Turbulent Times @ The 100 Club.

The final weekend in October and I was asked to DJ at a gig festering Consumer Electronics, Sudden Infant, Mark Wynn and Sleaford Mods at The 100 Club in London. Quite an honour … it also gave me the chance of meeting up with my eldest (Huw) who I hadn't seen in about six years ..
It was at the gig I was handed a copy of "Turbulent Times #10" by writer in chief John Eden. A hand with a beaming face shortly behind it came out of the 100 Club darkness and gave me a copy, then retreated back towards the "happening" throng. The magazine became a godsend for the long train journey back the next day.
"Turbulent Times" is not an irreverent read but at the same time it is not "The Wire". #10 centres around the words and works of Simon Morris and Theeeeee Ceramic Hobs, a great interview about the production of the "Spirit World Circle Jerk" album and a supplement tract where Simon explains his feelings towards fascism / anti-fascism in subterranean culture (always interested in this subject as i have been labelled a fascist by a few because of my association with Tesco Org), as well as an attempted interview with a man who walks the streets of Stamford Hill with a swastika sandwich board strapped to his torso - I have seen this man walking the streets myself whenever I have stayed in Stamford Hill … on the way to Stoke Newington but never had the balls to engage with him…
The rest of the magazine made the journey fly by with an insight to the works of Peter Um (who I took a great dislike to when I saw him live in a field in Cambridgeshire four years ago) and Adolf Steg. Two Steg postcards are inside …. There are reviews of live events such as the Extreme Rituals Event that took place in 2012 and words on releases by Re:Clip, Small Cruel Party and Ekoplekz amongst others … a great and easy read that makes the unknown and unheard worth investigating.

The DJ slot at the 100 Club was a great pleasure, spinning the likes of Rema Rema, Steel Leg, Public Image Limited, 999, The Cramps, Animals & Men and Il Y A Volkswagens amongst others … there were times when the needle on one of the turntables took a dislike to the vinyl, but a great lock groove was created and used as a bridge … turntable technique! Thanks to all the folks who wanted to shake hands because I was spinning my favourite tunes. I am available for weddings, birthday partys and house removals.
The gig was quite a classic too with Sudden Infant blowing my mind. I was not expecting the full on tight post punk no wave sound of Sudden Infant. Loud, violent, personal and exotic, a sound and approach I haven't experienced since Swans first made it over to the UK in the early 1980's. Mark Wynn was OK, I have a Cdr of his "songs" but tonight Mark took the stage as an angry young man with a mission to annoy rather than entertain. I don't know what has happened to Consumer Electronics over the past ten years. I saw Phil Best perform as CE in Bristol and Nottingham a few years ago and he was on top form, great sounds built of extreme textures and noise in-depth, but now … with his wife  Sarah and Russel Haswell they have entered the world of the cheap noise act. His set at the Broken Flag Festival in 2012 was laughable, tonight I found the answer to the age old question : is a turd polishable. Sleaford Mods were on form, bitter, frenzied and top entertainment …

Pictures:
01: Turbulent Times Cover
02: Turbulent Times Back Cover.
03: Turbulent Times supplement.
04: Steg Postcard.
05: DJing at The 100 Club.
06: Russel Haswell soundchecks.
07: Mark Wynn prowls the stage.
08: Joke Lanz of Sudden Infant.
09: Sleaford Mods.
10: Backstage with Mark & Joke.
11: Huw admires the Graffiti.