Tales From A Disappearing City

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For the sixth episode of Tales From A Disappearing City I am joined by
Neil who produces a couple of highly respected and long running blogs that have consistently documented all aspects of what we cover on TFADC and so it was essential to touch base and hear some stories and history. "Transpontine" covers all things subcultural from the South side of the river whilst "History is Made at Night" turns it's attention to the after hours. I first met Neil at the Dead by Dawn night in the 90's in Brixton and it was a real pleasure to chat and discover some of his formative experiences in the scene. In this episode we discuss his early record and gig experiences growing up in the late 1970's in Luton as well as how post punk and radical politics helped him start his lifelong fight against right wing governments and racism on the streets.

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https://www.youtube.com/@ControlledWeirdness
https://open.spotify.com/artist/20nC7cQni8ZrvRC2REZjOI
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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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In episode 13, I am joined by my old mate and cultural hooligan, Brandon Spivey. We delve into his initiation into radical music and subculture, recounting his upbringing in 1970s Macclesfield and subsequent relocation to Manchester in the 80s. As a class-conscious anarchist and anti-authoritarian, he actively opposed the system and confronted fascists on the streets, participating in protests and riots across the UK and wider Europe. Our conversation explores the impact of punk rock, Northern working-class dance culture, and Brandon's close association with Dave Godin, the man credited with coining the term "Northern Soul" and contributing to Motown's success in this country. We also touch upon his friendship with the founders of Eastern Bloc in Manchester, his first encounter with early Detroit techno, and the significance of working-class Northern culture in the realms of art and music. Brandon has been prolific in releasing a diverse array of hard, uncompromising, and weird electronic records since 1993, drawing inspiration from his deep appreciation for acid house and Detroit techno. I asked Brandon to write a short description to describe himself and it is reproduced below.
"Brandon Spivey is 56. Has a love of life, music , art and rebellion.
He has lived in a number of countries. Enjoyed many riots.
Hospitalised a number of authoritarian undesirables.
Written 'No Comment, The Defendants Guide to Arrest' .
He gave up drink and drugs in 1989 to focus on being a c#nt.
He has interest in all aspects of working class art, music and culture.
In summary:
Electronic music producer, Film Maker, Building worker and Trouble maker.
Interested in Musicology and Dadaist art.
A proud advocate of free speech and a supporter of peoples right to attack their oppressors.
He mocks identity politics bullshit and is proudly anarchist and a born anti authoritarian."

Support the show

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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Episode 12 contains the second part of my conversation with Christoph Fringeli. We discuss his move to South London from Basel at the start of the 90's and how he started a new record label called Praxis in order to release some of the harder electronic music he was making and hearing at parties and on the radio airwaves in the city. We also chat about Dead by Dawn, the legendary monthly party, held at the 121 Centre in Railton Road, Brixton during the mid 90's that combined all night techno mayhem with talks and writing from the subcultural and political underground. We finish our talk by recalling some early internet explorations and how Christoph started Datacide magazine to as he describes "release articles and cover experimental electronic music, from the avant-garde to hard dance music, its intersections with radical politics and counterculture, in-depth political and historical analysis and critique as well as experimental fiction, poetry and visual works".

Support the show

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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80's Countercultural Explorations in Basel and London
For the eleventh episode of "Tales From A Disappearing City," I am joined by my long-time friend, Christoph Fringeli, who runs Praxis Records and produces Datacide magazine. Christoph started Praxis in 1992, and since then, he has released a constant stream of cutting-edge experimental music that spans across all genres of electronica. The tunes he creates and releases can be described as harsh and abrasive but are designed to be played loudly on sound systems and in various reclaimed spaces. He describes Datacide as "a magazine that covers experimental electronic music, from the avant-garde to hard dance music, radical politics and counterculture, in-depth political and historical analysis and critique, as well as experimental fiction, poetry, and visual work."
In part one of our conversation, we discuss Christoph's upbringing in Basel, Switzerland, and how he became involved in post-punk as well as the emerging experimental tape swapping scene that was developing in the 1980s. We also delve into topics such as how he got into radical politics and the wide range of subcultural influences that began to shape his work. These discoveries were made in Basel and during his regular trips to London. We touch upon his Vision label, which preceded Praxis and released a series of fanzines, tapes, and vinyl records. Additionally, we explore his work at a distributor in Switzerland, which provided him with unparalleled access to the latest underground tunes. Episode 12 will feature Part 2 of this interview where we will chat about his move to London, starting Praxis records as well as a subject we have covered in previous podcasts, the influence of the monthly Dead by Dawn parties that he was involved in and were held in the 121 squatted arts centre in Brixton, South London in the mid 1990's.

Support the show

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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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.

Support the show

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...