My New Years Resolution: By Jack PoP

One of the lovely things about having a blog is recording your heartfelt decisions for your readers/ or unsuspecting punters searching for New Years Eve porn – and then being able to come back to them years later and find out just how badly you’ve failed (or otherwise). Back in the bleak midwinter of 2009 I pledged to buy a new release every week of 2010 which I just about managed, wheras in 2008 I plumped for 9 must dos, of which I’ve managed about 4… And that’s in 3 years.

However – this year’s resolution is a must achieve… It might take me longer than a year, and it might take some pretty awful hours pretending I want to be a careerist film extra (which I definitely don’t)… But imagine when that curtain lifts and for just a fleeting second I see my horror stricken face running away from a Velociraptor on the very edge of the screen I can sit back and know I’ve won… See, my resolution is TO BE AN EXTRA IN JURASSIC PARK 4!

Jurassic Park is genius, 2 less so and 3 something of an abortion in a creative dinosaur-based franchise… But I have high hopes for 4. We’ve named a compilation after it, and I even bought the staggeringly expensive blu-ray box-set with a plastic T-Rex involved in it. Many a time I’ve adventured into Isla Nublar with strong adventurers (occasionally My First Tooth – Gammers is good to have as a Dilophosaurus wingman) and shit – I’d love a part, however insignificant, in the next one.

Now I’m well aware that this will probably lead me having to fly to Hawaii or something for filming. That’s a pretty small price to pay… And the journey starts tomorrow (the journey to be an extra, not actually fly to Hawaii – that would be pretty overzealous). If anyone who’s eyes drift over this page can help, do let me know at info@ilovealcopop.co.uk or drop a comment or something… You’d make me very happy.

Obviously being News Years resolutions and all it probably ought to be for the greater good, so I’d donate my fee to my fave charity Afrikids (do extras even get fees? If not, like say £250 for an extra role and £500 for a spoken part –ha!-) because otherwise this would be perhaps the most selfish NYR ever.

But yeah… Jurassic Park 4, the water must be rippling in your cup right now baby… After all… Life will find a way

Alcopop new signing! The Oxford Stars Ice Hockey Team

So November is here, and with it a whole host of mega releases. It’s seriously one of the most exciting times we’ve ever had – and all sorts of pleased about it kicking off. In the mean time though, we thought we’d make a slightly different signing, this time – working with The Oxford Stars Ice Hockey Team… Specifically, their inspirational goal-scorer and Captain Darren Elliott – who we are sponsoring for the rest of the season.

This may go some way to explaining why you might have noticed our tweets going a little Ice Hockey crazy of late… ☺

This is rad, cos not only has the Oxford Ice Hockey Arena become way more Alcopoppafied, but it also means we can do some ‘pucking indie’ merch (get it). So while Kev gets busy drawing ice hockey helmets on Alcocroc, I’ve been talking deals. Check this one out if you fancy checking out some action!

Match tickets are normally a slim £7… But if you use the code ‘Alcopuck’ on the door – you can come to (this weekends) either Saturday’s match (against Cardiff) or Sunday’s game (against Streatham) 2 tickets for the price of one! So that works out at just £3.50 each… See you there yo Oxford types… Here’s a picture of the Stars talisman himself… Come down and get involved. We’ll all be in on Saturday.

Let’s go Stars!

Rum and Ting at #rumfest baby!

One of the nicest thing about running a record label is a near constant flood of emails and calls and tweets and post and stuff. I know some people in a similar situation hate it, and it times it can get mindblowing… Help. I can’t answer everything!

But most of the time it’s ace, and I guarantee if you’re one of those rad people who have ever ordered something from Alcopop!, or sent us an email saying how much you dig us/the bands/ like my beard whatever  – then you’ve definitely made my heart skip a beat with all excited happiness. It’s so nice to see happy things pop up.

Similar delights today, as an email arrived from the good people at Rum Fest this Saturday, inviting myself and Kev (BSM/POP/Douche without the e) to head on down and get involved in the festivities! “We’d love to” we said. Now, don’t get me wrong – many music festivals this year have essentially been rumfests in themselves (a bottle of backstage Captain Morgn and Coke at Reading led to a VERY messy Friday) but this is like, all about the rum – oh, and reggae.

Rum and Reggae! And notoriously schlonged pornstar Ron Jeremy, who seems to be launching a new rum… Unbelievably it’s not called Rum Jeremy (which would be the best name) but still – that’s kinda cool. Loads of tasting, exotic food and did I mention the reggae? It’ll be like being in the Carribean (or at least the Jamaica bar on the Cowley Road in Oxford which you should definitely go to!)

You should come – we can have a rum party together! I think it’s on in the afternoon (or pretty much all day really), so post rumfest booze will also be required. Brilliant. In the meantime, take a look at this ridiculous trailer for dirty uncle Ron’s rum? Ridiculous but amazing kinda sums it up. It really has to taste magnificent! Thinking we might try and interview him too… But what should we ask him? Any thoughts hit us up here, or on twitter. Presumably something on whether he prefers the strong tangy strains of a good Lemon Hooch, or the more subtle smooth taste of a Smirnoff (Moscow) Mule?

Wonder if he’ll be as nice as Jimmy Greaves

Alcopop! featured in RockSound

We should probably have invested in a scanner, but here it is in all its camera-phone snapped, lens flared glory… Alcopop! Records profile in this months RockSound Magazine, where we talk about puking with Andrew WK, killer releases and tell you who we most want to sign.

Allllllriiiiight… We do love that magazine. NB – this story was supposed to run with a photo of Kev and I, but we don’t have any of us together that aren’t awful – and we decided to go with my face as I was the looker *ahem*

Alternative TGE Alcopop show – free pints for Dolphin Suits!

So the strong-faced Alcopop and lustily handsome DIY have teamed up with some super friends (BSM, Idle Hands Club, Ray Gun, Rock Sound’s Ben Patashinak and the like) and put together quite the best free show line up, perhaps ever…

The Xcerts
Stagecoach
Freeze the Atlantic (ex Reuben/Hundred Reasons)
The Victorian English Gentlemens Club
My Firs Tooth
We Are the Physics
Jumping Ships
LightGuides
Special Guests (TBC)
Ute
The Social Club
You Animals
Cat Matador
Dad Rocks
Nicholas Stevenson
Elliot Morris

Lining up on the Alternative Great Escape bill in Brighton town, we’re free entry all day and night to provide you THE best thing in B-town on Friday 13th, except for perhaps the Dolphin Derby on the pier. LOOK AT THIS LINE UP, and say you’re coming on Facebook!!!

Do come along, all day – and rock hard with us yes! we’re running from 12.30pm till about 1.30/2ish – featuring this quite jaw-dropping line up of awesome acts… Free for wrist band holders, and non-wrist band holders alike (we’re just like that you know )

Do say you’ll come… Free pint for anyone dressed in a dolphin suit!

Interviewed about all things by Alter the Press

Ah – the old arrogant post. Well, you got to occasionally haven’t you *ahem*. It’s been a busy time of late, and for some reason I seem to have been invited to do a whole load of interviews… Which is always really gratifying when people are happy to dedicate parts of their publication to my musings on what we do and where I see the interview going. So thanks to Sam at BBC Radio Oxford, Richard at Pornography for Cowards Zine and Andrew at Purple Revolver who have done just that of late.

As well as that – Sean from Alter the Press – a site who have always supported our output, literally from day 1, and posted about a million news pieces about Team PoP over the years, sent over an almost novel-length interview… Which took literally the whole of Christmas to answer, but it’s up now – and will keep you busy for a good 10 minutes at least if you’re bored.

So if you ever have been interested about the inner workings of Alcopop, why we do this, my love for Fierce Panda or what a bitch Kev BSM is to work with (kidding er…), go have yourself a butchers!

Hungary for Sziget or something…

Long considered the pestiest festival (its a Hungarain word – I have no idea what it means but it seems to be everywhere), I thought it was high time to get in the air again and visit Budapest for Sziget festival…. And amidst blazing sun, 3 pound bottles of rose and enough awful cabbage and egg topped snacks that you can shake a Hungo stick at, I’m here and making use of the limited press facilities to give you a little update.

Highlights thus far of (I’ve got to be honest, a pretty underwhelming line up) have been Madness, who surprised me  with a great ’actually I know all of these’ set – and the presence of free table football and swinging chairs in VIP – though with Pappa Roach and Monster Magnet (not to mention the Cribs) still to come, there are some bands Im actually really excited about. Sure its a bit more metal than Team PoP but ive got some pretty epic moshpit hair you know so I probably ought to use it.

Meanwhile – I thought I should also mention that have you not done so. you should definitely visit Bratislava. We popped in on the way and the place was awesome, really cheap (we’re talking under a pound a beer in some and we got to sleep on a boat – cleverly named boatel. Definitely need to speak to Kev about hiring a vessel and charting a floating Alcopop HQ in Eastern Europe… Might mean I’d have to put the postage up a bit though, although nightly full roster boat parties could be the order of the day… Oh yes!

Anyway – lots of pints of Dreher are calling – the big air con fan is on. and thus I must away to discuss My First Tooth drummer Gareth Amwel Jone’s debut spoken word album with many high ranking Hungarian musos (perhaps). Pop love to you all xx

Alcopop news in July – birthday edition…

Sure it was my birthday on Tuesday, and gosh, how lovely it was that so many of you handsome types wished me felicitations of the day. Thanks!

I celebrated by doing the Alcopop mailout on video for the second time – and filling it full of strong effects. You want mirrors? Check! You want my face becoming a line drawing…? Also… Check! Jesus, I’ll even put a little shooting star in their for you. Watch below, hear a bit of the new Stagecoach EP soundtracking it… And if you’re feeling flush you could even order something from the shop…

Don’t feel you have to though! This post is all about the shooting star

ZOMFG!! Why would you be anywhere else? Alcopopalooza this Saturday

There aint no party like an A PoP party. This much is true. So if Latitude is too far away, Guilfest aint your thing and you reckon that sitting inside whilst the sun shines is for nerds. Baby – I need say just one word. Alcopopalooza!

Brixton Windmill this Saturday is therefore very much the place to be for delicious action then – with 13 bands to entertain you inside and outside all day, a free BBQ to tempt even the choosiest of tastebuds  – we’ll also be celebrating the launch of the Stagecoach Crash My Ride EP (19th), and Attika State’s Celebration T-Shirt single (26th) Oh – and Jack PoP and Kev BSM’s birthday too (Jack will be 23, and Kev 34 (presents are optional ).

Tickets remarkably are just six (count em) pounds in advance, and given that you’ll be seeing the likes of Stagecoach, Tall Ships, The Attika State, Screaming Maldini, Tangled Hair, Stairs to Korea and many more – well the value’s there to see.

You can get full deets over at the facebook group, book slightly cheaper tickets in advance at where else but wegottickets – or sod the internet and just rock up on Saturday for SO much ace music, free meat and booze until you drop. Winner! The 405 agree see, rating it gig of the week. Good shout boys!

Polaroids are the new glitter… Owen and I speak

I just noticed my last 3 posts have all been videos, and while the visual media is all very fine and good – it struck me that you might want something to read on these occasions… And thus may I present this handsome article, as penned by the lovely Heather at Snapshots and Snippets – interviewing myself and Elephants about the recent Strong Arms polaroid single (you know, the one that sold out within a week or pre-order) and making some rather insightful comment on the relevance of flair packaging and the need to own physical music.

To quote Owen Elephant – “It’s so easy to have your music readily available to download and stream on the internet that anyone can do it. But I think artists need to push themselves to make their music more friendly and make the product people are buying something they can hold and care about and something that people will get excited about. I don’t think it is even about standing out from other bands, I think it is more about giving fans something special and individual to them.”

For more read on here champ.