Funk. He really is the master at this kind of post-disco, American 80s funk sound:

Dam-Funk DJ Set | Recorded Live Deviation 1st Birthday Session by Benji B

And for people who STILL don't know what dubstep is exactly, check out this "History of Dubstep" special. It's a bit hit and miss for my liking, but a great rundown of the whos, whys, whats, wheres and whens:

Benji B The History of Dubstep on BBC 1Xtra 11 12 10 by Benji B

Sohrab on BBC Radio 3

Going live, right now, Sohrab, ambient / techno artist from Tehran and member of the UNOIKI collective, is being played out on BBC Radio 3. Just got the heads up from the Unoiki guys about this - Sohrab is being played on Fiona Talkington's Late Junction show, up 'till 1.15
Can't embed them, but lots of free music over on his soundcloud page. Go check it out.

BBC Late Junction homepage

Peter Sissons on Anne Robinson

John Peel Day

Today is John Peel Day. We still miss you big man xx

Scaaaan

As if Phil Mitchell on crack wasn't good enough - the BBC has just announced that Chris Morris is going to be directing some episodes of Eastenders!! A short clip of one has just been leaked - OMG this is going to be amazing!

Bigg Taj

Goddamnit, why can I not embed this video? Glasgow's finest beatboxer and genuine decent guy Bigg Taj teaching the BBC how to beatbox, from a couple of years back.
Click Through To Watch the Video.
This is also pretty good - Taj at last year's Vauxhall beatbox championship.

The Scheme on the BBC

There's a new reality show on BBC Scotland that is causing quite a stir - it's called "The Scheme" and details life on a housing estate in East Kilbride. By "quite a stir" I mean it's getting a lot of people tweeting, blogging, kicking up a fuss and most of all laughing.



Is this a good thing? I don't know for sure but I don't think so. I have only watched the first episode (which was very hard to watch actually, even more so than some so called horror films) and the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. Yes, it WAS funny, but also the worst kind of schadenfreude. I don't think I will be going back for more, and I don't think this is an honest or accurate depiction of life on a housing estate. Of course, we know now that "reality TV" is pretty far from actual reality, but The Scheme shows just how low editors and producers have stooped for the sake of getting ratings.

Our friend the writer Kerry Ryan has reviewed the show on her blog, and put into words what it was that I felt while watching the show. "Poverty porn" indeed. Read Kerry's review of the Scheme here.

I Love Roger Linn

I was thinking about some originators today.

Here's a BBC program about Roger Linn, hosted on his own site in the 'Bragging' section.

I love you, Roger.

Question Time RMX

Nick Griffin is more honest once Cassette Boy has had a go at him...




If you missed Question Time, You can still catch Griffin and Co. on the iPlayer.

It was basically a whack the wacko session, but hey. It was still entertaining telly, more so than anything endemol have ever done.

Nick v Curtis v George

You should know by now that Nick Griffin of the BNP is appearing on Question Time tonight.

What you might not also know however is that these people are also gonna be in the same building at the same time.



50 CENT!

and...



BOY GEORGE!

So here's today's poll: which one of these men is most likely to take any kind of action against Nick Griffin tonight?