Mark Devlin: August 2011

Wednesday, 31 August 2011

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

Tuesday, 30 August 2011

THE BLOCK PARTY 9TH BIRTHDAY, THIS THURSDAY

Once again it's on. On Thursday 1st September all roads lead to Block Party's 9th birthday, kicking serious ass in the Lake District!

Friday, 26 August 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

90s classics, DJ Mark Devlin, hip hop, old school anthems, reggae, RnB, soul

Thursday, 25 August 2011

ABSOLUTELY IMMENSE ARCHIVE OF BLACK/ URBAN/ DANCE RADIO TAPE RIPS FROM THE 80s/ 90s. DOWNLOAD AND REMINISCE

Here we go with something for all nostalgists/ music historians/ fans. This is an exhaustive collection of radio show audio from back in the day, covering a variety of black/ urban/ dance music DJs and shows. Although many of these have come from my own garage cassette archives, a fair few have been sourced from various other uploaders, so respect and acknowledgement to all concerned for their posts. Much of the audio has appeared before and has been in wide circulation on the web, but there's sure to be something of interest to pretty much everyone among this lot.

My personal favourites are a happy and high Danny Rampling on Kiss FM in Summer 1988 when it was still a pirate, a very young Trevor Nelson on Kiss from the same era, and Pete Tong delivering his Soul Session on Capital in early '88. There's also a snippet of Westwood on the pirate LWR in 1985, along with a bunch of classic audio from the legendary Capital Rap Show; the programme from 12th Jan 91 is absolutely on-point, as is the Live To London session broadcast live from The Arch in Vauxhall in May '92. Loads of Robbie Vincent and Jeff Young on Radio 1, for anyone who remembers when these dudes were on top of their game.

In addition, I've uploaded a few of my own Swing Shift shows from Galaxy 101, which will hopefully find favour with anyone who used to listen to that in the golden years.

The oldest recording remains the excerpt from Greg Edwards' Soul Spectrum on Capital, from 1978.

Everything else pretty much speaks for itself, and is grouped by station for convenience. Happy listening.

RADIO 1

Robbie Vincent's first Radio 1 show 1/1/84 1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/t1wua1

Robbie Vincent Killer Cuts 1984 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/6vv9je

Robbie Vincent Killer Cuts 1984 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/y2768u

Robbie Vincent Killer Cuts 1985 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/p3j1bq

Robbie Vincent Killer Cuts 1985 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/v11ggm

Robbie Vincent Killer Cuts 1986 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/rxriy5

Robbie Vincent Killer Cuts 1986 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/9d2i6g

Robbie Vincent R1 Apr 1987.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/4jpyd9

Robbie Vincent Killer Cuts 1987 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/qptl43

Robbie Vincent Killer Cuts 1987 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ep66e2

Robbie Vincent Jul 1988.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/c97ufp

Robbie Vincent Sep 1988.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/dp89h0

Robbie Vincent Killer Cuts 1989 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/f7ys4l

Robbie Vincent Killer Cuts 1989 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/7uvjz3

Rankin Miss P/ Robbie Vincent R1 trailer, R1, C. 1984
http://www.sendspace.com/file/g0j98r

Jeff Young's Big Beat Nov 1987.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/1kw9s6

Jeff Young 25_12_87 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/vcqfqm

Jeff Young 25_12_87 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/musv3b

Jeff Young 1_1_88 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/qf45pi

Jeff Young 1_1_88 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/1d649s

Jeff Young 1_1_88 P3.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/n47wnf

Jeff Young's Big Beat Feb 1988.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/eb5liu

Jeff Young Dec 1988 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/kbhlq4

Jeff Young Dec 1988 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/3murno

Jeff Young, National Fresh, Radio 1, 1989.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/5f2gn3

Jeff Young, Radio 1, Nov 1989.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/05v2lv

Jeff Young, Radio 1, Jan 1990.mp
http://www.sendspace.com/file/b500ko

Jeff Young 28_12_90 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/q8htbw

Jeff Young 28_12_90 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/dewgw2

Jeff Young 28_12_90 P3 (Rap).mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/hvyjou

**

CAPITAL RADIO

Greg Edwards Capital Radio 1978.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ximy9t

Mike Allen Best of 1985.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/4k419t

Mike Allen Capital Radio Xmas 1985.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/1arf9b

Mike Allen Best of 1986.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/g5q7ii

Mike Allen 3_4_87 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/js746z

Mike Allen 3_4_87 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/s5d0ki

Pete Tong, Capital Radio C. 1988.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/5rps01

Pete Tong, Capital Radio, 5/3/88 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/02ea56

Pete Tong, Capital Radio, 5/3/88 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/kx3eip

Chris Forbes Capital FM Oct 1988.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/qzpdwc

Westwood Capital Rap Show Early 1989 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/379yi3

Westwood Capital Rap Show late 1989.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/a4mj7b

Pete Tong Capital 95.8 28_4_90.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/1pshwf

Pete Tong Capital Radio 22_12_90 Part 1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/umhwty

Westwood Capital Rap Show 12/1/91.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/emn0w4

Westwood CRS Live To London, 29_5_92 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/kij3jr

Westwood CRS Live To London, 29_5_92 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/koqo2u

Westwood Capital Rap Show 26/12/92 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/imj0gs

Westwood, Capital Rap Show 26/12/92 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/frffrd

**

KISS FM (PRE-1990 PIRATE)

Trevor Nelson, Kiss FM (pirate), Jun 88.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/w8t02r

Danny Rampling, Kiss FM (pirate), July 1988
http://www.sendspace.com/file/eqp82i

**

KISS FM (POST--1990 LEGAL)

Gordon Mac/ Norman Jay Kiss FM legal launch, 1990 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/p1bwkp

Gordon Mac/ Norman Jay Kiss FM legal launch, 1990 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/vpbhcx

Danny Rampling Kiss FM 1990 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/1mk9oq

Danny Rampling Kiss FM 1990 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/wsk1ng

Paul Trouble Anderson, Kiss FM, 7/12/91.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/kkbw5g

Danny Rampling, Kiss FM, 26/9/92 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/oybyfs

Danny Rampling, Kiss FM, 26/9/92 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/p28bcd

CJ Mackintosh, Kiss FM C. 1995.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/iuyfcb

Graham Gold Kiss 100 Dance Chart, March 1995
http://www.sendspace.com/file/93yx3e

Steve Jackson, Kiss FM C. 1995 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/kf68av

Steve Jackson, Kiss FM, C. 1995 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/3ktjmb

Paul Trouble Anderson, Kiss FM, mid 90s.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/57p9jt

Bobbi & Steve Louie Vega, Kiss FM 1998
http://www.sendspace.com/file/9ilexm

**

GALAXY 101

Swing Shift 5/7/96 P1
http://soundcloud.com/markdevlindj/swing-shift-5-7-96-p1

Swing Shift 5/7/96 P2
http://soundcloud.com/markdevlindj/swing-shift-5-7-96-p2

Galaxy 101 DJ Lynx classic mixes 1996 - Luchini/ Incredible Hulk!
http://soundcloud.com/mark-devlin/galaxy-101-dj-lynx-classic-mixes-1996-luchini-incredible-hulk

Swing Shift 3_1_97 (Best of 1996) P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/f4klzn

Swing Shift 3_1_97 (Best of 1996) P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/c3n2j1

Swing Shift 3_1_97 (Best of 1996) P3.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/e9zgzl

Swing Shift 3_1_97 (Best of 1996) P4.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/jtspbp

Notorious BIG tribute section 14_3_97.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/k67zd7

Swing Shift Ragga Selection Jun 97.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/sep4m8

Swing Shift 1997 Summer Revivals.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/y6lxil

Swing Shift 26_12_97 (Best of 1997) P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/5pc5on

Swing Shift 26_12_97 (Best of 1997) P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/htnatw

Swing Shift 2_1_98 (Best of 1997) P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/rlxcnp

Swing Shift 2_1_98 (Best of 1997) P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/msgzqg

Swing Shift 2_1_98 (Best of 1997) P3.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/17a2eh

Swing Shift 27_2_98 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/tmo2es

Swing Shift 27_2_98 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/d98704

Swing Shift 27_2_98 P3.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/z4df4b

Swing Shift UK Special 21/4/98 P1
http://i.mixcloud.com/CYR0o

Swing Shift UK Special 21/4/98 P2
http://i.mixcloud.com/CYVeC

The very last Swing Shift, Galaxy 101. 21/8/98
http://soundcloud.com/mark-devlin/the-swing-shift-galaxy-101-21-8-98-p1

MISC

Disco 94 US Radio KRLY March 1979.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/5n1nlx

Robbie Vincent Radio London Soul Show P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/9vfxdv

Dread Broadcasting Corporation, Notting Hill Carnival 1984
http://www.sendspace.com/file/vgi6mb

Funkmaster Flex 90s Revivals, Hot 97 Jul 2007 P1.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/oh3bvl

Funkmaster Flex 90s Revivals, Hot 97 Jul 2007 P2.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/oo5v5m

Tim Westwood, LWR, Nov 85
http://www.sendspace.com/file/vxtea9

THE BLOCK PARTY 9TH BIRTHDAY, THURSDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER

Once again it's on. On Thursday 1st September all roads lead to Block Party's 9th birthday, kicking serious ass in the Lake District!

Wednesday, 24 August 2011

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

Saturday, 20 August 2011

THE GAME: CALIFORNIA DREAM

Another one from Game, and this one's a real surprise as he documents his experience in becoming the dad of a little girl. Very emotional, and a great sample. There IS still good hip-hop being made!

THE GAME: BORN IN THE TRAP (PRODUCED BY DJ PREMIER)

Like LL Cool J, The Game is real inconsistent as an artist. When he's weak, he's really wack, but when he's on form, he comes with some serious slammers. This joins 'Higher', 'Game's Pain' and 'Hate It Or Love It' as a certified banger. Produced by DJ Premier from his new 'R.E.D. Album', this is some proper heat!

Friday, 19 August 2011

THE BLOCK PARTY 9TH BIRTHDAY, THURSDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER

Once again it's on. On Thursday 1st September all roads lead to Block Party's 9th birthday, kicking serious ass in the Lake District!

Tuesday, 16 August 2011

BOOK REVIEW - GRANT GODDARD: KISS FM; FROM RADICAL RADIO TO BIG BUSINESS

Grant Goddard is either a prodigious note-keeper, or possesses a razor-sharp memory, such is his penchant for intricate detail in this fascinating tome. Goddard was a senior executive at London's Kiss FM during its transition from pirate to legal status, and the book charts the turbulent behind-the-scenes history of the station as it balanced a well-meaning passion for music with the harsh realities of corporate survival.

On the face of it, the book should be uninspiringly dull, as it proceeds chronologically through a brief history of the 70s and early 80s London pirate scene, into the months and years leading up to 1990, the year Kiss first broadcast legally on Saturday 1st September. Goddard's candid and precise recollections, however, are never short of captivating, and go far beyond the routine machinations of a business. The book charts the personal crises, ego trips, power struggles and monumental clashes of personality that occur in any workplace, but seem particularly magnified in media-related operations given the types of individual they attract.

Much light is shed on the unpredictable personality of Gordon Mac, Kiss's leader, and the station culture his style of management brought about, along with the unflinching passion for the Kiss 'mission' exhibited by head of music Lindsay Wesker, (who himself has a book out shortly co-written with long-standing Kiss DJ Max LX, titled 'We Created History: UK Black Radio.)

Goddard does not shy away for a minute from revealing the uglier side of the business, along with the triumphs and achievements, even dwelling on his personal setbacks, such as an attempted Margaret Thatcher-style coup to remove him from the management team, and coming back from a three-week holiday in Gambia to find his flat cleared out by a bitter ex-girlfriend. As with insider accounts of life in Hollywood, or the TV business, the behind-the-scenes shenanigans are a far cry from the glossy exterior presented to the public, and the revelations of in-fighting and disharmony make you wonder how the business could operate at all. Among the DJ anecdotes are the failed attempt to poach Tim Westwood from Capital Radio, and an insight into the nocturnal activities of Paul Anderson and a clue as to how he earned his well-known 'Trouble' nickname.

Ultimately, though, it becomes clear that Kiss was very much a labour of love for the pioneers involved before - as becomes unavoidable in all cases - the corporate suits got a sniff of a thriving business opportunity and it became all about spreadsheets, red braces and pie-charts. Definitely an absorbing read for anyone with an interest in the daring days of radio, and UK black music history generally.

JAY-Z & KANYE WEST: WATCH THE THRONE REVIEW

My review of 'Watch The Throne' as featured on http:www.blacksheepmag.com

*

The greater the hype, the bigger the disappointment when a project fails to deliver. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you 'Watch The Throne'.

There can be few better barometers of where hip-hop is at than a collaboration between arguably the two most important names on the mainstream scene. If 'Watch The Throne' is indicative of where it's all going, we might as well all become country and western or heavy rock fans now, and lay a wreath for our once great and lovingly cherished art form.

Sub-par lyrics can be overlooked provided they're delivered over some captivating and sonically epic production, so your subconscious has something else to focus on and get the head nodding. This is 'Watch The Throne's great downfall. The factory conveyor belt-style electronic beats are lacking in soul and substance, and are a far cry from the ingenious sample-based cuts of the 90s, or even the inventive Just Blaze and Kanye dramatic beats of Roc A Fella's glory years in the early to mid-00s.

When you add to that Kanye's naggingly annoying vocals, you're really not left with much. From appearing as hip-hop's great hope with 'The College Dropout' in '03, the dude has gone on to become a clear corporate stooge, and the once-meaningful lyrics have given way to stupefyingly boring generic droning about nothing in particular, delivered in an exaggerated drawl that's now as annoying as listening to a dentist's drill. I came away from the album remembering nothing that Kanye had rattled on about other than something about pyjamas.

To be fair, Jay does demonstrate that he still has verbal dexterity all these years on, his verses flowing far more lucidly, and with some characteristic wordplay. But again, you don't exit 'Watch The Throne' with a memory of any uplifting, empowering or thought-provoking message.

Thankfully, the set does have a couple of redeeming features in its two reflective/ soul-searching tracks. 'New Day' has J and K delivering an ode to their imaginary sons, urging them to draw wisdom from the mistakes of their pops', while 'Made In America' has spiritual overtones - even if the much-repeated gospel-style sample about 'sweet baby Jesus' sits uncomfortably with Kanye's insistence on continually using the N and F words. (Elsewhere on 'Otis', of course', 'Ye proclaims 'I made 'Jesus Walks' so I'm never going to hell', so he seemingly sees no contradiction here.)

'Otis' itself remains the only other strong feature. Sadly, its usage of huge chunks of Otis Redding didn't signal the return to sample-based beats on the album that many had hoped for.

In all then, if the 'Throne' part is treated as the common euphemism for 'toilet', then it serves as an appropriate title, for that's where this - along with its anally pretentious 'high end' artwork - best belongs.

Saturday, 13 August 2011

MD'S CLUB DATES, AUG/ SEP/ OCT '11

Friday 19th August
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Saturday 20th August
The Earl, The Second Bridge, Bath

Friday 26th August
The Living Room, Heddon St., London, W1

Thursday 1st September
Block Party 9th Birthday, The Wheelhouse, Bowness On Windermere

Saturday 3rd September
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Friday 9th September
Mirage, Aylesbury

Saturday 10th September
The Earl, The Second Bridge, Bath

Wednesday 14th September
Soul City, San Antonio, IBIZA

Saturday 24th September
411 Club 2nd Anniversary Weekend, 411 Club, Cardiff, WALES

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

Saturday 22nd October
Mirage, Aylesbury

Saturday 29th October
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

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

Monday, 8 August 2011

ABSOLUTELY IMMENSE ARCHIVE OF BLACK/ URBAN/ DANCE RADIO TAPE RIPS FROM THE 80s/ 90s. DOWNLOAD AND REMINISCE

Thursday, 4 August 2011

MD AT BEAT BOX, PORTRUSH, N. IRELAND, SAT 6TH AUGUST

Back in Northern Ireland on 6th August to tear up The Playhouse in Portrush for Beat Box, alongside Needle Knievel.

Monday, 1 August 2011

MD AT BEAT BOX, PORTRUSH, N. IRELAND, SAT 6TH AUGUST

Back in Northern Ireland on 6th August to tear up The Playhouse in Portrush for Beat Box, alongside Needle Knievel.