In some surprising news, on 31st December Motorati sim, where the Parkade is situated, is closing, as Pontiac are leaving Second Life.

I’ll let you know what happens regarding Parkade.

You might have heard about the fracas here, I wasn’t going to comment until I’d read the article but I found scans here (and Tim Jonze’s response is interesting if you contrast it from what he apparently told the manager).

I remember Mozgate part 1 back in 1992 (?), and felt that the NME was being hypocritical and over harsh over Morrissey wearing a Union Jack (shock horror!) and writing contentious songs like National Front Disco which didn’t make their position clear (but conversely didn’t say ‘Hi I’m Moz and I’m a racist!’ either). He was basically hounded out of the country, a witch hunt. I’m no fan of the BNP, NF, C18 or any right-wing fascist people (I do follow the mantra that the only good fascist is a dead one), but there was a weird feeling that the people chasing after them weren’t exactly spotless or thinking either, doing a sort of Witchfinder General j’accuse almost Monty Pythonesque mobthink.

The recent rematch is less ambiguous, the comments are partly the kind that would make a Tory MP blanche; he is so wrong about immigration it’s not true, but this sense of unease at the NME’s response continues from before.

Why?

Well there is the physician heal thyself argument, until fairly recently NME either hasn’t had a very conspicuous track record in anti-racism since the 1980’s (or the last time they sparred with Moz, although that was a blip); the Love Music Hate Racism has a certain irony after Simon Reynolds revealed in his recent ‘Bring the Noise’ that IPC (owners of both the defunct Melody Maker and NME) ruled that black faces weren’t allowed on the cover - ‘bad for sales’ apparently according to their focus groups. So being against racism is OK, but not if it hurts sales? WTF? Even on the recently Love Music Hate Racism I noticed the few black stars were stuck at the back - coincidence?

Also doesn’t help is that their niching of music coverage to a very restricted demographic - under 23, guitars, indie-rock - means that apart from the few that were on that cover, it is a white mostly middle class boys club. Oh and one of the last times I read it this year they had a review of a new unsigned band called Fucked Up dolled up as dodgy looking NF skinheads. At no point in the review did they call them out on this, or explain. Nice.

The other thing is the bleating of liberal media about these things reminds me of the hypocrisy regarding drug use such as cocaine - IT’S BAD they bleat while showing lurid shots of Amy, Lindsay, Britney and Pete off their bonce but looking so chic with it. It’s a serious issue, and I’m sure some in the media feel passionate and committed 100% to equal rights, fighting racism and phobia - but I get the sense that they feel that way as long as they don’t have to employ those people. I meant how many people at the NME, for example those pictures of the writers they lovingly tout like they are the new pop stars or something, how many are other than white middle class males?

This is not to say that Moz was right in what he said - he was WRONG. Immigration is crucial to what makes London a world class city, and in particular it’s music scene so vibrant; a melting pot of styles, people, influences. Same can be said of other parts of the UK, Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchester…even places like Bradford get the shout. So it’s sad he’s still banging on about this like it was 1992 or 93 and one of his favourite bands Gene were about to receive the same slightly-hypocritical treatment for a single cover (?) and wreck their careers too. Glad to hear he is no racist though, Love Music Hate Racism is well worth supporting, and I was glad to see NME take part over the last few years…a long way to go though.

If the NME who cried wolf wasn’t so slightly hypocritical in their shouts, I’d believe them as it is I suspect another (faked? overhyped?) drama and hollow claims to empty, trendy beliefs.

(via viridescence) Yep Facebook is using a tracking system that even logs (or tries to log) what you do even when you’re logged off via other sites using the system; it records all manner of info - rather worrying for a site which people entrust their personal info to. And the irony as you can’t delete your FB profile is you can’t easily opt out of it! Aargh!

More here and here - and how to block Facebook Beacon as I have done. I’ve just posted this link over at Facebook - let’s see what happens

I’m really starting to get ambivalent about FB, I’ve locked down  all the privacy options but the amount that FB is used by news agencies and governments and employers is VERY alarming. At some point I might discontinue my account- not before my Strummer remix LP though

An early Xmas present - the code for The RadioClash File may or may not be 555-142-6063

Enjoy the compilation!

Yes it’s 3 years I’ve been doing Radio Clash, and we celebrate with a Punky well Dancey Live Mashup Party at the Parkade in Second Life with international stupid-star DJ, DJNoNo Ulysses.

He played a mixture of old classics played in previous Radio Clash shows and new mashups, especially from the new Chemical Bros remix album(s) ‘Block Rockin Boots’ and featuring some of the best mashup artists around atm.

It’s Super Mashin Party Tonight! (93Mb, 113mins)

BlowoutAndWishlist:

• Second Life Splashdown
• El barto & Liam B - I Feel Out Of Control (Block Rockin’ Boots Part.1)
• Ian Fondue - Edit (played RC:128 GYBOAT Show)
• team9 - Britney’s Dead or Alive
• c.h.a.o.s. productions - m.i.a. in funkytown (played RC:48 Enraged Pirate Edition)
• The Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar (PartyBen’s A Big Bright Shining Star Remix - Block Rockin’ Boots Part.1)
• Jay Zeezer - 99 Luft Balloons (RC:99 SF pt 3- Botox and Dreadlocks)
• FSOL - Cascade (Dunproofin’s Slight Breaks mix)
• Dean Gray - Dr Who’s Holiday (RC:55 1st year show)
• Sidney Looper - Ectave
• Dunproofin - Casbah Wonder (RC:75 This One’s for Joe)
• rx - Dick is a Killer (RC:64 Anal Staircase)
• DJ Clive$ter - The Surface Of Saturday Night (Block Rockin’ Boots Part.1)
• Audioshrapnel - He Loved The Sound Of The Crowd
• Beatbox Saboteurs - KneesUpMF (RC:119 Incomplete Medium)
• Steve Supercollider ft Octafish - Black Metal Tarantula (RC 54 Abba Madda Gabba Yabba Doo/RC:64)
• World Famous Audio Hacker - Setting Sun (Hacker’s Hardcore Inferno - Block Rockin’ Boots Part.2)
• Freelance Hairdresser - One minute marioland (RC:14 El3tr0n1c ed1t10n)
• C.H.A.O.S. Productions - Bootlegs Are Dead (RC:108 Radio Clash LIVE!)
• Phil n’ Dog - Gay Muppet Bastard (original played in RC:89 DJNoNo is a Muppet)
• Churchill - Hear Missy Work It (RC:28 DJNoNo II Revenge of the Hiss)
• Gameover - Heart ov Glass
• Lobsterdust - SaySayism Allstar Jam
• The Kleptones - My People Feel That Way In The Morning (RC:23 Stinging in the Rain)
• Partyben - Boulevard of Broken Songs (played in RC:1 Show premiere/show 9)
• DJ Earworm - Stairway to Bootleg Heaven (played in RC:2/RC:35 London Fear and Pride -Earworm interview/RC:55)