Poppin all over the world! Jack DJ’s the planet

Or London anyway… Just a quick heads up to tell you about a couple of really awesome events I’m spinning a few hits at next week. So if you’re free on Tuesday and Thursday and about town – do pop down!

Firstly, Tuesday sees the excellent magazine ‘Ballad Of’ putting on a cute little show at BARDENS BOUDOIR!! They have set out to create Ballad Of… a community of emerging and exciting artists with the shared goal of collaborating to produce outstanding work for publication and portfolios.

This is awesome, and it features Nadine Shah and The Duloks – if you fancy it, give us a yell and I’ll snare some cheap tickets for you. Oh yes I will xxx

Secondly, it’s my old pal Galbo – a soldier of a gent, who is launching his epic multi-media creation ‘Operation Concrete’ at Vibe Bar next Thursday. I shall be a-spinning once more as well as reading an excerpt… Nerves…

Most excitingly though, Ross from My First Tooth (you know him, handsome lad) is playing a bit of a solo spot as he is one of the many collaborators for the book. There are more details over at the facebook group – and the poster resides hungrily below. Somehow, he’s managed to keep the party free entry, which is rather impressive. So do pop on down and get involved…

It’s like an art exhibition, gig and literary party all in one – and I guarantee your senses will be lit up with every moment you spend nearby. True story.

Lets lay this down The 405! Lets lay it down…

So, a lot of clever basketball analogy and insults later, the 405 have posted their official response to Alcopop’s call to DJ arms – and though the bball analogies come thick and fast… It seems clear to me that those couple of boys may be upto no good, but they can’t make no trouble in this neighbourhood!

That’s why I propose an end to these shenanigans once and for all – appointing an official adjudicator to officially decide who’s set was more boss… the 405 or Alcopop. Once decided, I also suggest that a representative of team loser should don a sticker of the winner’s website/label, and wear it prominently on their faces for the rest of the night after The Social has shut and after parties (no doubt at Metro) begin!

Question is will the 405 accept such terms, and who should the adjudicator be? Please send all CVs with SAE ready for cash bribes to Jack PoP c/o Alcopopville, Hoochtonshire, PWN 405.

Our artist has mocked up an impression of what team 405 might look like post event shenanigans *

*ps this is all in fun as we do love the 405 like Kev loves orange soda – and kev really loves orange soda!

This is an open message to The 405!

It’s come to our attention that certain young rapscallions at a website called The 405 have rather been trash talking about the good boys at Alcopop.

You see, after cordially inviting them to a DJ battle at our Xmas party (featuring Tellison, Stagecoach, My First Tooth and Aspen Sails), we thought we’d let them showcase their rather pitiful disc-spinning skills as we drop bomb after bomb, ensuring Team PoP take the victory with good grace and panache… But they’ve been getting a little bit ballsy!

“Not only that but The 405 will be going head to head with Alcopop on the decks. We love Alcopop but enough is enough. We’ve heard all the ‘oooo we’re better than you at arcade basketball’ trash talk we can take. It’s on!” they said in a recent post.. And good god chaps, let me tell you… You’re in for a whopping!!!

Yes Kev and I have been dusting down our Scorpions vinyl, pulling the Coolio singles from the loft – and you aint gonna’ believe your ears!

So, it is with fists clenched, and knotted brow that I would like to issue this open ‘come and get me’ picture which adequately sums it all up….

See you at the battlefield boys!

Tickets available over here!

Alcopopping Xmas party @The Social, W1: Tellison, Stagecoach, My First Tooth and Aspen Sails!

MONDAY 14th DECEMBER in London town!!!

Christmas time again – what joy! So we thought that it was probably our duty to throw a nice festive bash in London town – and make it as damn sweaty as we can! So we invited 4 of the finest bands this good nation has to offer, grabbed a piece of intimate venue (The Social, W1) and prepared some pretty tasty goodie bags for the first 20 people through the door.

Expect snow, Christmas decorations and general loveliness too – as well as a lush 7 track Alcopop sampler free for every person who comes through the door. 

Where else do you get all this for a fiver?



(Father) Tellison – need no introduction! And this is their only London show of what remains of 2009…. Indie pop deliciousness from utter legends! 



(Rudolph the red nosed) Stagecoach – Seminal popstars from deep within the Surrey hills, and even deeper in the Alcopop heart. Imagine Americana pop lavished in melody, harmony and rock n roll sensibilities.

(We wish you a merry) My First Tooth – Prettier than a whole barrel of peaches and dearest siblings of Team PoP, My First Tooth will treat your heart to its biggest workout since Bambi. Folk-kissed indie pop you will literally die for. 



(Frosty the) Aspen Sails – Newest kids on the block, Aspen Sails are a lush duo who pedal lovingly crafted folk pop, ideally enjoyed with a sherry or two. 



Plus Alcopop DJs will be battling excellent online music boys The 405… Expect bombs dropped from all sides!

Would be delicious to see you… You can pre-order tickets (that will be a smidgen cheaper than on the door) here! It’s gonna be a cracker! Tellison have rocked up already see!

Stagecoach and Alcopop to part company?!?

Ah – who says good things can last forever! It is with great sadness that I must announce the departure of Alcopop Records and Stagecoach, due to a significant change of direction. You see, in love as we are with these charming Americana indie gents from the rolling hills of surrey, we just couldn’t commit to releasing their new single – which their drummer, Matt, dropped on our doorstep today (video can be seen by clicking here, still below), before flexing a sinewy bicep and thrusting himself powerfully away.

We loved a bit of dub-step, acoustic was awesome with us, and pop is of course much loved in the Alco quarters… But the ‘sexy fun’ direction they had taken just didn’t quite lay entirely in tune with our current roster.

In better news however, The Coach have signed up with former early 90’s dance star, and one-time muso Ray Slijngaard, formerly of 2 Unlimited, and failed record label owner Kevin Campbell, and are working on a disco/ R&B album of anthems. A change in direction perhaps, but expect it to be topping the charts pretty soon….

ps: Hehe Back in real life, look for a new release from Stagecoach a-coming (albeit with less biceps and more guitars) muy, muy soon… You’re seriously going to love it!

Pop in the City

Ah music industry biased events – how I doth love you… The booze always seems to continuously flow, I never see enough bands, and proud ideals of going to all sorts of fascinating in-depth discussions from fascinating types often seem to go by the wayside. That’s not to say we don’t usually have a super time though. Just the other week Kev and I visted Manchester’s In The City. It was fun; Stagecoach and My First Tooth partied like animals and we joined in, although the event itself didn’t really seem that vibrant.

But I blather on – if you fancy reading a full account, and my poorly educated take on the event, pop over to the ever-delicious Rock Midgets where my third column has just gone up.

Meanwhile, I won’t go too much into it yet, but keep your eyes peeled over the next week or two for some announcements. We’ve got T-Shirts on the way, 3 new CDs to be released before Christmas and a few must-go-to gigs a coming (specifically in December time). Shit, actually, looking at the schedule, December is going to be insane.

Ah well, at least an Alcopop themed Christmas is well on the cards…. Rudolph was clearly always on the Hooch Lemon, and he came off all sorts of good. Prime, prime. Meanwhile, here’s a picture that somehow surfaced off the back of the great Coach/Tooth/Pop takeover of Manchester just the other week.  Props to anyone who knows who the blonde girl is, though it looks like we were all getting on famously…

Hope you’ve had a good weekend!

Get yourself some Alcopop on Spotify

At the turn of 2008 I, with a million others no doubt, found Spotify, and since then we’ve all been tear-stained on our grass stained knees, wringing our hands in humble awe – thanking them for bringing x billion songs to our unworthy ears via the joy of streaming. Songs that we can then discard as over-hyped balls, or trot off to our nearest online e-tailer to purchase (maybe anyway)…

Well now, it is with great delight that I can announce that Alcopop related tracks are a-headed up thick and fast. No that’s not to say that the whole back catlogue is up there, far from it (although that’s not to say it won’t happen in the future) – but what I can tell you is that I’ve created a nice, none-to- imposing Alcopop playlist ‘Alcopop Tarts’ featuring some of the magnificent bands of the last year or so who have done us the service of releasing with us…

And you and your pals can now stream it, simply by clicking this link  – if you have Spotify of course (if not, get it, it’s great!)

Pop show @ RoTa 10th October

It wouldn’t be an Alcopop show if everything went to plan, and despite last Saturday (and a bit)’s show at RoTa being quite a remarkable rock n’ roll orgy of ace (busiest RoTa’s been in months according to the organiser – get in Team PoP ) it was not without it’s teething problems. Gigjunkie will explain from their point of view….

“After searching for forty minutes [for the venue], I received a text from Scott McEwan of The Candle Thieves; informing me they had broken down on the M25 and might not be able to make it at all – a rather bad start to the day!
However, despite the initial problems, all turned out well. The RAC rescued The Candle Thieves, and the venue [which we'd walked past dozens of times] opened it’s doors as if to say sarcastically “Yes, I’m here – you haven’t looked foolish trying to find me at all.”

But despite the difficulties – with a generous double fisting of free beer bottles, it was plain sailing… And as the all-Alcopop line up took the stage, and the punters poured in, we were rockin’. The Candle Thieves, fresh from the busom of the RAC, delighted the crowd with honey sweet melodies, delicious faces and hand claps galore, My First Tooth launched into a veritable marathon of folk-fused modern day classics – do you dance? Do you laugh at the lush melodies or cry at the bitter sentiments hinted at? All three at respectable levels (perhaps simultaneously) recommended.

Then it was time for Stagecoach, who showcased a new stage show which really rocked – with crowd pummeling Nick furiously thrashing within the crowd while Tom became perhaps the first Mandolin player to pull a flying leap from atop a bass drum ever… In short, breathtaking… On decks Nathan T Pyle kept the punters entertained with a smattering of The Candyskins and Arrows of Love, whilst Richard from Ten Speed Photography took marvelous photographs.

All in all, a splendid day – and a favourable setting for the launch of the Stagecoach We Got Tazers EP… Strong times ladies and gentlemen, strong times…. Oh, and cheers so much for coming y’all!

Alcopop show rocked the flake out of G&Ds

It’s always fun trying gigs somewhere that little bit different… So last Thursday Alcopop took to G&D’s Ice Cream Parlour on the Cowley Road in Oxford (so a bit of a homecoming show in essence). How lovely it was, and amidst copious amounts on magnificent flavoursome ice cream (with gummy bears the only choice) a vaguely confused crow gathered, wondering what to expect. I too wondered. Slightly worried.

On first, and supplying the PA were the charming Boog who impressed a strong local following, before The Family Machine swept up the gig in a folk-tinged fist of glory. Reminiscent of a bunch of old country yokels (without the straw hats) they sat on a bench and regailed delighted revellers with new songs, old songs and all sorts really. They were ace; consummately delicious some might say. In terms of ice cream, imagine a big nutty caramel swirl served on a wafer – with added smartie topping.

Then came the Candle Thieves, clearly delighted with the scene, to deliver what has to go down as one of the top ice cream shows ever seen in Oxfordshire….  Sparklers, glockenspiels, ceremonial reveries of some starry-eyed kids and more, they left the stage to a standing ovation. Hot chocolates and sugar topped waffles flying about in abject happiness. A super night!

Ah it was ace… Thanks to G&Ds for putting it on, and look out for the next one. It will be ace I promise thee.

Excellent Poppers: Part 6, part 2

Remember Henry from yesterday? If not, you may be smoking too many soft drugs… Either way, here’s part 2 of his ‘Excellent Poppers’ interview…

4.) You say ‘music attained perfection in 1990‘. Is this strictly true when Collapsed Lung didn’t release Eat My Goal until 98? I see your unifying terrace anthem and I raise you the halcyon days of northern Piano House, N-Joi, Betty Boo, Beats International, EMF, Deee-Lite, “Violator”, “I Wanna Give You Devotion”, pre to mid-crazy MJ, and the mighty Milli Vanilli. No shame. Uplifting, dancey and funky as hell, every one. I love a bit of the old jingle-jangle, but I think my heart will always belong to those pesky repetitive electronic beats…

5.) Any exciting plans in the pipeline sir? Well, I’m currently sans day job, which means I can pursue my dream of being a struggling musician…now that the Tazers remix has been put to bed, I’m working away at some more dancefloor-orientated “material”, which is allowing me to indulge my love of borderline-dodgy 80s electro-pop, and more importantly, sampling the crap out of it. You could say I’m trying to make up for lost time….by “lost time”, I mean “my twenties”. The Tazers mix has been a pretty involving process for some time, so watch this space for something decidedly more disposable!

6.) If Alcopoppers wanted to begin mixing, where the hell would they start? You can’t go wrong with playing back the vocal on it’s own and hammering in some chords in the relative minor key – this can give the chirpiest power-pop song a feeling of existential dread…stick in some power ballad drums masquerading as dubstep, and bingo! Seriously though, the remix is all about just sticking the song in a different context – I listened to the original version of “…Tazers” only once before starting the mix, and have been enjoying it again once I’d finished. In between I just let the vocal alone dictate the shape of the mix, and the arrangement didn’t change at all from the first “session” to the last. I love it when a plan comes together!

Thanks Henry – and if you’d like to check out a little bit of his super work… Download his mix of Good Times by goFASTER>> and enjoy…