Three years ago on this day, the death occurred of a man whom I didn’t know a great deal about, but who still had a seismic influence on what I was going to become....
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So who was the plague rave DJ who wanted a taxi home? Ravers rented out a 12th century Co Meath castle to hold an illegal party – and just look at the sorry state they’ve left the place in…
Two years ago, I remember speaking to a friend who used to organise illegal raves in the 1980s. He told me there were a number of unspoken rules they used to follow – work...
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As a new year begins, Amateur’s House takes a look into his crystal ball to make some not entirely serious predictions about what 2022 might have in store…
Welcome to a brand new year. Some things may change over the next 12 months and some might remain the same. Now, other sites are filled at this time of year with predictions of...
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In Soviet Russia, the record plays you! How bootleggers used to get around a ban on Western music in the communist state by cutting records onto used X-ray scans – just don’t ask about the sound quality…
If there’s one thing which will always get my interest at Amateur’s House, it’s history. Because whilst people may disagree over stories currently in the news, they tend to disagree even more when interpreting...
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Told you it wasn’t just him! This blog has found Danny Rampling a new friend in the form of old ravers Baby D – and their views on the pandemic are almost as crazy as his…
Whatever you choose to call Danny Rampling – the Runny Dumpling, Danny Rambling and other less printable suggestions have been made by others – there’s one thing you can’t deny. He loves being with...
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Plague raves, ignoring the Derrick May allegations, club closures and Rebekah not leading her own campaign: good riddance to the cesspit that was 2021!
2021 was a year which started out with so much promise. After months and months of lockdown during 2020 – and more of the same as the new year dawned – there was much...
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At least some things never change, eh? Nervous end the year by sticking to tradition – that is, the one where they stick a lady up on Instagram to amuse people who still think it’s 1991…
Nervous Records were very pleased to reach their 30th anniversary this year. And to give them their dues, there are very few dance music labels from 1991 which are still around today – so...
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Japan’s Stokyo are releasing a portable DJ set (based on Columbia GP3 portables from the 1960s) in the New Year with turntables included – but am I the only one who thinks it looks like a Fisher Price toy?
I know a little about music production. I used to be one. But one thing I never fully understood was the obsession in certain quarters with buying copious amounts of hardware for making said...
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Five weeks after #ForTheMusic unveiled their rabbit out of the hat – which was a fundraiser for a film – only €2244 has been raised… so what’s gone wrong and where’s your donation, Rebekah?
I’m painfully aware that I’m coming across like a stuck record here – but I shall keep doing it for as long as it takes. I would absolutely love to get behind the #ForTheMusic...
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The Saturday Recap (on Friday!) – 31st December 2021
So that’s another week over and done with. And with tomorrow being New Year’s Day, your recap of the week is once again a day early. Here’s what’s been on the blog between Christmas...
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Here’s One They Made Earlier: remember THAT piano which E-Smoove used to stick on everything in the early 90s? This is one of the better ones…
It’s hard to believe, but the record I’m including in tonight’s column is a little over 30 years old now. Yes, this one was made and released all the way back in 1991 –...
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So which 5-star Riyadh hotel shall I stay at next time? The question every business techno DJ will be asking as Saudi Arabia confirms it wants to become a global “cultural hub”…
The Nazï regime was probably the first in the world to truly understand the power of the media. Hitler tasked his propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels with ensuring the media of the time – which...
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It’s the sound of da police! About the time Judge Jules was ordered to shut up by none other than South Yorkshire’s boys in blue – read on to find out why…
This time last year, Christmas and New Year celebrations were somewhat more muted than now. Lockdown restrictions across many countries prevented most regular events at this time of year from going ahead. And although...
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Where’s Kerri Chandler when you need him? After Northern Ireland’s police disclose they had eight reports of UFO sightings in 2021, perhaps METI’s next trip should be to the Giant’s Causeway…
In days gone by, newspapers went through something that in Britain was called the silly season. Traditionally, this referenced a period in late summer when there was very little news to report. This meant...
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Is there something you’ve forgotten to tell us, Whitney? Resident Advisor’s editor-in-chief writes a painfully long piece for her site – but all is not as it seems with one of the contributors…
In 1987, British comedy Only Fools and Horses broadcast a scene at Peckham’s market. Del Boy was trying to sell these back massagers and used the machine on lovable Uncle Albert to show what...
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Here’s One They Made Earlier: dancing is what to do, and dancing is what this one from 2005 makes me want to do!
Continuing with the week long selections from this series, I’m going back to 2005 for this choice from the box. This one is unashamedly on the commercial side, but it’s the sort of record...
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