I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack

Did you miss me?  Yes?  No?  Oh. 

I have taken a bit of a hiatus from the blogging world recently for a number of reasons.  I hate it when bloggers are all like “sorry for not posting” blah blah because 1) I am sure no one even noticed that i’d fucked off for a bit and 2) I can blog whenever I want SO GET OFF MY BACK OK *stare face*.  Anyway, the most important thing is that I am back now so quit your whingeing.  MORSH IS HERE.

Christmas is done and to me it just feels like a blur of mental nights, too much food and FAR too much alcohol.  It was bitter sweet for me, happy because it’s Christmas and I could literally do whatver I wanted every day without WORK getting in the way (by do whatever I want I just mean wake up, have a bath and start drinking – do I have an alcohol problem?  Hopefully)  but sad because 2 of my best friends went travelling on the 30^th.  They bit the bullet and went and now while I am at work typing this and trying to stuff a turkey sandwich in my mouth (yep, still not over Turkey yet) they are out to dinner at a Thai beach front gaff with an Irishman called Dylan.  Jealous!  Anyway, I am not entirely sure what January and the rest of the year are going to hold for me, but if I run out of material I will be sure to update you on Charlie and Jo’s travels, might as well live my life through them if my own is boring.

I don’t have any new years resolutions, I honestly think they are the biggest waste of time ever.  I am not going to not drink as much this year, I am not going to be more responsible, be more careful with my money or stop getting involved with the wrong men, so I am not even going to bother saying it.  Whatever will be will be, and me banging on to everyone about all the amazing things I think I am going to do but totally sack off by the 15^th Jan is just pointless.    

Lots of lovely things happened at the end of the last year while I was away.  I was bridesmaid along with 9 of my other friends (yes 9!) for my beautiful friend Julie who got married to the love of her life.  The highlight of that day was losing my absolute shit to the Dirty Dancing Megamix on the dancefloor.  One of my oldest friends had beautiful baby boy, who we have all instantly fell in love with and can’t stop fussing over.  The girls went travelling.  Throughout all of these activies undertaken by my friends, I just sat back, drank some wine and observed.  This year maybe it will be me actually partaking in an activity more interesting than having a punch up on the train?!  Who knows.

Anyway, MUSIC:  I might be late to the party with some of these, I might not, but I don’t care.  This is the music I am loving at the moment as I discovered some amazing songs over the Christmas period and re-discovered some old favourites.  

Check these links out honkeys:

P.S my sister got me tickets to see one of the loves of my life in April – Derren Brown!  What a legend eh?  I might try and convince Derren to make us both disappear to a carribean island. 

Happy New Year to you and yours xx

Midnight City

Winter is here and it’s just as depressing as I thought it was going to be...

I am always torn between winter and summer.  Summer is FUN, hot, skimpy, outside and breezy and tanned.  Winter is cold and fatter, inside, full of FAT AND MUSHROOMS AND STEW.  I love the fashion in winter (thick leggings, fur stoles, big chunky boots and wooly hats) but can’t stand the weather.  It’s the exact opposite for Summer.  Spray tans are necessary, as are crash diets so you don’t look like a hippo in denim shorts.  The potential for a fashion disaster is far greater in summer.

I use this transition in seasons to change my hair style more often than not.  In summer I like hair off my face, so it doesn’t get stuck to my head like some sort of sweat blanket on the tube.  In winter I prefer a forehead carpet, a thick fringe covering my head up and stopping my eyebrows from getting frostbite.  This year I am torn.

I had a thick fringe last year and loved it.  I used to get compliments on it, to which I would reply “thanks, I grew it myself” like some retarded David Brent wannabe.  It was a bit of a nightmare for the first few weeks, refusing to sit correctly and parting like the red sea the minute Moses gives it the nod but it grew to do as it was told and I’d stroll around London with a warm forehead and the most hideously overgrown eyebrows (the fringe covered them up so plucking and waxing just became unnecessary, even though it really really WAS necessary).  I decided to grow my fringe out just as spring showed it’s face, deciding that I didn’t want a fringe when I went to Vegas in May as the thought of being in that heat with a load of hair stuck to my face made me want to VOM.  It grew and I have had a spam ever since.

I have now decided that after approx 9 years of having black hair, it’s time for a change.  I have spoken to my trusted hairdresser, who has confirmed that I can change my hair colour to a lighter brown (and therefore have my much longed for ombre) WITHOUT stripping, but I need to grow my roots to a disgustingly long length.  My natural hair colour is a browny (gingery), blondey (gingery) light-ish (gingery) colour, so when my roots grow my hair looks horrific and I am pretty sure Ian Beale in tramp mode would have more chance of pulling than I do.  I cannot BEAR the roots, so my way of thinking is if I had my fringe cut, the roots would be confined to the middle of my head and not visible from the front, therefore saving my dignity for the next 3 months.  m.  I had pretty much decided to go down this route, but stupidly thought I would ask everyone’s opinion.  Cue every male I know telling me they prefer my hair without the fringe as it makes me look prettier.  So now I have 2 options:

1.  Do not have a fringe and have the same colour for the rest of my life, OR have the most horrific roots known to man - teamed with a really boring haircut.

2.  Have the fringe, change the hair colour and end up having the hair I really want, but in the mean time deal with not being remotely attractive to any man in the world AND having a total fit when the fringe takes longer than a month to grow out.

I am in a serious dilemma and I don’t know what to do.  To fringe or not to fringe, that is the question...

SPAM

FRINGE

Anyway, while I suffer with my inner turmoil, I have something to show you that almost made me wet my Victoria’s Secret pants on the train home on Friday night.  I sat on the train, so excited about the fact it was Friday that I fell asleep for 90% of the way, probably with my mouth open and dribbling everywhere.  When I woke up I had a text from my friend Jo that said “LOOK WHAT I’VE GOT (ONE FOR YOU!)” and the picture that appeared before me almost bought me to tears.  She’d only gone and got me a bottle of bladdy THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN OPI SKYFALL JAMES BOND SPESH EXTRAVAGANZA HADN’T SHE!  I spent the next 2 hours in an absolute frenzy, counting down the minutes till I could leave mine to go to our friends house and get it off her with my mucky grabby hands.  It didn’t disappoint and I rushed home and painted my nails with in INSTANTLY.

(In case you have been in a cave somewhere and don’t know what this polish is, it’s limited edition, 18 CARAT GOLD LEAF TOP COAT.  Yes, that’s right, 18 carat gold nails.  Yes.)

As you can see from the pictures it is AMAZINGGGGG!  Am I said because I probably would have paid £10 for the empty bottle alone?  The packaging is lovely, although it's hard to take a decent picture of it when you can see yourself in the bottle!

Anyway when I got down to painting the nails I was a bit dubious about using it for no reason because at £19 a bottle (wholesale price) it’s not the sort of polish i’d be using every day, but I just had to try it.  The pay off with the gold to the actual top coat was relatively good, although I found I had to paint on one layer and then dab extra bits into the gaps that hadn’t filled as much.  It dried relatively quickly and you didn’t have any of the annoying standy up bits of gold that you sometimes get with glitter – it lays perfectly smooth.

I love it, it’s amazing and I feel like a bit of a spaz telling people what it is when they ask – they might be thinking “you paid £20 for some gold to put on your nails?  Are you high?”  BUT Jo understood that it’s just one of those things I had to own.  Have you tried OPI TMWTGG before?  Would you, or would you buy it?  Love to hear your thoughts!

Just before I go, I have discovered a lovely awesome brilliant album called Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming by M83 and I think you should listen to this song and love it as much as I do.  NOW.

OH YEAH AND SOMEONE JUST TELL ME IF I SHOULD HAVE A FRINGE OR NOT, I’M BORED OF THINKING ABOUT IT.

xxx

Lyrical Relief

Last night I left work early to go to the doctors and decided to listen to a bit of Arcade Fire on the train.  If you are reading this because you follow me on Twitter then you will know how OBSESSED I am with Arcade Fire anyway, but lately I haven’t really been listening to them and have got back into Jay-Z and Kayne (thanks to the brilliant Watch the Throne).  Anyway, I whacked on Funeral by Arcade Fire and was literally astounded by how amazing it was... it kind of felt like I was listening to it for the first time all over again. 

I have loads of favourite songs, I don’t know if I could ever pick just one.  I have a few that stick in my mind recently but I chop and change frequently as new music comes out and I rediscover old music.  I honestly don’t know how I would be able to live without music in my life!

As you can see below it’s a bit of a weird mixture, but then my iPod literally has everything.  One Direction to Marlyin Manson, Jay-Z to Les Fleurs... my iPod is probably full of the most random mixture of music known to man.  I love talking to people about music and hearing what their favourite song is and why, or what memories albums hold for them etc... I suppose that’s just me being nosy haha!  I’ve listed my Top 10 songs at the moment and why they are my favourites:

1. Jay-Z & Kayne West – Niggas in Paris – As i’ve just got back from Vegas this is top of my playlist at the moment.  We heard it quite a lot over there and just as we went I was obsessed with Watch the Throne so put the album on at every opportunity in the room.  This resulted in all 4 of us spending the entire holiday walking round singing it, and I mean literally THE ENTIRE HOLIDAY!
   
2. Drake – The Motto – As boring as it is, this is the same reason.  Heard it lots in Vegas, another song for the room.  Also a lot of saying “YOLO” and every available opportunity, even though we all think it’s the most ridiculous saying ever!
3. Bombay Bicycle Club – Always Like This  - This song is an old love and reminds me of summer and festivals and cider – 3 of my favourite things!  As the weather has been beautiful lately I like listening to my ‘summer songs’ on the train and this is one of my favourites – It literally sounds like they made it just to play it at a festival.
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Snow ((Hey Oh)) – Obviously an old song, but one of my favourites from RHCP.  Most of their songs are mental and loud and upbeat, but I like that this is a bit more relaxed and laid back... another favourite to listen to while laying around in the sunshine.  I’m going to see RHCP at the end of June too, so this is getting me prematurely excited for that – and premature excitement isn’t normally a good thing.
5. Will Smith – Wild Wild West – I thought about this song for the first time in YEARS the other day.  I instantly downloaded it and was slightly concerned to realise I still know every single one of the words!  Since I downloaded it I have been busting it out in my car while on the motorway to get to the girls – Literally if I am not listening to music, then this song has been stuck in my head for the past week just on loop, OVER AND OVER AGAIN.  With classic lines like “any damsel that’s in distress, be outta that dress when she meets Jim West” how can anyone blame me?
6. Santana feat Rob Thomas – Smooth – Vegas rediscovered this song for me.  We were on our last day, sitting in the McDonalds in our hotel about an hour before we had to leave for the airport.  We were packed, ready to go and totally depressed, then this song came over the speakers.  Charlie and I were instantly like “I LOVE THIS SONG” and it cheered us up a bit singing along to this while stuffing our faces with big macs.
7. 3LW – No More – thanks to Watch the Throne and various Vegas discussions, I decided to come back home and try and make the R&B playlist to end all playlists.  I have already created The Best Playlist in the World Ever Part 1 which is full of the greatest rock and indie songs to ever have been created, and now I am working on the R&B version.  This song was one I found while looking through YouTube and I used to LOVE it when I was in school!  Especially the cringey rap bit in the middle.
8. Justice – Phantom Pt 2 – An AWESOME song to pick you up in the morning, I love house music anyway and this song just makes me want to go to Ibiza pronto!  Awesome to blare out loud in your car while the sun is out, although when you have a Peugeot 207 and one of the speakers is a bit crackly you just end up looking like a tool.
9. Beyonce – Countdown – I don’t even know why I love this song, I just do.  It’s not very ‘Beyonce’, I had been hearing this in clubs for weeks before I ever realised it was her.  Just one of those songs that you shouldn’t like but you really do, and it manages to put a smile on your face whenever you hear it – better than walking around snapping your fingers and glaring at men while singing “Run the World” anyway..
10. Solu Music – Fade – Last one in my playlist, and this is probably my most favourite chill out house track of all time.  Reminds me of the first time I went to Ibiza all those years ago (8 years ago!!  EIGHT!) and I love it now as much as I did the first time I heard it.  No matter where I am, if I listen to this song and close my eyes I can almost pretend I am on a sunlounger on the beach – until some fat prick stands on my foot on the underground anyway...

What are your favourite songs at the moment and why?  I love hearing about other people’s choices and the meaning behind them, shows you an insight into what they are really like and how they think J

Rejam 1st Birthday

If you've read my blog before, you probably have a slightly knowledge of Rejam.  If not, Rejam is run by 4 of my friends NPD, Jack, Doug and Ben.  They host club nights, they have radio shows, they have podcasts on iTunes.  They have a deep passion for house music and as the residents, NPD and Jack are always spot on with the music they play and the acts they get signed to guest at their club nights and on their radio shows.  The last party, held on Friday just gone, was to celebrate a year from the date this all first started - Rejam's 1st Birthday.

The boys have really come so far in a year and it's been amazing to watch.  Their first party started out in a smallish venue in Shoreditch called Public Life with a decent amount of people, a few podcasts on iTunes and some pretty cool flyers.  Fast forward a year and you will see the development of the Rejam name through being top of the listings on RA, the growth of the Rejam Family in it's entirety and the gradual rise in noteriety of NPD and Jack being fucking good DJs and proving their worth.

Everything has got bigger.  The Rejam Family grows after every party because everyone has such an awesome time.  The DJ's they get to head their parties are getting better and better with every event.  The flyers are even getting better, with the flyer for the 1st Birthday bash being EXCELLENT.

The 1st Birthday party on Friday went off - held in 7-9 Crucifix Lane (the best venue yet), the room was packed to the rafters with people that have a sheer love for house music and the Rejam vibe.  The boys had gone to town with the decor with big Rejam signs and a MASSIVE fake cake next to the DJ booth, the same cake that was on their flyer.  The venue was bigger, the decor was better and the music was out of this world. 

The pulled in big names for this party - NPD and Jack Doyle as the resident DJs started proceedings, then Max Vaahs & Manuel Schatz and Mihigh & K.D. Chriss set the tone for the main event, Soul Capsule aka Thomas Melchior & Baby Ford raising the roof until 6am. 

I could not be more chuffed for these boys and it's not even because I know them.  It's because time after time they manage to pull off a brilliant night with a awesome vibe and they do everything they set out to do - create a great party with awesome music and ensure the night has a 'community' vibe to it.  The Rejam Family is one of the closest knit familes I have ever seen - even if you turn up to Rejam not knowing anyone, I guarantee you will leave with 100 new friends and a renewed excitement for house music.  Rejam's are regularly the highlight of my month and a source of great excitement for me - after every party I have been to i've said "that was the best one yet", so I just know they are going to continue to grow and get better and better.

Well done boys, you've done so much in a year - think of where you'll be in another years time!  Happy Birthday and long live Rejam!

Unit the sun sets and the party begins...

All photos courtesy of the lovely DaddysGotSweets :)

Top 10 Albums OF ALL TIME

The other day I asked my Twitter followers what their Top 10 albums of all time were.  Carnage ensued, and everyone went mental, trying to pick only 10 and moaning that they wanted it to be a top 20 – Hey I don’t make the rules, I just asked the question.... well, I suppose I did make the rules, but I am the Queen so just deal with it.

Anyway, I have had more time to deliberate this matter, and I think I have come to the following conclusion:

1.     Nirvana - Nevermind

2.     Biffy Clyro – Only Revolutions

3.     Arcade Fire – Funeral

4.     Oasis – What’s the Story, Morning Glory?

5.     Foo Fighters – In Your Honour

6.     Coldplay – Parachutes

7.     Kings of Leon – Youth and Young Manhood

8.     Guns & Roses – Appetite for Destruction

9.     Muse – Black Holes and Revelations

10.   Red Hot Chili Peppers – Greatest Hits (CHEATER)

I think that is adequate.  There are HUNDREDS of albums that I love that haven’t made it into my Top 10, but I have based it on being able to listen to these albums THOUSANDS of times without getting even remotely bored of them.  A bit of a change now but a few of my other favourites are 8701 by Usher, Crisp Biscuit Volume 1 by Heartless Crew, Thriller by Michael Jackson, Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette, The Immaculate Collection by Madonna... I could go on for days.

I know I cheated by putting RHCP's Greatest Hits but I literally could not pick 1 album, and if I had more choice I would probably include every Foo Fighters album in there too.

Don’t even ASK me to put my top 10 albums into order – that’s too much for my brain to handle at this moment in time. 

What are your top 10 albums?

BRIT Awards Predicitions

So i'm sitting here in my pjs, stuffing my face with a massive bar of Cadbury's Fruit and Nut and it just dawned on me that I hadn't blogged my BRITs predictions.  I know none of you will really give a shit, but if I do this tomorrow you'll just say that I clearly didn't make these predictions beforehand and have just reckoned that I got them all right.  This is purely to prove all you jel haters wrong :)

British Male Solo Artist
Ed Sheeran
James Blake
James Morrison
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Professor Green

My predicted winner:  Ed Sheeran
Who I want to win:  Professor Green / Noel Gallagher

British Female Solo Artist
Adele
Flo and the Mo
Jessie J
Kate Bush
Laura Marling

My predicted winner:  Adele (she is going to win fucking everything)
Who I want to win:  Adele

British Breakthrough Act
Anna Calvi
Ed Sheeran
Emeli Sande
Jessie J
The Vaccines

My predicted winner:  Jessie J
Who I want to win:  The Vaccines

British Group
Arctic Monkeys
Chase & Status
Coldplay
Elbow
Kasabian

My predicted winner:  Chase & Status
Who I want to win:  KASABIAN or Coldplay

British Single
Adele - Someone Like You
Ed Sheeran - The A Team
Example - Changed The Way You Kissed Me
Jessie J Ft Bob - Price Tag
JLS Ft Dev  -She Makes Me Wanna
Military Wives - Wherever You Are
Olly Murs Ft Rizzle Kicks - Heart Skips a Beat
One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful
Pixie Lott - All About Tonight
The Wanted - Glad You Came

My predicted winner:  Adele - Someone Like You
Who I want to win:  One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful CLEARLY

Mastercard British Album of the Year
Adele - 21
Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
Ed Sheeran - +
Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

My predicted winner:  Adele - 21
Who I want to win:  Adele - 21

International Male Solo Artist
Aloe Blacc
Bon Iver
Bruno Mars
David Guetta
Ryan Adams

My predicted winner:  David Guetta
Who I want to win:  Bruno Mars (best of a bad bunch!)

International Female Solo Artist
Beyonce
Bjork
Feist
Lady Gaga
Rhianna

My predicted winner:  Rhianna
Who I want to win:  Beyonce

International Group
Fleet Foxes
Foo Fighters
Jay Z / Kanye West
Lady Antebellum
Maroon 5

My predicted winner:  Jay Z/ Kanye West
Who I want to win:  Foo Fighters CLEARLY

International Breakthrough Act
Aloe Blacc
Bon Iver
Foster The People
Llana Del Ray
Nicki Minaj

My predicted winner:  Llana Del Ray
Who I want to win:  Foster The People

All the other awards are totes boring so that's it for now... if you want to join in and play BRITS BINGO then make your own list in my comments section and the person with the most correct guesses will get a massive pat on the back...

Enjoy the show!

Morsh's Musical Memories

This weekend I was at my friend Charlie’s house and she found the Backstreet Boys Greatest Hits CD – we got super excited and put it on, then spent the next half hour singing along to all the tracks we didn’t even realise we still knew the words to - I forgot how much I used to love the Backstreet Boys haha!  Anyway, this kick started a whole week of music nostalgia, I love it when that happens!  During my epic drive this morning I listened to my Backstreet Boys playlist I made when I left Charlie’s on Saturday and it got me thinking about all my greatest memories with music and how pretty much every song I have ever liked has a memory attached to it.  It’s not surprising really, I listen to music all day every day;  every morning on the way to work, at my desk while i’m doing a big project, on my way home from work, when I get in and am pottering around in my room – in my car, on the train, at friends houses, in clubs.  I am constantly surrounded by music and have been since an early age and this is probably why music is one of the most important things in my life.

One of my earliest music memories involves Madonna.  I remember when I was a kid my sister LOVED Madonna and she had her Immaculate Collection album on video.  It was basically all the music videos in the same order as the album, and it was AMAZING – It had songs like Borderline, Lucky Star, True Blue, Like a Virgin, Vogue, Material Girl... all of Madonna’s best songs.  I can still remember sitting in my front room watching the videos and even now when I hear the songs I can picture the music video because we watched them so much!  I think my favourite song of hers is Open Your Heart, I LOVED the video for that!

My parents used to listen to music a lot when I was a kid.  UB40, The Carpenters and The Beautiful South are all bands that stand out in my memory.  Just hearing the opening bars to Lessons in Love by UB40 instantly reminds me of my Dad!  My parents also had The Carpenters Greatest Hits on tape, and I used to steal it and listen to it over and over again in my room – I used to love Rainy Days and Mondays and Top of the World haha!  The Beautiful South’s old work takes me right back to my childhood, I LOVED ‘Song for Whoever’, especially the line “I love you from the bottom of my pencil case” – I don’t even know why, I just did!

As I got a bit older a lot of my music tastes were influenced by what my sister used to listen to.  She was probably old enough to go out and buy her own music whereas I wasn’t, so the new music I would hear that wasn’t on the radio would be coming from her room.  I remember her having ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ by Oasis on tape, and I was fascinated because the tape case for that was cardboard and shaped like a cigarette packet, with a lid you had to lift up – actually quite clever, but would totally be banned now!  My sister was also into Garbage, No Doubt, Marilyn Manson, Blur, Placebo and Republica – Hearing ‘Ready to Go’ always reminds me of sitting in her room watching her while she was getting ready to go out.  It’s strange that just thinking of these songs and not even hearing them makes me feel 10 again, and brings back lovely memories.



I started in the middle and have recapped the beginning, now to continue onto what started this whole post in the first place.  As cringey as it is, ‘Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)’ by the Backstreet Boys was the first single I ever bought on tape!  I remember getting it from Woolworths in Barkingside and walking the whole way home just looking at it, desperate to get home and play it haha!  I was never really a fan of Westlife or Boyzone – I didn’t mind Take That but was never obsessive over them.  Then the Spice Girls came on the scene and blew all my previous musical tastes out of the water.  The music my sister was listening to was out around the same time as the Spice Girls, so I was splitting my time 50/50 between being the Ultimate Pop Princess with stupid platforms trainers (I even forced my mum to buy me a green vest and some massive flares from Peacocks that looked like Mel B’s outfit in Wannabe) and being a cool rocker listening to the sort of music my sister listened to.  Regardless of all this, I did TOTALLY LOVE the Spice Girls and had all their albums and any available merchandise going.  Unfortunately for me, I was always ‘ginger spice’ when we played Spice Girls at school, although much to my delight when I performed as them with 5 other girls at our school assembly there was another girl who was much more ginger than me, so I got to be Posh Spice – touch!

So, I had a few years of loving pop music and then I got back into the rock music scene, and this brings me onto my first ever concert.  I can remember it like it was yesterday, how I felt, how excited I was.  Limp Bizkit had just released their ‘Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavoured Water’ album, and they were playing Wembley Arena on the 7^th June 2001.  I begged and begged to get tickets and in the end my sister and her boyfriend at the time took me there.  I was on the brink of hysteria, not just because I was totally in love with Fred Durst and the entire band, but because I had never experienced anything like it in my life.  It was amazing, and was the perfect choice for my first concert and I think to this day it’s why I prefer rock concerts to any other music genre – there is just so much energy and excitement.  While watching Limp Bizkit do their thing, Fred jumped off the stage and wandered around the arena.  We were sitting to the left hand side of the stage, with no one in front of us, just the doorway below into the arena.  I remember Fred disappearing and a few minutes later walking through the door directly below me – before my sister or her bloke could do anything I had valuted the barrier and jumped down and ran after him!  Security stopped me but it was worth a shot... my sister nearly had a heart attack because I was only 14 and she thought she’d never get me back haha!

Clearly with Limp Bizkit I was already loving the American rock music scene – Sum 41, Alien Ant Farm, Offspring, Papa Roach, Blink 182, Cheap Trick – I loved it all!  I totally got obsessive over Eminem too, I loved all of his albums until he got too involved in D12 and the music turned a bit rubbish.  I remember my sister going to see him in concert and I couldn’t go, I was GUTTED.  My sister called me when she was there and played Stan down the phone, and I remember sitting in my friends room crying because I could hear him and nearly having a heart attack – that’s devotion!  This sort of music reminds me of summer holidays and sitting in my house watching all the music videos on MTV.  This was probably the first entire genre of music I really really loved and obsessed over.  In Too Deep by Sum 41 is still one of my most favourite songs and I loved Alien Ant Farm’s cover of Smooth Criminal – still makes me smile when I hear it J

Fast forward a few years – I’d met my first proper boyfriend and mainly due to him and what he listened to, I started to get involved in R&B – Puff Daddy, LL Cool J, Ja Rule, Ashanti, Alliayah, Nelly, Brandy... I remember listening to the radio late one night and they played the entire Ashanti album from start to finish.  My boyfriend at the time text me and told me to listen to it about half way through and I told him I already was and we both said how much we liked it and went out and bought it the next day.  That entire album just reminds me of being in love for the first time and the awesome summer of 2003 (before everything went a bit wrong).  After I split with the boyfriend, I didn’t really listen to music for a while, it just depressed me.  I had always associated music with being happy because it made me happy – at that moment in time everything was a bit dark and grim.

I soon snapped out of it though, and after a year or two of being mental and not really knowing what I was doing, I met my next boyfriend.  It was the summer of 2005, and it was heavily sound tracked by more R&B – the standout album for me at this time was Let’s Get Lifted by John Legend.  That summer was spent driving around with my boyfriend, my best friend and her boyfriend (her boyfriend was MY boyfriends best friend... confusing?) and listening to that album.  I didn’t have a job at the time, but they all did – even so we’d drive around and then park up listening to this album until the sun started to come up and then we’d go home.  That summer they must have got about 2 hours sleep a night before they had to go to work, I don’t even know how they did it haha!

A few more years on, this time another new boyfriend and another new genre of music I had been introduced to; house music.  I had been going to a club near me called Pacific Edge which was the first real club at this time to play funky house.  I loved it and joined a website called Mujao which resulted in me making lots of new friends as I worked for them doing club photography.  It was at this time I experienced London clubbing, heading to places like Turnmills, Egg,  Heaven and Fabric.  I met my last ex boyfriend doing this ‘job’ (I say ‘job’ because it wasn’t my PROPER job, I used to go and do it in my spare time in return for free club entry and drinks), and my love for house music was born.  For the 5 years to come i’d head to Ibiza, see Tiesto do an epic 8 hour set at Brixton Academy and generally just fall in love with house music, a love that would never really die..  I loved Yoji Biomehanika, Fischerspooner, Dark by Design, Tiesto, Smokin’ Jo, Tim Sheridan...  there were lots of ‘one-off’ songs I loved, such as Dark Side of the Moon by Ernesto vs Bastian, Emerge by Fischerspooner, Traffic by Tiesto – loads of one off songs I can’t even remember the names of now!  The album Nasty Dirty Sex Music by Smokin’ Jo and Tim Sheridan was one of my favourites, and if I hear any of these songs it reminds me of just going out and having a laugh in sweaty dirty clubs with lots of people pilled off their nut, while i’m running around drinking water and taking their pictures – one of the best things i’ve ever done J

And now we are up to present time.  The last few years I have heavily got back into Rock and Indie music.  Some of my favourite bands are Arcade Fire, Foo Fighters, Kasabian, Muse...  I compiled a list years ago of all the acts I had to see before I died and have been adding to it more and more... I have pretty much covered the list now, the majority of it is done.  I’ve watched Arcade Fire on a hot sunny day in Hyde Park, I’ve watched Foo Fighters headline Milton Keynes Bowl.  I’ve screamed along to Muse at Wembley Arena, been to a secret Kasabian gig with only 199 other people.  I’ve danced around to Babyshambles at V, i’ve wangled tickets last minute to see Blur, seen Red Hot Chilli Peppers at the O2.  The only bands I wanted to see before I died that I haven’t yet is Oasis and Coldplay, and i’m seeing Coldplay in June J  All I need now is Oasis to reform and i’ve pretty much completed one of my life goals!

Not bad for a Tuesday eh? ;)

Festival Schmestivals

Early on in the year I get itchy fingers.  ITCHY because Christmas is dead and buried and it’s so far in the future you can’t even see it.  There is nothing to look forward to until waaay into the Summer months, so I begin to plan.  I plan, and I book things and I buy over priced tickets to watch dirty men perform songs I love on stage.  I book things, things that clash and coincide with each other and leave me with no sleep for a week solid but because it’s not happening TODAY I hardly take any notice.

This year, 2012 – the year of AMAZINGNESS... This time is now.  I am going to plan all of the gigs/festivals I am going to attend.

As much as this might make me a geek, I LOVE DOING THIS.  I search all the lists, I contact my friends and see who wants to go to what with me.  I research the ticket release dates, I plan my finances to find out when I am going to be able to buy the tickets.  Because of this, I am going to do a festival wish list blog post.  PIG IN SHIT.

Camden Crawl Friday 4^th May – Sunday 6^th May

First stop, kicking off with the Camden Crawl.  I haven’t ever been to the Camden Crawl, I don’t really know why as it’s not that far away to venture and I LOVE CAMDEN.  I think it’s put me off a bit that I don’t know most of the bands there, and even if you have a ticket you aren’t guaranteed entry into seeing the big names they pull in.  I think i’d prefer to be guaranteed a spot, but even if you just went down there to listen to unknowns and have bants in Camden it’s probably worth it.  Not line up rumours yet, but the official line up is announced in January.  I know it’s January now, but it hasn’t been announced yet.  GET OFF MY BACK.  Tickets expected to be £57 for early bird 2 day ticket or £62 for early bird 3 day ticket. 

Download Festival – Friday 8^th June – Sunday 10^th June

This year Download have managed to nab Prodigy to headline for the Friday night, Metallica for the Saturday night and Black Sabbath for the Sunday – BLACK SABBATH!  Music is a lot more hardcore than some popular festivals (*cough* V, ahem *cough*) – Definitely not for you spray tanned, preened posey Essex types!  The other acts are awesome, the likes of Chase & Status, Biffy Clyro, You Me at Six, Tenacious D (amazing) Lamb of God, Anthrax and lots more.  Sounds like a good line up this year, and with ticket prices roughly the same as V (£145 for a weekend, or £180 for weekend festival ticket & 5 nights camping) if you like your rock music and lack of posers, this sounds like it might be the one for you.

Lovebox Weekender Friday 15^th June – Sunday 17^th June

Never ventured to Lovebox, not sure why.  I have had some near misses in the last few years, but there hasn’t ever really been an act that has made me decide to get a ticket.  For me the people they pull in are wishy washy and there is never one name that I think “oooh I would like to see them” so I just haven’t bothered.  Regardless of this, I do just love the festival experience and atmosphere so I am always willing to give new festivals a go, try anything once me!  Line up for this hasn’t been announced yet either, lazy gits.  Held at Victoria Park in London, tickets are roughly £50 each / £100 for a weekend ticket.

Isle of Wight Festival ’12 – Friday 22^nd June – Sunday 24^th June

I have wanted to go to the Isle of Wight for years.  It’s as tame as festivals like V etc come, but it’s far away enough from Essex to not just be standing in a field with everyone you’ve ever met.  Bit of an alternative line up, it doesn’t pander to EVERYONE’S tastes like V but it does have a bit of something about it... Headiners this year announced as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers for the Friday, Pearl Jam for the Saturday and Bruce Springsteen on the Sunday.  Jessie J, Magnetic Man, Elbow, Biffy Clyro, Noel Gallagher, Kelis, Miles Kane, Example, The Darkness, Feeder, Pro Green, Wretch 32, Noah & the Whale, The Vaccines, Madness, Tinie Tempah and The Charlatans are some of the other acts, so as you can see although it’s a nice mix of commercial pop/r&b and watered down rock music, there must be something there for most avid festival goers!  Held in Newport, IoW, ticket prices are £190 weekend with camping.

Wireless Festival ’12 – Friday 6^th July – Sunday 8^th July

I have been to Wireless the last 2 years running and loved it.  It’s not for everyone, and it’s certainly not a ‘serious’ festival for ‘serious’ festival goers.  Prime example, the line up last year was average and the day I went to was headlined by the Black Eyed Peas, not exactly at the forefront of cutting edge new music.  Still, I went along and it is honestly one of the best days out you can have.  Normal commercial acts you would hear on the radio, sun, cider and banter.  What more could you want?  (Just as a little note, don’t trust me on this – the reason I might have such a good time at these festivals is because my friends are hilarious and not because the festivals are actually good, so if you don’t go with my friends then you might have a shit time – if this happens it is not my fault).  Rihanna is confirmed to headline the Sunday evening, with Jessie J, Calvin Harris and Labrinth backing her up.  No one else confirmed for the other days.  Held in Hyde Park, ticket prices are around £60 a day.

Sonisphere – Friday 6^th July – Sunday 8^th July

Held on the same weekend as Wireless, this festival has much more of a line up tailored to my musical tastes, I must admit.  No official line up yet, but rumours are Blink 182, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Muse, Val Halen and Rammstein – erm, could it actually get any better than that?  Oh yeah, only if RHCP and Arcade Fire were added to that line up.  If that was to happen then I would totally get a wide on.  Still, held at Knebworth House in Hertfordshire, a nice location and early bird tickets are £170 with camping or £145 without – it’s tempting isn’t it?

Latitude  - Thursday 12^th July – Sunday 15^th July

One of the longest festivals this year (partly because Glastonbury is taking it’s sabbatical this year *sob*) there are no current line up announcements for it, but I remember the line up being good last year.  Much the same as V and IoW, I remember acts like Flo and the Machine getting involved, but the atmosphere is apparently much more along the lines of Secret Garden Party – keep your eyes peeled for this one!  Held at Henham Park Estate in Beccles, Sufolk, tickets are £180 weekend.

Hard Rock Calling ’12 – Friday 13^th July – Sunday 15^th July

I haven’t ever been to Hard Rock Calling but it seems to be right up my street.  They tend to have a mixture of current bands and normally pull out one show stopping old school headliner for one of the night slots.  This year they also have Bruce Springsteen coming back to headline the Saturday night, and no other headliners as of yet confirmed.  Held in Hyde Park (same as Wireless) this is fast becoming a day festival hot spot for the London/Essex area.  Tickets are £60 currently only available for the Saturday BUT they are all sold out.

Secret Garden Party – Thursday 19^th July – Sunday 22^nd July

Speaking of Secret Garden Party, the award for the best festival name goes to these guys!  Again, no line up for this yet, but another one to keep your eyes peeled for.  Held at Mill Hill Field in Cambridgeshire, weekend tickets currently being advertised as £165 (third tier, tier one and two already sold out).

Camp Bestival – Thursday 26^th July – Sunday 29^th July

Bestival is one festival that has always interested me.  Held in Dorset, every one I know that has ever been has said they loved it.  One of the most random aspects of Bestival is that from 6.15pm – 7.15pm there is a silent hour, where all the sound systems go off.  This is due to a church service nearby that has taken place for hundreds of years, and the organisers were reluctant to interrupt – lots of entertainment is still scheduled for this hour, with spoken word, theatre events and if none of that appeals to you, that hour is the perfect opportunity to grab some Neon Noodles.  Early bird camping tickets, £170.

Global Gathering – Friday 27^th July – Saturday 28^th July

For reasons unknown, Global is not scheduled for the Sunday, but instead is 2 days of pure house music appreciating.  Based in Stratford upon Avon, there are no headliners confirmed for this year yet, but they promise ‘more than 150 world class DJs over 16 areas’ – sounds fair to me.  Early bird tickets are £99 for both days.

The Big Chill – Thursday 2^nd August – Sunday 5^th August

The Big Chill has been CANCELLED this year, because of the stupid Olympics.  Bah.

V Festival – Saturday 18^th August – Sunday 19^th August

I have been to V for the last 5 years running, this year being my 6^th.  I have planned ahead this time and got my tickets in advance, as I always end up looking at the line up, saying it’s rubbish, not buying a ticket and then running around like a mad thing the week before trying to find one.  I KNOW it’s commercial, I KNOW it’s full of people from Essex (if you go to the one in Chelmsford), but it’s easy and the line up can sometimes surprise (although it has declined in value every year I have been, starting off with Foo Fighters and ending up with Rihanna headlining last year – Eminem was a stroke of GENIUS though).  Based in either Staffordshire or Chemlsford, tickets are £175 for weekend with camping.  Line up to be announced shortly.

Reading & Leeds Festival – Friday 24^th – Sunday 26^th

Again blah blah blah, no acts confirmed, but what do I need to tell you about Reading apart from it’s one of the best music festivals in England?  Rumours at the moment are Foo Fighters and The Killers to headline with Metronomy and Two Door Cinema Club bringing up the rear.  Tickets around £200 for a weekend, keep your eyes peeled for ticket release dates and line up announcements for this festival.

SW4 – Saturday 25^th August – Sunday 26^th August

I went to SW4 last year.  It was an averagely good day out, especially if you have a passion for house music and not the bog standard indie festivals that 90% of these are.  They had decent tents with different types of house music in them last year, and it was headlined by Pendulum – very good but the venue is just a bit too far, NIGHTMARE to get home and the field it is held in (on Clapham Common) was like a swamp by the end of the day.  Good if you LOVE the acts, not worth it if you don’t IMO.  Tickets around £85 for both days, about £45 sold separately.

So there you have it, my Essex/London area breakdown of the festivals for this year.  I appear to have posted this a bit prematurely as there are hardly any confirmed acts for the headliners for this year, but sod it i’ve wrote it all out now so YOU WILL READ IT.

What festivals are you looking to go to this year?  Are there any festivals that you love, but i’ve failed to mention?  Let me knowwwww!