Time ticking – internet cafe scribblings

Hello Alcopop types…  Just a quick message to say that all is well in New Zealand, the yellow eyed penguins have been most kind – while the sun has ravaged my tender face, despite many applications of sunscreen. However, I have found a new favourite – Speights Beer – who have thus far rendered the trip quite delightful. Also, i’ve decided that if ever Alcopop gets some nice tasty looking offices, they should probably be up in Shag Point in the aforementioned NZ… Impractical yes – great – also yes.

Meanwhile, with few seconds to go as i type this – My First Tooth have just put up a lovely christmas ditty – go listen!

Ross he say… “Happy Christmas all of you.

I wrote a Christmas song for my friend Liam Dullaghan to sing.

But we never got around to doing it.

So I thought I’d put the demo I recorded up for you.

It has a bit at the end which I can’t sing because I still have a poorly voice.

Just imagine lots of oooohhs and ahhhs.”

Merry Christmas from all at Alcopop – and nice work Luke Slater (DiS)

And with a flurry of filthy sleet rain (that could be snow but isn’t), a million parties generating 10 million bitter, hungover pints and news that Stars and Sons ‘In the Ocean has made Luke Slater from DiS’s top 10 list for the year – he say “If you don’t like this song, you’re not human” – fuck yeah Alcopoppers… It’s Christmas!

Joy to the world and such – and here’s to 2009! A year that’s bound to be a cracker…. Trust me, I just know it is!

Just a quick one to firstly… thank everyone who has come to the blog, bought a record or generally mucked in with us this year – cos’ we really appreciate your support, secondly let you know that we have plenty of very exciting plans-a-coming next year so make sure to keep ‘poppin in the free world – and thirdly, that once again foreign climes have proven more appealing that England, and so Kev will be taking over the blog for the next few weeks (Expect a queen-esque speech at 3 o clock sharp on Christmas Day from the sluggishly bearded mogul of BSM fame live) while I smash round New Zealand in a camper van.

It does mean that Christmas Day will be spent on a plane (probably with loads of snakes), but hey ho – it’ll be an experience.

Remember that the £20.08 deal is still on, whereby you can get every release from the year for a limited amount of sheets, or if you’re more skint – seize upon CTBW’s debut (and only) EP for a temporarily magnificent price of £3. It’ll make January seem all the less bleak…

Now away with me, and here it is, Merry Christmas!

Kickers Fancy Footwork Launch Party – New Range an’ all…

Ah – I still remember my first (and only actually) pair of Kickers – saving up myself for ages the 25 quid required to pay half for the luxury of wearing non Clarks brand shoes to school.. And how I cherished them, that is until I got a pair of rainbow laced DMs from a mate for a tenner, which were a touch too small – but far too cool for me to care.

The reason for this nostalgic rubbish – well, the life of indie label type brings many experiences – of which a large majority of late seem to be praying that people who owe us money don’t crash out of business/disappear into the sunset, and mourning the loss of great bands.

However, some are more fun – i.e. the staff Christmas party, contemplating true musical genius (can you sign an alcoholic piano), and just recently being the guests of Kickers on Wednesday at The Hoxton Pony, where they were launching their new line, alongside a pretty cool CSS mix video of their new promo film (below). It “features user-generated content captured during the Summer of 2008, when the Kickers’ Fancy Footwork Trailer toured some of the UK’s best festivals”.. Well, so says the press release anyway, but I didn’t spot them at Brighton’s Great Escape, Truck or Alcopopalooza… Still Bestival’s a good shout I suppose .

Being a massive sneaks fan, see here and here, it was nice to see the new range – which seemed to consist of some real retro boots, alongside my favourite – a funky white shoe with a ‘drawn on’ pattern – which looked ideal for a bit of customisation (I don’t think you can officially, but colouring in should definitely be an option). I’m not sure they were quite garish enough to match some of my more exalted pairs of shoes – but damn good anyway. I should be getting a pair in the New Year, so I’ll post a pic when they arrive.

Oh – and the booze was free all night, which is a staple part of any night Alcopop are involved in! Overall therefore a cracking night, followed up with a brief few party minutes with Joe (ex Decades) at his PR bash thing – which was also much fun! Now, after a massive week i think a KFC and drink or two will help ease in what could just be a fine weekend… Reeeeesult!

Sad news at Alcopop HQ – Cut the Blue Wire split

As if December’s music news couldn’t get much worse, what with Pinnacle dying a sad death, and labels across the UK bombing out of business – the last couple of days has bought super-sad news for all at Alcopop, everyone in Portsmouth and well – all over really, with the devestating word that Cut the Blue Wire are to split up after their final show – in but a week or two’s time…

Here is the official statement from their MySpace: “It is with great sadness to tell you all that our last gig will be on the 30th December at the Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth.

We have decided not to continue as a band for no other reason than musical differences and felt it was best to head our separate ways. Everyone remains good friends and be sure to keep your eyes out for new projects involving us!

Thank you so much to everyone that has put us on, come to a show, bought a CD or T-shirt or generally taken the time to listen to us.

DD xxx“

Now we’re absolutely gutted – we loved these guys, and it was but a few days ago that we were watching them play in Southampton, and discussing what they were upto in the coming year. So thanks for a great EP lads, and to DD, Andy, Rhys, Hoey and Mike – cheers for making Alcopop a better place to be over the last 6 months or so.

However, in this ocean of sad news, there is a drop of happiness, as the boys have decided to temporarily reduce the price of the Revert.Restart.Reset EP to just 3 quid (you can pick up a copy here), so that whatever paths they take, you can own a piece of Cut the Blue Wire. Trust Punktastic when they say that “CTBW are like trifle; so many layers every one of them is seven shades of awesome.”

Fare thee well CTBW – it’s been fun!

Another Alcopop T-shirt model comes forward… and she’s lovely

Alcopoppers have already proven themselves to be a handsome bunch, and no more than this latest image that recently arrived at Alcopop HQ to low whistles and hushed mutterings of ‘phwoar’ and ‘fit’.. We’re classy gents like that! So almost as if T-Shirts haven’t dominated pretty much all of the last 17 posts (ahem) on this blog, here’s another one of the mysteriously monikered ‘Maitresse’ – who rivals even Ben and Coxy in terms of regal majesty in a crocodile/skateboard dominated shirt. And quite delighted, no doubt, to tell her friends, that she’s our friend. We’re delighted an’ all…

Loving the stockings too, which will be no doubt be high on the list of our next merch purchasing list!

Keep ‘em coming poppers – soon we’ll have enough pictures to warrant remembering the password to our Flickr account…

Buy something from here, and I’m pretty sure she’d be impressed!

And talking of Tee Shirts…. Only one Alcocroc left!

Thanks Kev for that lovely thought – I’ll would have looked magnificent in that – about as lovely as I did last night, when asked to sing ‘So here it is, Merry Christmas’ by Slade alongside Alcopop favourites Pavilion on stage at the Christmas Party last night… You definitely won’t be seeing a video… Kev! No!

Oh, and so many thanks to everyone who turned out to see the majestic Sam Isaac, poptastic Stars & Sons, harmonious Pavilion and stratospheric Nima – we really appreciate it!

But back to the T-shirts, and to let you know that only one remains! That’s right – only one yellow on green Alcocroc will ever be sold from the Alcopop shop. It’s in medium, and that’s it! Available here for just £8….

Oh – and a rather magnificent picture of another popper in a tee shirt coming up in the next couple of days, as soon as I have a chance. Meanwhile, those nice folks at Kickers got in touch have invited me to offer some cocktails and throw some minutes at a CSS remix video tomorrow. Super stuff…

Jack’s Christmas present

…Well, nearly. Unfortunately it got a little rich for my blood…

What would Christmas be without Ebay?

Alcopop staff Christmas Party – via Twitter!

What a tool Twitter is… For after a hazy night of fun at the Alcopop Staff Party, I must admit that between many pubs, clubs and a curry, my memories of the night were rather hazy.

So rather than have to sit writing a detailed post of exactly what happened, I’ve simply delved into the archives of last nights tweets – and detailed them here below. Bingo! An 11 part tale (all in 140 characters or less) detailing exactly what happened that fair and fateful eve.

NB…. The night, as I recall, was fairly clear of rain by the time we got there… Mist however, had descended in a BIG way!

When we got there, it wasn’t bad, but fairly expensive… We spotted many better deals later!

Cut the Blue Wire however proved to be brilliant hosts, and after playing a good set in difficult circumstances, rocked out like heros and kept us entertained with their excellent pals – including the masterful Lukecunt.

The Djing proved to be lacklustre for most of the rest of the night, with few highlights. We rocked hard anyway – champion…

Drunkeness continued recklessly!

Booze in an Emergency failed miserably – the lines were engaged all evening… After a run in from a cab driver who sent us away, led Kev to this angry tweet!

This is – to put it simply – a massive lie

Morning sprung with delight eternal, and the best cafe ever. It had arcade machines, African artefacts and breakfasts weren’t ‘alf bad…

So that should leave everything pretty clear then… ‘-) Good work on the cocktails Hamptons, and thank you Southampton (except for rogue cab drivers and Booze in an Emergency) – weak!

Alcopop Christmas Party – 15th December in London w/ Sam Isaac, Stars & Sons, Pavilion & Nima (Arrows of Love)

Just a quick reminder for all of you kids in the city, or nearby of course… Next Monday, the 15th December will see the Alcopop cohorts descend onto the big smoke for fun, frolics and all sorts of super music. There will be lovely presents for the first 15 people through the door, excellent DJs, Christmas covers and cake is a relative certainty. What’s more – it’s only a fiver in! Get your tickets over here, and lets sing in the festive season….

Champion! It would be lovely to see you there…

Get your Alcopop kit on poppers! w/ Crocodiles on skateboards…

Having recently added some extremely limited edition Tees to our online shop, I’ve noticed a proliferation (or at least a couple) of handsome poppers slipping on their brand new threads and exposing themselves to world. Banging their photos about like it ‘aint no thing’, these icons of style are displaying their handsome torsos to the world, decked in the finest crocodile based record label merchandise money can buy.

And for the hip fashionistas amongst you, allow me to introduce our first model – Coxy, who was so cool that he actually purchased two tees for fear of destroying one (which he has already done with grease). In this awesome pic, illustrating the proverb ‘many hands make light work’ look as he holds CDs and Cat… His is a flickr stream you really should have a look at.

Meanwhile, Bristol based Ben has submitted this magnum opus, after he received his T-Shirt after returning from a holiday in Vienna. Vienna was OK, these threads quite clearly better.

Any other Alcopop related shots would be magnificent to see. It’s so nice to see all your handsome faces. You can purchase one of the last few in the shop for just £8 and look as good as these folk (and remember this design/colour combo will never be repeated)…

Woop!