Taking time out from writing incomprehensible, whacked out press releases and tweeting, industry boys and girls offer their festive selection.
Richard Onslow: XL Recordings
Born in a cave and raised by indigenous pigmies on the island of Bouvet, Richard has been peppering our ears with great tunes all year, most notably with the xx which bagged our album of 2009.
Having learnt expert survival skills he’s a regular stunt double for Bear Grylls but in his spare time likes nothing better than to retreat to his local The Dead Swan, in Stoke, supping on an array of fine ales while tooting on his pipe. Richard is a keen Stoke supporter but doesn’t condone football violence of any kind.
1. The Smith Westerns: The Smith Westerns
If T-Rex wasn’t into pixies and swans and just recorded songs about girls on a crappy tape deck he’d be in the Smith Westerns.
2. Ganglians: Monster Head Room
This band are destined for greatness. Some beautiful sunshine pop songs mixed with noisy psych freakouts. Probably what the Beach Boys would sound like it Charlie Manson joined on vibes.
3. Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca
The first time Dirty Projectors made sense to me. Stillness is The Move is just an incredible song. Cramming more ideas per song than most but still sounding brilliantly poppy.
4. Fuck Buttons: Tarot Sport
I was sceptical about this at first, the debut was a little disappointing. But from the first track on it’s such an intense and euphoric noise you can’t help but be immersed in it.
5. King Midas Sound: Waiting For You
Following on from his brilliant album as The Bug he had a lot to live up to. But in my opinion he’s surpassed that with this record of creeping dub dread. The sound of rainy late night South London bus rides.
Rich says: ‘I’m lucky enough to have worked on some great records this year – The xx, The Horrors, Jack Penate, Blue Roses etc on XL and put out stuff I’m really excited by – Banjo or Freakout, Real Estate, Woods on my own label (Half Machine Records) so I’ve decided to choose records I have no personal involvement with – The xx‘s debut is my favourite of the year by the way!‘
http://www.xlrecordings.com/
Matt Brown: Stay Loose PR
Matt is an online guru. He works for a digital media company which means little to me as our company only discovered the internet in 2007.
He talks in code and uses words like embed, jaypeg and bandwidth. Being involved in the world wide web means Matt has little time to do anything else – save for weekend trips to his local canal where he enjoys a spot of fishing. Matt prefers live bait to plastic/metal flies.
Matt’s a season ticket holder at Reading FC, but prefers to stream online at Justin TV while signing up under a pseudonym to laugh at fat Americans that host their own videoblogs.
1. Tiny Vipers: Life The Earth Begins To Part
2. Broken Records: Until The Earth…
3. Alela Diane To Be Still
4. Nancy Elizabeth Wrought Iron
5. Low Anthem: Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
http://www.stayloose.co.uk/
James Sherry: Division Promotions
James is the most gnarly of all PR boys in the country. Having been Henry Rollins‘ fluffer and Pantera‘s roadie he’s now the man rock bands turn to when they need a bit of industry attention.
His office contains a multi-gym where he pumps iron and carries out two-finger press-ups on an hourly basis with industrial grind usually soundtracking his workout.
Like most metal fans he was bullied at school and as such rejects football as a sport only watched by scum and gays.
1. Gallows: Grey Britain
2. Pissed Jeans: King Of Jeans
3. …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead: The Century Of Self
4. Them Crooked Vultures: Them Crooked Vultures
5. The Shitty Limits: Beware The Limits
Kate Price: Division Promotions
Danish-born, Kate, is James’ partner in Grime. Another rock fanatic, she joined the Division army 18 months ago having grown tired of selling her soul bigging up bands like Northern Uproar and These Animal Men since the mid-90s.
When not shopping for vintage Iron Maiden tees, frayed denim skirts and Mastodon sweatbands she can usually be found guzzling Cadbury’s Dairy Milks in her local youth club where she helps underprivileged children work on their etiquette skills.
Kate is a keen gardener with a sideline in landscaping including fine rockerys and exquisite shrubberies. She regards herself as a ‘mere armchair’ fan of Nottingham Forest FC.
1. HEALTH: Get Color
2. …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead: The Century of Self
3. Pissed Jeans: King Of Jeans
4. Fuck Buttons: Tarot Sport
5. Romona Falls: Intuit
Matt: In House Press
Matt is from Southport – and as is the way, a staunch Conservative and big Ann Widdecombe fan. He’s also a keen darts player with numerous amateur titles to his name, including being crowned Droylsden and Ashton League Champion on four occasions.
He is married with seven children and supports Clitheroe FC. ‘Like the good ol’ days I pay on the turnstiles,’ he informs me.
1. Wild Beasts: Two Dancers
2. Wye Oak The Knot
3. PJ Harvey & John Parish A Man A Woman Walked By
4. Papercuts You Can Have What You Want
5. Morrissey: Swords (‘Am I allowed this? It’s a compilation, but most underrated!‘)
http://www.inhousepress.com/
Simon: I Like Press
Simon is a park ranger with a sideline in dishing out press releases on gloomy, hard rock. Now, well into his 60s, he keeps fit by hill-climbing, orienteering and badminton down his local sportshall.
Despite all this he tells me he’s on a permanent diet. He used to date Ruby Wax and is a season ticket holder at Chelsea and is tipping them to go all the way.
1. Jeniferever: Spring Tides
2. Mew: No More Stories…
3. Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest
4. Wild Beasts: Two Dancers
5. Grammatics: Grammatics
http://ilikepress.co.uk/
Nita Keeler Gold Star PR
I first met Nita at this year’s Supersonic festival – she was the only person not dressed head to toe in black. I seem to remember some kind of purple fleece being involved.
Suffice to say we got on swimmingly as she shared her packed-lunch with me: cheese and ham sandwiches with a side serving of pickle, ginger ale and muffins – Nita is a big Enid Blyton fan.
When not making extensive trips abroad (skiing in Switzerland, scoober-diving in the Med, a Nile cruise and Amazonian jungle sojourns were all on Nita’s hitlist this year), she looks after bands as diverse as Ponytail, King Khan, Lightning Bolt and 2010s most-hotly tipped and Getintothis faves Yeasayer. YAY!
Nita ‘doesn’t do football‘ she’s more of a tennis fan as Roger Federer is in her words ‘the daddy.’
1. Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff (vinyl reissue)
2. Part Chimp: Thriller
3. Hunches: Exit Dreams
4. Reigning Sound: Love and Curses
5. Le Loup: Family
Josh Gold Star PR
Josh is the relative new kid on the block at Gold Star and it’s a complete change of scenary to him having previously been immersed in the world of pop.
A huge fan of everything from Steps to The Backstreet Boys and The Honeyz to Aqua, Josh knows his way round Louis Walsh‘s inner sanctum.
Aside from a love of musicals and stage shows, Josh is currently perfecting a stand-up routine which he aims to take to the road in the early part of next year. GOOD LUCK, JOSH!
Josh is a mad fan of Kettering FC following them home and away while sporting his customary hat and jacket complete wth every badge available.
1. The King Khan & BBQ Show: Invisible Girl (‘To be honest this would make my top 5 of the decade but there we are!‘)
2. Pissed Jeans: King Of Jeans
3. Jack Rose & The Black Twig Pickers (RIP Jack Rose – a true guitar genius and pioneer)
4. Vivian Girls: Everything Goes Wrong
5. Le Loup: Family
