Tales From A Disappearing City
Controlled Weirdness
Hosted from a South London tower block by Neil Keating aka Controlled Weirdness. Tales from a Disappearing City is a chance for Neil to tell some untold subcultural stories from past and present, joined by friends from his lifelong journey through subterranean London. Neil is a veteran producer and DJ and has been at the front line of all aspects of club and sound system culture since the early 80’s. His musical CV includes playing everywhere from plush clubs to dirty warehouses as well as mixing tunes on a variety of iconic London pirate radio stations. He has released music on numerous underground record labels and was responsible for promoting and playing at a series of legendary early raves in the USA at the start of the 90’s. He still DJ's in the UK and throughout Europe and beyond and has an eclectic and seriously deep collection of music built up over time that reflects an appreciation of all elements of the London groove. Neil currently runs Presence Unknown, a vinyl and digital label dedicated to releasing music influenced by his love of Electro, Acid House and Rave. He also does a monthly show on Threads radio where his aim as always is to play you some amazing music that you have never heard before.
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Top 10 Tales From A Disappearing City Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Tales From A Disappearing City episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Tales From A Disappearing City for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Tales From A Disappearing City episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Episode 4 - Post Punk, Squats and Techno - special guest - Howard Slater
Tales From A Disappearing City
05/03/23 • 48 min
For the fourth episode of Tales From A Disappearing City I am joined by my good friend Howard Slater aka Flint Michigan. I first met Howard in the mid 90's at Dead by Dawn which was a legendary monthly party that took place at the 121 squatted art and community Centre in Railton Road, Brixton. Howard has written extensively about his experiences within various strands of subculture in a wide variety of underground magazines. This journey began with his early love of independent labels such as Fast Product and Factory and progressed through the post punk and free improv scene in the 80's. He then started to hear and become involved with the emerging underground sounds of off kilter techno and electro as the 90's began. We discuss all these strands of alternative culture including the squatted landscape of London when he first arrived from Preston in 1984.
https://www.youtube.com/@ControlledWeirdness
https://open.spotify.com/artist/20nC7cQni8ZrvRC2REZjOI
https://www.instagram.com/controlledweirdness/
https://controlledweirdness.bandcamp.com/
Theme song is Controlled Weirdness - Drifting in the Streets
https://open.spotify.com/track/7GJfmYy4RjMyLIg9nffukt
Hosted from a South London tower block by Neil Keating aka Controlled Weirdness. Tales from a Disappearing City is a chance for Neil to tell some untold subcultural stories from past and present, joined by friends from his lifelong journey through subterranean London. Neil is a veteran producer and DJ and has been at the front line of all aspects of club and sound system culture since the mid 80’s when he first began to go to nightclubs, gigs, and illegal parties. His musical CV includes playing everywhere from plush clubs to dirty warehouses as well as mixing tunes on a variety of iconic London pirate radio stations. He has released music on numerous underground record labels and was responsible for promoting and playing at a series of legendary early raves in the USA at the start of the 90’s. He still DJ's in the UK and throu...
Episode 2 - 90's Record Shops and Raves - special guest - Blackmass Plastics
Tales From A Disappearing City
04/04/23 • 45 min
For this second episode of Tales From A Disappearing City I am joined again by my good friend Ian aka Blackmass Plastics to discuss our memories of 90's record shops as well as key parties and raves. This is part two of our chat and we start in the early 1990's and finish as free parties and alternative underground ways of distributing music start to become more important. We discuss influential clubs such as Pyramid, Club Dog, Knowledge and AWOL as well legendary DJ's such as Colin Favor and Colin Dale who helped spread weird electronic music over the airwaves of London. Next episode we head into the warehouses and fields to go to free parties and play and dance at underground sound systems. Stay tuned.
https://www.youtube.com/@ControlledWeirdness
https://open.spotify.com/artist/20nC7cQni8ZrvRC2REZjOI
https://www.instagram.com/controlledweirdness/
https://controlledweirdness.bandcamp.com/
Theme song is Controlled Weirdness - Drifting in the Streets
https://open.spotify.com/track/7GJfmYy4RjMyLIg9nffukt
Hosted from a South London tower block by Neil Keating aka Controlled Weirdness. Tales from a Disappearing City is a chance for Neil to tell some untold subcultural stories from past and present, joined by friends from his lifelong journey through subterranean London. Neil is a veteran producer and DJ and has been at the front line of all aspects of club and sound system culture since the mid 80’s when he first began to go to nightclubs, gigs, and illegal parties. His musical CV includes playing everywhere from plush clubs to dirty warehouses as well as mixing tunes on a variety of iconic London pirate radio stations. He has released music on numerous underground record labels and was responsible for promoting and playing at a series of legendary early raves in the USA at the start of the 90’s. He still DJ's in the UK and throu...
Episode 20 - Lovers Rock, Charisma and Acid House - special guest - Gizelle
Tales From A Disappearing City
07/10/24 • 66 min
Join us for the first part of our captivating conversation with Gizelle, a pioneering female DJ who witnessed the birth of London's acid house scene. From her roots in Lovers Rock to becoming a trailblazing DJ, Gizelle takes us on a nostalgic trip through late 80s and early 90s club culture. In this episode some of the many topics we discuss are:
Gizelle's musical beginnings with Charisma, a Lovers Rock group
Her first DJ gig at Winston's Bar in Deptford (1987)
Discovering and incorporating acid house music into her DJ sets (1988)
Memorable nights at Asylum, Shaboo, Coozz and Clink Street
Challenges of being a female DJ in a male-dominated scene
An eye-opening encounter with the Mutoid Waste Company
Gizelle's story offers a unique perspective on a pivotal moment in UK music history. Whether you lived through the acid house revolution or wish you had, this episode is essential listening for music lovers and cultural enthusiasts alike. Part 2 coming next episode.
https://www.youtube.com/@ControlledWeirdness
https://open.spotify.com/artist/20nC7cQni8ZrvRC2REZjOI
https://www.instagram.com/controlledweirdness/
https://controlledweirdness.bandcamp.com/
Theme song is Controlled Weirdness - Drifting in the Streets
https://open.spotify.com/track/7GJfmYy4RjMyLIg9nffukt
Hosted from a South London tower block by Neil Keating aka Controlled Weirdness. Tales from a Disappearing City is a chance for Neil to tell some untold subcultural stories from past and present, joined by friends from his lifelong journey through subterranean London. Neil is a veteran producer and DJ and has been at the front line of all aspects of club and sound system culture since the mid 80’s when he first began to go to nightclubs, gigs, and illegal parties. His musical CV includes playing everywhere from plush clubs to dirty warehouses as well as mixing tunes on a variety of iconic London pirate radio stations. He has released music on numerous underground record labels and was responsible for promoting and playing at a series of legendary early raves in the USA at the start of the 90’s. He still DJ's in the UK and throu...
Episode 16 - 1980's Electro, Scratching and Making Beats - special guest - Phil Klein
Tales From A Disappearing City
04/03/24 • 58 min
In Episode 16, I speak with my old friend and fellow rave war veteran, Phil Klein, also known as Bass Junkie. Phil is a highly respected UK music producer, having crafted tunes since the late 1980s, and is known for his deep love of Electro and Miami Bass. In this first of our two part discussion, we delve into his early music recollections, highlighting the pivotal moment when his cousin introduced him to the Street Sounds Electro series in 1983, an encounter that significantly altered the trajectory of his life. After reflecting on his memories of the iconic hip-hop event, UK Fresh, held at Wembley Arena in 1986, we then explore Phil's journey of delving into imported twelve-inch records from Groove Records in Soho, alongside his relentless pursuit of rare tunes. Subsequently, we explore his foray into mastering scratching techniques and crafting beats. Finishing this episode, we explore Phil's initiation into free parties, alongside members of the local Fear Teacher's sound system. In the next episode, we will delve into his experiences with underground parties in the 1990s, his ventures to Miami for production collaborations with Dynamix II, the establishment of his record label Battle Trax, and the release of music under various aliases. Additionally, we'll touch upon the London Electro scene of the early 2000s, centred around parties from Haywire and the Foundry bar in Shoreditch, as well as delve into the intricacies of his ongoing music and podcasting endeavours. Stay tuned for that and as ever if you appreciate the podcast then please subscribe to the channel and like the videos. This really helps spread the tales and stories to new audiences and will help us grow and expand.
Links to Phil's music, mixes and new podcast
https://soundcloud.com/pak-jamz
https://www.mixcloud.com/PAKJAMZ/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/116076871761989/
https://www.youtube.com/@ControlledWeirdness
https://open.spotify.com/artist/20nC7cQni8ZrvRC2REZjOI
https://www.instagram.com/controlledweirdness/
https://controlledweirdness.bandcamp.com/
Theme song is Controlled Weirdness - Drifting in the Streets
https://open.spotify.com/track/7GJfmYy4RjMyLIg9nffukt
Hosted from a South London tower block by Neil Keating aka Controlled Weirdness. Tales from a Disappearing City is a chance for Neil to tell some untold subcultural stories from past and present, joined by friends from his lifelong journey through subterranean London. Neil is a veteran producer and DJ and has been at the front line of all aspects of club and sound system culture since the mid 80’s when he first began to go to nightclubs, gigs, and illegal parties. His musical CV includes playing everywhere from plush clubs to dirty warehouses as well as mixing tunes on a variety of iconic London pirate radio stations. He has released music on numerous underground record labels and was responsible for promoting and playing at a series of legendary early raves in the USA at the start of the 90’s. He still DJ's in the UK and throu...
Episode 18 - 90's London Subculture. Fashion, Clubs and Ambient Soho - special guest - Miss Pink
Tales From A Disappearing City
05/15/24 • 62 min
Welcome to Episode 18, where I sit down for a lively chat with Rachel, better known as Miss Pink. Our connection dates back to the mid-1990s, a time when I frequented record stores like Ambient Soho on Berwick Street and Black Market Records on D'Arbly Street, places where Rachel's passion for music shone brightly. Throughout the 90s, she made her mark as a revered jungle DJ, spinning tunes at underground warehouse raves and mainstream venues alike.
In this first instalment of our two-part conversation, we explore her early affinity for the Goth and Grebo subcultures, tracing her path from the north to the heart of London. Along the way, we explore her immersion in the diverse tapestry of alternative fashion and underground music scenes that flourished during that electrifying era.
Rachel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artnglassram/
https://www.youtube.com/@ControlledWeirdness
https://open.spotify.com/artist/20nC7cQni8ZrvRC2REZjOI
https://www.instagram.com/controlledweirdness/
https://controlledweirdness.bandcamp.com/
Theme song is Controlled Weirdness - Drifting in the Streets
https://open.spotify.com/track/7GJfmYy4RjMyLIg9nffukt
Hosted from a South London tower block by Neil Keating aka Controlled Weirdness. Tales from a Disappearing City is a chance for Neil to tell some untold subcultural stories from past and present, joined by friends from his lifelong journey through subterranean London. Neil is a veteran producer and DJ and has been at the front line of all aspects of club and sound system culture since the mid 80’s when he first began to go to nightclubs, gigs, and illegal parties. His musical CV includes playing everywhere from plush clubs to dirty warehouses as well as mixing tunes on a variety of iconic London pirate radio stations. He has released music on numerous underground record labels and was responsible for promoting and playing at a series of legendary early raves in the USA at the start of the 90’s. He still DJ's in the UK and throu...
Episode 8 - 80's Electro, Go-Go and Acid House - special guest - Simon Dexorcist
Tales From A Disappearing City
07/12/23 • 47 min
For the eighth episode of Tales From A Disappearing City I am joined by my old mate Simon Brown aka The Dexorcist. We first met at an illegal rave in the mid 90's and instantly bonded over our love of old school electro, acid house and rave culture. In this episode we discuss Simon's formative music years, growing up in Shepperton, listening to jazz funk before discovering electro and the importance of Our Price Records in his musical journey. We take in some Surrey balearic nights and also take a trip, literally to early acid house parties in what were then rundown parts of London by the river.
https://www.youtube.com/@ControlledWeirdness
https://open.spotify.com/artist/20nC7cQni8ZrvRC2REZjOI
https://www.instagram.com/controlledweirdness/
https://controlledweirdness.bandcamp.com/
Theme song is Controlled Weirdness - Drifting in the Streets
https://open.spotify.com/track/7GJfmYy4RjMyLIg9nffukt
Hosted from a South London tower block by Neil Keating aka Controlled Weirdness. Tales from a Disappearing City is a chance for Neil to tell some untold subcultural stories from past and present, joined by friends from his lifelong journey through subterranean London. Neil is a veteran producer and DJ and has been at the front line of all aspects of club and sound system culture since the mid 80’s when he first began to go to nightclubs, gigs, and illegal parties. His musical CV includes playing everywhere from plush clubs to dirty warehouses as well as mixing tunes on a variety of iconic London pirate radio stations. He has released music on numerous underground record labels and was responsible for promoting and playing at a series of legendary early raves in the USA at the start of the 90’s. He still DJ's in the UK and throu...
Episode 5 - TechNet, Break/Flow and Dead by Dawn - special guest - Howard Slater
Tales From A Disappearing City
05/17/23 • 69 min
For the fifth episode of Tales From A Disappearing City I am joined once again by my good friend Howard Slater aka Flint Michigan. I first met Howard in the mid 90's at Dead by Dawn which was a legendary monthly party that took place at the 121 squatted art and community Centre in Railton Road, Brixton. In this episode we discuss TechNet, his collaboration with Jason Skeet that produced a series of essential written communiques from the frontline of 90's subculture. We then talk about his involvement in Dead by Dawn as well as his magazine Break/Flow that in 1998 released an acclaimed vinyl issue with tracks from underground electronic labels and associates such as Praxis, Crossfade Entertainment, Adverse, Ambush and Unearthly.
https://www.youtube.com/@ControlledWeirdness
https://open.spotify.com/artist/20nC7cQni8ZrvRC2REZjOI
https://www.instagram.com/controlledweirdness/
https://controlledweirdness.bandcamp.com/
Theme song is Controlled Weirdness - Drifting in the Streets
https://open.spotify.com/track/7GJfmYy4RjMyLIg9nffukt
Hosted from a South London tower block by Neil Keating aka Controlled Weirdness. Tales from a Disappearing City is a chance for Neil to tell some untold subcultural stories from past and present, joined by friends from his lifelong journey through subterranean London. Neil is a veteran producer and DJ and has been at the front line of all aspects of club and sound system culture since the mid 80’s when he first began to go to nightclubs, gigs, and illegal parties. His musical CV includes playing everywhere from plush clubs to dirty warehouses as well as mixing tunes on a variety of iconic London pirate radio stations. He has released music on numerous underground record labels and was responsible for promoting and playing at a series of legendary early raves in the USA at the start of the 90’s. He still DJ's in the UK and throu...
Episode 9 - Electro, Pirate Radio and Raving in the Woods - special guest - Ben - Dead Silence - Audio Illusion
Tales From A Disappearing City
08/02/23 • 38 min
For the ninth episode of Tales From A Disappearing City I am joined by Ben McCusker, member of the Dead Silence Syndicate and co founder of Audio Illusion Recordings. We first met in the 90's at an illegal warehouse party and have been good friends ever since. In this episode we discuss Ben's early music influences including attending with his brother and his mum, the legendary UK Fresh event at Wembley Arena in 1986. This was a showcase for all the underground Electro and rap music that was being played from the Streetsounds compilations by the UK's youth at the time and was an inspiring breakdance Woodstock for the emerging UK hip hop generation. We also delve into Ben listening to Mike Allen's rap show on Capital as well as early Pirate Radio from stations such as Smart Boys FM and Green Apple. We finish this first part of our chat with Ben discovering the local renegade party crew, The Fear Teachers and getting the first taste of rave with all night parties featuring strobes and weird bleeps and tones in the Surrey countryside.
https://www.youtube.com/@ControlledWeirdness
https://open.spotify.com/artist/20nC7cQni8ZrvRC2REZjOI
https://www.instagram.com/controlledweirdness/
https://controlledweirdness.bandcamp.com/
Theme song is Controlled Weirdness - Drifting in the Streets
https://open.spotify.com/track/7GJfmYy4RjMyLIg9nffukt
Hosted from a South London tower block by Neil Keating aka Controlled Weirdness. Tales from a Disappearing City is a chance for Neil to tell some untold subcultural stories from past and present, joined by friends from his lifelong journey through subterranean London. Neil is a veteran producer and DJ and has been at the front line of all aspects of club and sound system culture since the mid 80’s when he first began to go to nightclubs, gigs, and illegal parties. His musical CV includes playing everywhere from plush clubs to dirty warehouses as well as mixing tunes on a variety of iconic London pirate radio stations. He has released music on numerous underground record labels and was responsible for promoting and playing at a series of legendary early raves in the USA at the start of the 90’s. He still DJ's in the UK and throu...
Episode 15 - Breakdancing, Acid House and Pirate Radio - special guest - Uncle G
Tales From A Disappearing City
02/21/24 • 77 min
In Episode 15, I speak with Uncle G, also known as Urban Intelligence. Godfrey has been deeply embedded in South London's music culture since his family relocated to South East London from the tumultuous and politically unstable climate of Chile in the 1970s. Growing up on the Morris Walk estate in Woolwich, he was exposed to music from various angles, starting with all-night Caribbean-influenced blues parties in his local community. These were DIY events where a sound system and a bar were set up in a flat, and reggae, soul, boogie, and funk reverberated until the early hours.
In 1982, Malcolm McLaren's B-boy classic "Buffalo Girls" video aired on Top of the Pops, introducing kids across the UK to scratching, popping, and graffiti. Godfrey delved into breakdancing and, by connecting with several Woolwich crews, became involved in the emerging hip-hop culture. As house music made its way to the UK, a friend secured him a role helping mail out membership cards for his brother's party called Biology. These were legendary early acid house raves, and G started attending these, along with other iconic events like RIP at Clink Street and Rave in the Cave, an all-night acid party in an arch next to Elephant and Castle train station. Memorable nights also took place at the Tunnel Club, a notoriously rough and ready venue right next to the entrance to the BlackWall Tunnel.
Initially, Godfrey started as a DJ at local house parties in the 80s. As the rave scene gained momentum, he began DJing at larger events and playing on pirate radio stations such as Shockin FM and Wax FM. Radio and the quest for new music to share with people have been his passion ever since. Uncle G now hosts a show every Friday from 6-8 pm, streamed live from Planet Wax record shop in New Cross. We conclude our conversation by delving into the significance of record shops like Planet Wax, which not only sell music but also serve as spaces for vibrant and diverse South London communities to come together, forge friendships, and make connections through their shared love of music.
https://www.youtube.com/@ControlledWeirdness
https://open.spotify.com/artist/20nC7cQni8ZrvRC2REZjOI
https://www.instagram.com/controlledweirdness/
https://controlledweirdness.bandcamp.com/
Theme song is Controlled Weirdness - Drifting in the Streets
https://open.spotify.com/track/7GJfmYy4RjMyLIg9nffukt
Hosted from a South London tower block by Neil Keating aka Controlled Weirdness. Tales from a Disappearing City is a chance for Neil to tell some untold subcultural stories from past and present, joined by friends from his lifelong journey through subterranean London. Neil is a veteran producer and DJ and has been at the front line of all aspects of club and sound system culture since the mid 80’s when he first began to go to nightclubs, gigs, and illegal parties. His musical CV includes playing everywhere from plush clubs to dirty warehouses as well as mixing tunes on a variety of iconic London pirate radio stations. He has released music on numerous underground record labels and was responsible for promoting and playing at a series of legendary early raves in the USA at the start of the 90’s. He still DJ's in the UK and throu...
Episode 24 - Raves, Record Shops and Pirate Radio Stories - special guest - Warlock
Tales From A Disappearing City
11/13/24 • 78 min
Join me for part one of my two-part conversation with Warlock. A raw, unfiltered journey through the golden age of pirate radio, and the birth of jungle. In this episode, Jason takes us deep into the underground scene of early 90s London. From running pirate radio in student halls to getting caught by the DTI live on air. This episode is a raw slice of UK dance music history.
Some of the many topics discussed include:
His journey from Watford to Stafford and eventually down to London
Involvement in pirate radio (Mental FM, Pulse FM) in the early 90s
Stories about De Underground record shop in Forest Gate and its importance to the jungle scene
Getting busted by the DTI while broadcasting live on Pirate Radio
Memories of early hardcore and jungle production techniques
Insights into the evolution from hip-hop to hardcore and jungle
Part two coming soon.
https://www.youtube.com/@ControlledWeirdness
https://open.spotify.com/artist/20nC7cQni8ZrvRC2REZjOI
https://www.instagram.com/controlledweirdness/
https://controlledweirdness.bandcamp.com/
Theme song is Controlled Weirdness - Drifting in the Streets
https://open.spotify.com/track/7GJfmYy4RjMyLIg9nffukt
Hosted from a South London tower block by Neil Keating aka Controlled Weirdness. Tales from a Disappearing City is a chance for Neil to tell some untold subcultural stories from past and present, joined by friends from his lifelong journey through subterranean London. Neil is a veteran producer and DJ and has been at the front line of all aspects of club and sound system culture since the mid 80’s when he first began to go to nightclubs, gigs, and illegal parties. His musical CV includes playing everywhere from plush clubs to dirty warehouses as well as mixing tunes on a variety of iconic London pirate radio stations. He has released music on numerous underground record labels and was responsible for promoting and playing at a series of legendary early raves in the USA at the start of the 90’s. He still DJ's in the UK and throu...
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FAQ
How many episodes does Tales From A Disappearing City have?
Tales From A Disappearing City currently has 24 episodes available.
What topics does Tales From A Disappearing City cover?
The podcast is about Edm, Techno, Electronic, Producer, London, Music, Music History, Podcasts, Electro and Music Interviews.
What is the most popular episode on Tales From A Disappearing City?
The episode title 'Episode 14 - Berlin Riots, Anarchy and Techno - special guest - Brandon Spivey' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Tales From A Disappearing City?
The average episode length on Tales From A Disappearing City is 58 minutes.
How often are episodes of Tales From A Disappearing City released?
Episodes of Tales From A Disappearing City are typically released every 21 days.
When was the first episode of Tales From A Disappearing City?
The first episode of Tales From A Disappearing City was released on Mar 19, 2023.
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