Friday 30 September 2011

MD'S CLUB DATES, OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER '11



































Saturday 1st October
The Earl, The Second Bridge, Bath

Friday 7th October
The Swish Ball, (with Omar/ Ronnie Herel/ Donaeo/ Rampage,)
Bushwackers & Sin, Swindon

Saturday 8th October
Back In The Day, (90s Revivals,) Sloanes, Gloucester

Saturday 15th October
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Friday 21st October
The Living Room, London, W1

Saturday 22nd October
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Friday 28th October
Club Tonnuss, Jelgava, LATVIA

Saturday 29th October
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Friday 4th November
CONNECTIONS @
Club Illusion, Tartu, ESTONIA

Saturday 5th November
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Saturday 12th November
The Earl, The Second Bridge, Bath

Friday 18th November
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Saturday 19th November
Mirage, Aylesbury

Saturday 26th November
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Wednesday 28 September 2011

URBAN ANTHEMS WITH MARK DEVLIN - THE LATE SUMMER '11 EDITION











Feeling the latest Nicki Minaj/ Drake/ Wacka Flocka/ Kanye/ Rihanna joints? No, me neither. All the more reason to take it back with the latest Urban Anthems instalment then. More back-to-back feel-good joints from the golden years - classic R&B, hip-hop, reggae dancehall and soul to get your head nodding and send a chill down your spine. Not all the ones you usually hear, either. This is the alternative selection, and trust me, it's all good baby, baby!

Urban Anthems late Summer '11 by Mark Devlin

Download, reminisce and enjoy.


LL COOL J: MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT

BRAND NUBIAN: ALL FOR ONE

CYPRESS HILL: HOW I COULD JUST KILL A MAN

FREEWAY: FLIPSIDE

BLACK GIRL: KRAZY (BOSS' HIP HOP MIX)

TANYA VON: TONITE

FATHER MC: LISA BABY (HIP HOP FAT MIX)

50 CENT: MANY STEMS

CAPLETON/ METHOD MAN: WINGS OF THE MORNING

CAPLETON: TOUR

CUTTY RANKS: WHO SEH ME DUN

RAYVON: BIG UP

MAD COBRA: LIMB BY LIMB

FIVE STAIRSTEPS: OOH CHILD

2PAC: KEEP YOUR HEAD UP

ICE CUBE: CHECK YO SELF (REMIX)

JURASSIC 5: CONCRETE SCHOOLYARD

LOST BOYZ: JEEPS, LEX, COUPS, BIMAZ & BENZ

KEITH MURRAY: I GET LIFTED

KENNY DOPE: GET DOWN

RUDE RYDIMS EXPERIMENT: EVERYBODY BOUNCE

SHAI: IF I EVER FALL IN LOVE

Y EN VEE: CHOCOLATE

CASE/ FOXY BROWN: TOUCH ME TEASE ME

DA BRAT: GIVE IT TO YOU

ERIC BENET/ FAITH EVANS: GEORGIE PORGIE

DR DRE: THE MESSAGE

JAY Z: THIS CAN'T BE LIFE

BACK IN THE DAY @ SLOANES, GLOUCESTER, SATURDAY 8TH OCTOBER


Great event on the way in Gloucester next month - feel-good 90s throwbacks all night long with Martin Infullswing Rafferty and crew. Strong anticipation for this one.

Tuesday 27 September 2011

MD'S DIARY, SEPTEMBER '11







































































































The month got off to a good start with a trek up North to Block Party in The Lake District - always a welcome addition to the diary. Life in Devlin Towers is so mental these days that I only get the chance to properly listen to new music in the car, so I lined up a stack of CD listening accordingly. The journey ended up taking seven hours incorporating a diversion to Manchester to take care of a little business, (nothing sordid, you understand,) so much tuneage got absorbed.

The gig marked Block Party's 9th birthday, so hats off to Clyde, aka DJ Bligeness, for keeping it going for so long. This dude's one of the most dedicated in the game, with a taste in hip-hop that's virtually identical to my own. It's always great to get the opportunity to let rip with a full-on audio assault at The Wheelhouse.

Fast forward to Wednesday 14th, and a re-visit to another fondly anticipated spot, Soul City in Ibiza. Each Summer I play a peak-season night in July, then go back for some closing season action in September when the crowds are a little more civilised, and the weather's less scorching. On this occasion, veteran DJ Horse was off for the night, so I was spinning alongside his co-host Mister Ice. The Soul City atmosphere never disappoints, and I tore through styles like a madman while Ice took care of the mic.

I span the last tune at 6am, and stumbled out into the San Antonio dawn. My usual sensible demeanour goes out of the window when it comes to Ibiza, and my alcohol consumption resembles that of a naive 18-year-old. On this occasion I hadn't eaten before coming out, so felt like I'd been marinated in vodka. I managed five hours' sleep back at the Bellamar Hotel, but it wasn't until back at the airport in the evening that I started to feel human again. Oh dear. When will I learn?

I'm fortunate enough to have a Dad who shares my interest in deep and alternative matters, (the nature of reality, who really controls the world, that type of thing,) so we both set off for Swindon on Saturday 17th to attend a conference event entitled Weird, (which many doubtless think would also apply to me!) On the agenda was a full day of presentations falling into what I guess would get dubbed the paranormal and 'conspiracy theory' fields. The speakers included Graham Hancock, author of 'Fingerprints Of The Gods', a book that truly knocked me sideways when I first read it. Hancock spoke about out-of-body and inter-dimensional experiences, particularly those achieved by ingesting the powerful hallucinogenic ayahuasca. Totally captivating stuff.

It was family holiday time in Weymouth, Dorset the following week. I use the term 'holiday' very loosely, as five days in a caravan with two small kids would be far from most peoples' idea of relaxation. Although Parveen and myself returned home sleepless and battered, two-year-old Zaina had a whale of a time, which was all that really mattered.

It had been a minute since I'd last visited Cardiff, a city that was virtually my second home in the late 90s. On Saturday 24th, I was happy to be spinning at the second birthday party of 411, a club dedicated exclusively to black and urban music. Mo Moniz and his team have done a fantastic job of creating a stylish venue that attracts a happy, dressy crowd, but with no compromise on the music, which is as real as it gets. I spun for an hour between DJs Jigga and D Stylus, who were both on-point, and much old-school tuneage got rinsed. It was great to catch up with some old faces again. I also remembered that 411 used to be known as Liberty's, the first club I ever played in Wales. I got home at dawn, wondering how the hell I used to manage that motorway trek there and back twice every week. I guess I was quite a bit younger then!

OMAR, RONNIE HEREL, MD @ THE SWISH BALL, SWINDON, FRIDAY 7TH OCTOBER


This one promises to be great, and not long to go now. Omar in PA, Ronnie Herel, Stu Campbell and myself bringing the soulful business, with Rampage leading the urban business in Room 2. All at the classy Swish Ball in Swindon on Friday 7th October. Check the flyer for ticket details, or holler at me.

Saturday 24 September 2011

411 CLUB 2nd BIRTHDAY JAM IN CARDIFF, TONIGHT














All set to head to Cardiff tonight, spinning 1-2am alongside an all-star DJ cast at the 2nd birthday of 411 Club. Shouts to So Funked and the crew for holding down the city's only venue specialising in urban music in all its forms.

Tuesday 20 September 2011

411 CLUB 2ND BIRTHDAY PARTY, CARDIFF, THIS SATURDAY














Looking forward to getting back to Cardiff next Saturday night to spin at this, the 2nd birthday party of 411 Club, the nightspot dedicated exclusively to black music in all its genres. Shouts to So Funked and all the crew. Any Forum/ Swing Shift crew from back in the day, be sure to come and party.

http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/lifestyle/places-to-sparkle-in-105371?click=main_sr

BACK IN THE DAY @ SLOANES, GLOUCESTER, SATURDAY 8TH OCTOBER


Great event on the way in Gloucester next month - feel-good 90s throwbacks all night long with Martin Infullswing Rafferty and crew. Strong anticipation for this one.

Monday 19 September 2011

OMAR, RONNIE HEREL, MD @ THE SWISH BALL, SWINDON, FRIDAY 7TH OCTOBER


This one promises to be great! Omar in PA, Ronnie Herel, Stu Campbell and myself bringing the soulful business, with Rampage leading the urban business in Room 2. All at the classy Swish Ball in Swindon on Friday 7th October. Check the flyer for ticket details, or holler at me.

Sunday 18 September 2011

411 CLUB 2ND BIRTHDAY PARTY, CARDIFF, SATURDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER














Looking forward to getting back to Cardiff next Saturday night to spin at this, the 2nd birthday party of 411 Club, the nightspot dedicated exclusively to black music in all its genres. Shouts to So Funked and all the crew. Any Forum/ Swing Shift crew from back in the day, be sure to come and party.

Friday 16 September 2011

DJ MISTER ICE DESTROYS SOUL CITY, IBIZA

Resident DJ Mister Ice sees out Summer 2011 with another full-on session at Soul City, Ibiza's liveliest jump-up party bar.

Sunday 11 September 2011

URBAN ANTHEMS WITH MARK DEVLIN - THE LATE SUMMER '11 EDITION











Feeling the latest Nicki Minaj/ Drake/ Wacka Flocka/ Kanye/ Rihanna joints? No, me neither. All the more reason to take it back with the latest Urban Anthems instalment then. More back-to-back feel-good joints from the golden years - classic R&B, hip-hop, reggae dancehall and soul to get your head nodding and send a chill down your spine. Not all the ones you usually hear, either. This is the alternative selection, and trust me, it's all good baby, baby!

Urban Anthems late Summer '11 by Mark Devlin

Download, reminisce and enjoy.


LL COOL J: MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT

BRAND NUBIAN: ALL FOR ONE

CYPRESS HILL: HOW I COULD JUST KILL A MAN

FREEWAY: FLIPSIDE

BLACK GIRL: KRAZY (BOSS' HIP HOP MIX)

TANYA VON: TONITE

FATHER MC: LISA BABY (HIP HOP FAT MIX)

50 CENT: MANY STEMS

CAPLETON/ METHOD MAN: WINGS OF THE MORNING

CAPLETON: TOUR

CUTTY RANKS: WHO SEH ME DUN

RAYVON: BIG UP

MAD COBRA: LIMB BY LIMB

FIVE STAIRSTEPS: OOH CHILD

2PAC: KEEP YOUR HEAD UP

ICE CUBE: CHECK YO SELF (REMIX)

JURASSIC 5: CONCRETE SCHOOLYARD

LOST BOYZ: JEEPS, LEX, COUPS, BIMAZ & BENZ

KEITH MURRAY: I GET LIFTED

KENNY DOPE: GET DOWN

RUDE RYDIMS EXPERIMENT: EVERYBODY BOUNCE

SHAI: IF I EVER FALL IN LOVE

Y EN VEE: CHOCOLATE

CASE/ FOXY BROWN: TOUCH ME TEASE ME

DA BRAT: GIVE IT TO YOU

ERIC BENET/ FAITH EVANS: GEORGIE PORGIE

DR DRE: THE MESSAGE

JAY Z: THIS CAN'T BE LIFE

THE LEGENDARY LATE NITE FLAVA AT THE FORUM, CARDIFF REVISITED ON URBAN FUSION'S LATEST PODCAST














The newest edition of Cardiff crew Urban Fusion's popular podcast features a contribution from myself, reliving the glory days of The Forum, and the legendary Late Nite Flava club nights in the late 90s, including a recording from Millennium Night 1999/2000. Check it out!

Urban Fusion presents Kind Of A BIG Deal Episode.18 (Forum Special) by Urban Fusion

Wednesday 7 September 2011

SMILEY CULTURE'S DEATH: MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS


















As written by Black Sheep Mag's Nobby Lamb in the latest Hoof To The Head:

This week the Independent Police Complaints Commission have decreed that there was no liability or evidence enough to convict the police officers involved in the death of 80s U.K reggae artist, Smiley Culture. Smiley died in suspicious circumstances: the official line was that his South London house was raided by police (assumption- a tip off that Smiley was dealing or possessing drugs,) and that, during the raid, he went to make a cup of tea and then in a fit of pique, not to mention mental imbalance, stabbed himself to death.

(By the way, the IPCC are already on the rack over the death of Mark Duggan in Tottenham for misleading the public and the media after their initial findings' narrative painted a more favourable position for the police. So, I wouldn't think they had any less reason for giving out a wooly explanation for Smiley's death and whilst there is some sort of criticism levelled at the officers' dealing with his death, it de-emphasises, through spin, the incompetence of said officers'. So, let's not take the IPCC on face value, no matter how "independent" they claim they are. They're not!)

The explantation of Smiley's death is murkier than a Florida swamp. It's the assumption that both Smiley's family and the wider public, (who the police are supposed to be accountable to,) will blindly believe that Jedi mind trick. Even if Smiley had drugs in his house and he was looking at a long sentence if found guilty, would he have killed himself? We will never really know what happened on that fateful day, mainly because the police have the upper hand, including controlling the information that flows out of an incident from the parties concerned.

In the wider sphere, however, we have yet another black man dying in suspicious circumstances with, clearly, a huge smokescreen fogging the real issues and the need for transparency.

It seems that nothing has been learned from people dying innocently from police mismanagement (usually minorities) throughout history. It does hark back to a slavery-master psyche that dictates that a black life is worth a lot less than a white one.

I understand that the police have a tough job, but they don't do themselves any favours with this latest blunder. And, yes, Smiley's reggae star years were well behind him the day he was killed, but it's indicative of a deeply ingrained, dare I say it, racist stench, pervading from the police.

It's tempting to make cliched comments about mainly white, possibly racist police officers dealing with a black man in a manner that is sub-human and vile, proving that we still don't have the kind of parity between all races. But it does seem to ring true. Smiley's family aren't playing a cynical race card to get leverage for the truth to come out. But there are questions to be answered. It seems that the power structure and those representing law and order in this country still see fit to (excuse the pun) whitewash a serious incident resulting in a human being's death (irrespective of Smiley's possible criminality.)

Smiley is entitled to due process. His family is entitled, reasonably and ethically, to get the full truth of what happened, and for those with blood on their hands to be punished to the full extent of the same law that allegedly governs us all, equally.

Ending on that laughable irony, Smiley's biggest hit was 'Police Officer'. Art and reality merged fatally some 25 years later to wipe Smiley off the earth. His music lives on, but questions remain unanswered and still we don't value everyone equally. So much for so-called progress.

Tuesday 6 September 2011

BACK IN THE DAY @ SLOANES, GLOUCESTER, SATURDAY 8TH OCTOBER


Great event on the way in Gloucester next month - feel-good 90s throwbacks all night long with Martin Infullswing Rafferty and crew. Strong anticipation for this one.

Monday 5 September 2011

OMAR, RONNIE HEREL, MD @ THE SWISH BALL, SWINDON, FRIDAY 7TH OCTOBER


This one promises to be great! Omar in PA, Ronnie Herel, Stu Campbell and myself bringing the soulful business, with Rampage leading the urban business in Room 2. All at the classy Swish Ball in Swindon on Friday 7th October. Check the flyer for ticket details, or holler at me.

THE LEGENDARY LATE NITE FLAVA AT THE FORUM, CARDIFF REVISITED ON URBAN FUSION'S LATEST PODCAST














The newest edition of Cardiff crew Urban Fusion's popular podcast features a contribution from myself, reliving the glory days of The Forum, and the legendary Late Nite Flava club nights in the late 90s, including a recording from Millennium Night 1999/2000. Check it out!

Urban Fusion presents Kind Of A BIG Deal Episode.18 (Forum Special) by Urban Fusion

Saturday 3 September 2011

URBAN ANTHEMS WITH MARK DEVLIN - THE LATE SUMMER '11 EDITION











Feeling the latest Nicki Minaj/ Drake/ Wacka Flocka/ Kanye/ Rihanna joints? No, me neither. All the more reason to take it back with the latest Urban Anthems instalment then. More back-to-back feel-good joints from the golden years - classic R&B, hip-hop, reggae dancehall and soul to get your head nodding and send a chill down your spine. Not all the ones you usually hear, either. This is the alternative selection, and trust me, it's all good baby, baby!

Urban Anthems late Summer '11 by Mark Devlin

Download, reminisce and enjoy.


LL COOL J: MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT

BRAND NUBIAN: ALL FOR ONE

CYPRESS HILL: HOW I COULD JUST KILL A MAN

FREEWAY: FLIPSIDE

BLACK GIRL: KRAZY (BOSS' HIP HOP MIX)

TANYA VON: TONITE

FATHER MC: LISA BABY (HIP HOP FAT MIX)

50 CENT: MANY STEMS

CAPLETON/ METHOD MAN: WINGS OF THE MORNING

CAPLETON: TOUR

CUTTY RANKS: WHO SEH ME DUN

RAYVON: BIG UP

MAD COBRA: LIMB BY LIMB

FIVE STAIRSTEPS: OOH CHILD

2PAC: KEEP YOUR HEAD UP

ICE CUBE: CHECK YO SELF (REMIX)

JURASSIC 5: CONCRETE SCHOOLYARD

LOST BOYZ: JEEPS, LEX, COUPS, BIMAZ & BENZ

KEITH MURRAY: I GET LIFTED

KENNY DOPE: GET DOWN

RUDE RYDIMS EXPERIMENT: EVERYBODY BOUNCE

SHAI: IF I EVER FALL IN LOVE

Y EN VEE: CHOCOLATE

CASE/ FOXY BROWN: TOUCH ME TEASE ME

DA BRAT: GIVE IT TO YOU

ERIC BENET/ FAITH EVANS: GEORGIE PORGIE

DR DRE: THE MESSAGE

JAY Z: THIS CAN'T BE LIFE