This edition of Brumcast features an interview with Brummy Rock n Rollers 'The Deafout' and their new track R.E.C.E.S.S.I.O.N aired for the first time. Little Chris also discusses the Glastonbudget festival with compere Earl of Mongoose. Also a mini feature on the White Noise Electronic music festival to be held at The Rainbow at the end of March. All that combined with the usual mix of genres that makes Brumcast the true show of the UK Midlands underground. Go to http://brumcast.podOmatic.com for download & audio stream links. Download it free and direct from http://brumcast.podomatic.com/enclosure/2009-03-15T11_41_41-07_00.mp3
Here's this show's playlist :-
1. The Guilty - Machine Gun Mickey (1:43)
2. Copious - Ashes 2 Ashes (4:00)
3. Flesh Eating Foundation - Godless (4:07)
4. Phyroxin - 5D Alarm (3:52)
5. Interview with The Deafout (13:10)
6. The Deafout - R.E.C.E.S.S.I.O.N (3:04)
7. The 7.20s - Keep On Holding On (5:17)
8. Speedtheory - Vengeance Is Mine (5:03)
9. Blame James - Buy A Little Time (3:25)
10. Beatcompute - control (5:28)
11. HINGe - GHOSTS (5:02)
12. Caps - Smile Girl (4:02)
13. Tantrums - Frowning (2:25)
14. The Traps - Genevive You've Lost The Plot (3:27)
15. The Asbo Kid - Turn it up (3:40)
16. Contra Mundum - Apollo (3:54)
17. Wiremother - the blue gene (4:43)
18. Dub Chieftain - Starship Caledonia (3:36)
19. Suddenly Phantoms - Companion (3:26)
20. Earl of Mongoose & Little Chris discuss Glastonbudget (8:33)
21. Non - Inside Out (4:53)
22. Earl of Mongoose - Why are Haddocks not Mammals? (2:20)
23. B.A.D MC - Solo (Produced By Average Joe) (3:44)
24. The Avantgardenaires - The Dogs Are All Asleep (3:29)Enjoy!
Little Chris

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Is it really worth it? That is the question I always ask myself as I fret around booking, washing, uploading, planning, packing, delegating and farewelling before I go on holiday. At the time it is hard to believe the stress generated through the sheer effort of getting away could possibly be off-set by the pleasure and relaxation of any break that is to come.

Every time, I find myself perplexed. Why is it such hard work getting us all out of the house? Why does there always seem to be more that I can possibly manage to do?

I found something of an answer to that question about five hours before we were due to leave for our three week break in Barbados when Arch did a massive pooh - one of those kinds that spills out of the nappy and onto the vest.

Dull, insipid, lifeless; you can see why the powers that be thought Coldplay would be an ideal fit for the way that Birmingham City have been playing recently.

But to remove 'Mr Blue Sky', and 'The Tamperer' from the playlist at St Andrews as the teams were coming out last night ("to revive recent flagging fortunes" speculated the Telegraph) shows very little understanding of how people are attached to our own bits of history.

ELO's 'Mr Blue Sky' has been a St Andrews staple for years, and has with a loop of 'The Tamperer' (in fact a sample from The Jackson Five's 'Can You Feel It') been clapped along with gusto by fans for over a decade. My personal memories are all based around quickening my step between pub and main stand as the "dum dun dun" bit started up and breaking into sight of the pitch as it reached the bit where the clapping started.

This stuff is important, a while ago I was researching a book based on how songs and football were so linked, and how - for example - mobile DJs have to know that in certain areas playing 'The Liquidator' will do nothing but cause trouble. The taut ska classic has been played a Black Country football grounds for years, with accompanying "earthy" lyrics, it's even been banned on Police advice. While looking I dug up council minutes discussing it, which beats the apostrophe meanderings Cllr Mullaney brought to our attention as a waste of valuable meeting time.

Almost all music gets divided up by these tribal lines, and it's important to be aware of how it affects people. It doesn't take long for a tune to become "our song", even if the "our" is 20,000 football fans.

But as an organisation, you can't force it. Whoever, and I'm expecting it to be quite high-up, decided to change the run-out music just doesn't understand it. That they also decided to pipe a snatch of UB40 through the weedy (they've admitted it's not good enough) PA when we scored shows they have no idea how the fans' minds work.

Brumcast 118 'The UK's Burning' kicks off with a brand new unreleased tack from Johnny Foreigner and contains the usual deep mix of genres that you've come to expect from Brumcast. Indie, Electro, Hip Hop, Punk, Techno, Acoustic, Rock, Metal, and more besides.... . Download it free and direct from http://brumcast.podomatic.com/enclosure/2009-03-02T13_00_32-08_00.mp3

Here's this show's playlist :-
1. Johnny Foreigner - Ghost the Festivals (2:24)
2. SixtyfiveMiles - Don't wish for something (3:06)
3. The Garcia LX - That man J Barton (3:08)
4. Tonal Balance - Magic Nose Goblin (5:06)
5. Shoot, Panda!? - Sam's Song (4:49)
6. Moachin - Adjournee (3:20)
7. The Gravity Crisis - Medicine (3:29)
8. Young Fate - Non Fictitious (4:38)
9. Burt Bacharak Fight Club - Squid (3:08)
10. Amberphonik - Indestructible (5:18)
11. Old School Tie - Stop the Thoughts (4:39)
12. Girls that Scream - Club Killah (3:47)
13. Miss Halliwell - The Rash (4:46)
14. fantastik4 - Thanks But No Thanks (3:12)
15. Hitchcock - Homecoming (2:07)
16. Innovation of Sound - Polaroid (4:57)
17. Lizzy Piffany - I Hate Men (2:03)
18. Old Ions - It can't happen again (5:18)
19. D-Tox - The UK's Burning (4:27)
20. Matt Greenhill - Turning of the Key (1:36)
21. Reign of Fear - Judas (4:58)
22. The Lean Yellows - Outside of Love (4:13)
23. Repetative Strain Disorder - Apparition (13:42)
Enjoy!
Little Chris

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In January, Jez Collins of the Birmingham Music Archive & Paul Long of Birmingham City University met up with me to discuss the cultural importance of the Birmingham music scene, past and present.

The discussion was recorded and put in a series of 4 podcasts at http://interactivecultures.org/, the first two are online now. Click here to download part 1, and here to download part 2, and don't forget to subscribe to the podcast by clicking here to get hold of parts 3 and 4 when they become available.

Well the Oscars are over for this year, and for the most part the right films got the awards, Slumdog was crowned king of the millionaires and Kate Winslett finally ascended to the top of the pile.

The ceremony was served up with the usual glamour and glitz, big hair, big frocks and big egos, now that's exactly what we have come to expect from the biggest movie event in the film world, actually it's the biggest celebrity event anywhere on the planet full stop. So how did this year's show perform? Well it was dull, the highlights went with the awards, which is as it should be but never is. My highlight was the wonderful song and dance number performed by first time host Hugh Jackman, I have to say I was and am a big fan of the best film montages featuring Billy Crystal who is still my favourite Oscar presenter, but I was very impressed with Jackman's performance, problem that was it, the rest of the show was just by the numbers, kind of; no highs, no lows just ordinary.
For me Slumdog Millionaire winning the night was a massive highlight, but in terms of a spectacle in was all so very safe, Danny Boyle was touching and honest, Kate Winslett was cute, but needs to have a word with her dad about the hat, but it was all so very, very safe.
Funny and dangerous would have been Mickey Rourke winning the best actor and then having to go on stage to receive his award, the censors would have been more nervous than singer Chris Brown at a hen night party, but the academy didn't see fit to award the best male acting performance of the year, instead they went with the second best and almost had a heart attack, when Sean Penn started his speech with "Thank you, you commie, homo-loving sons-of-guns. I did not expect this," and used it as a platform to voice his support for same sex marriages and equal rights for all. It was a speech that called out for respect for all but was an acceptance speech that was lacking in respect for one important person, his wife! His body language when he won the award was just amazing, she had to grab and kiss him as he strode toward the stage without any hesitation or acknowledgement to the beautiful woman sitting lovingly next to him, and then he thanked everyone and the world involved with the project for their work and support except his wife who just sat there and smiled.

By the way this is a just personal observation, But I just thought if you have the time and presence of mind to advocate same sex marriages, equal rights, president Obama, Mickey Rourke surely you have ten seconds to thank the mother of your children and the person you have shared your life with for the last decade and a half.

Before the big show news you can now link up with me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Brumcast

And now the show I've wanted to do for a while now......it's Brumcast 117 Special show! Unsound's 2000 album 'Everything for a Reason' in its entirety, contains Trip Hop, Industrial, Ragga, Punk, Ska, Techno, Turntablism, Ambient, Acoustic , you don't get many albums like this one and it's now ready for listening and FREE download. Go to http://brumcast.podOmatic.com for download & audio stream links. Download it free and direct from http://brumcast.podomatic.com/enclosure/2009-02-22T15_36_33-08_00.mp3
Here's this show's playlist :-
UNSOUND - EVERYTHING FOR A REASON
1. Unsound - Induction (2:25)
2. Unsound - Innocence Released (4:46)
3. Unsound - Interlude (3:58)
4. Unsound - Zanzibar (3:23)
5. Unsound - Seven Ages (6:44)
6. Unsound - Gone Fishin' (2:10)
7. Unsound - Skit (0:37)
8. Unsound - August (2:51)
9. Unsound - Floating Rhodes (6:07)
10. Unsound - Japanese Shoes (1:08)
11. Unsound - DJ Kwong's Ferocious Shinogi Style (3:41)
12. Unsound - Bleeding Heart '99 (2:38)
13. Unsound - Red Was The Colour (3:30)
14. Unsound - Adagio For Sampler (4:26)
15. Unsound - Technology (3:00)
16. Unsound - Ehsan Kutir (1:42)
17. Unsound - Another (5:43)
18. Unsound - The Zanzibar Suite (14:56)
Enjoy!
Little Chris

Brumcast RSS feed for itunes etc - http://brumcast.podOmatic.com/rss2.xml

Well with a few hours to go till the Oscars, the juries; according to the organisers have submitted their ballots and the auditors are now counting the votes. Yeah right.
Who are they trying to kid? Are we really expected to believe that one of the most carefully scripted events on the face of the planet will leave it to the last couple of hours to make sure that there are no cock ups. That they will just leave it up to chance that the editors have not selected the correct music and clips to accompany the winners on their walks up to the stage. There was a list leaked onto the internet this week which is supposed to show a number of the winners, the academy has dismissed this as a fake, they are probably telling the truth, but when you look at the list it names Slumdog Millionaire as picking up best film and best director for Danny Boyle, Mickey Rourke for best actor and Kate Winslett as best actress, strange how they are the favourites in each field. I would have to say that most of them are probably right, with the possible exception of Kate Winslett who may lose out to Meryl Streep, but I would like Kate to win it.

If I had to chose the big prize Winners I would go for;

Best Film: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director: Danny Boyle
Best Actor: Mickey Rourke
Best Actress: Kate Winslett
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz

I think that Slumdog Millionaire will be one of the big winners taking home five possibly six awards out of the 10 nominations. But if you look at my choices, you will see that most of them mirror the leaked list, that's because this year we have a very wide selection of films vying for the big prizes, but the potential winners stand out in their field, I will be gutted if The Curious Case of Benjamin Button picks up more than a few technical awards, though its not a bad film, it really doesn't live up to the level of hype surrounding it.
There are two awards that I think are locked down, Best Supporting Actor, Heath Ledger, because he deserves it and Best Supporting Actress, Penelope Cruz, because her performance lifts the film to a new level and her only real competition is Amy Adams for Doubt, her one problem is she is completely over shadowed by two towering performances.
Look for one suprise tonight. The best animated film will go to Bolt over the big favourite Wall-E, though Wall-E is a great film, if the voting was just based on the first two thirds of the film, it would win the award hands down, but its not and that's what makes Bolt the better film, its complete from start to finish, great premise, great animation, and wonderfully well done.
More than anything, tonight I hope that the awards go to the right films, no underlying themes, political trends, just credit where credits due.

I stared into the gates of hell and this is what I saw:

Reporting duties took me to the National Exhibition Centre for the grand opening of the National Caravan, Boat and Outdoors show. My (almost) full take of the event is featured in the Birmingham Post tomorrow (Feb 20) but I held back this shocking image for fear of scaring the children.

I have a secret to share with you dear readers. Quietly and surreptitiously over the past few years I have been transformed from someone who could not understand why balls had been invented into an edge-of-my-seat, whooping and hollering cricket fan.

This is not something I talk about often as I suspect it is part of a midlife crisis, but I can not let as schools secretary Ed Balls tries to persuade us of the "health benefits" of the game (ugh!) without offering some passion on cricket's behalf...