the write stuff

It's been about a year since I last did a post on the state of the press here in Dublin. In the interim we've lost Mongrel and gained State. Given that the former was free and the latter is €5.50 that means an annual outlay €66 or else I'll have to read it for free in Easons. As a token gesture on my part I thought I'd shell out the cover price. If the truth be told I had underlying motives, I'd been tipped off by Niall that a link to one of my posts would feature in the current issue. There were no favours asked and I think you'll find that the sterling he lodged was just his winnings from the poker machine on the ferry to Holyhead. The new issue has a small feature on Dublin promoter and legend Timo from U-Mack, another on Jape (the picture of richies moustache is worth the cover price) and another good feature on culchie hip-hop tearaways Scary Éire. I haven't finished reading it yet but I'm enjoying it thus far.

Another great magazine that I picked up last week was Issue 2 of Woofah. I wrote about the first issue here last September. Yet again they've put together a great little magazine. It has a great feature on Tippa Irie and another on Shut Up & Dance. It inspired me to pledge to put some Shut Up & Dance on an upcoming podcast. If you're into reggae, grime or dubstep or even if you're just interested in what's going on in a different scene you should check it out. It's available from All City, Reggae Family and Spindizzy in Dublin. I was going to mention City Discs but they're charging more for it than the other shops.

Finally, a recent post on an award winning music blog inspired me to put together a podcast of some of my guilty pleasures from the eighties. I've hundreds of seven inches from the eighties but I've pulled together ten of them to stick on a podcast. That's coming up in the next few days. I'll bet you just can't wait.