What is on your stereo at the moment?
A massive explosion of exciting US bands putting the UK to shame right now: MGMT, Yeasayer, Black Kids, Vampire Weekend.
3 records that changed your life. Why?
The Jam - Going Underground: The first time I ever stepped into a record shop (well, WH Smith in Stockport) with 70p burning a hole in my pocket. I always congratulate myself on being so cool at such a young age and conveniently choose to forget all the embarrassing things I bought after this.
Ce Ce Rogers - Someday: Do you remember the first time? Mine was dancing on the stage at the Hacienda, New Year's Eve 1988, this tune coming on and me...well, I think we all know what I'm talking about here, don't we?
King Biscuit Time - I Walk The Earth: I don't know if records actually ever change your life, but I will always associate this tune with the first time I went along and did the radio show with Marc, Paul and the boys around this time last year and it sums up the beginning of a whole new chapter in my life.
What are you looking forward to?
The summer and the Bear Sessions at the Sally coming into their own in the (hopefully) warm Mancunian evenings to come.
What couldn’t you live without? Why?
My boys, Jack and Finlay. No need to say why...
Most memorable gig?
The Smiths: Salford University 1986. At the height of their powers on the Queen Is Dead tour. Utterly visceral and fanatical. My sister, who I took along to her first ever gig here, aged 14, managed to find a bootleg DVD on ebay of this very concert and to watch it again was amazing. One of those "Bloody hell, I really was there" gigs.
Who/what are your influences?
My fellow Bears: Paul, TC, Jif and Jeffo. Just for their sheer love of music, their friendship and enthusiasm for everything we've started doing and the fact that, a year ago, I wouldn't have dreamt of being involved in anything like this if it hadn't have been for them.
What is the best and worst thing about the city that you live in?
Everybody says "the people", but it's true. Every city has great people, but Manchester has a history of innovation, creativity and sheer bloody-minded independence that always makes me proud.
Having lived in London for ten years, moved back and now finally living in the city centre for the first time, I really can’t think of anything I dislike. Just in love with the place all over again and playing even a tiny part in it after all these years has been really exciting.
Given the accelerated pace of modern culture, what are we due a revival in?
The rate it's going, I'm half-expecting to see an article in the Guardian about how Balearic's all the rage again.
Oh…
Hero? Why?
Do we do heroes in Manchester? I dunno, but for the very fact that I can think of no-one more deserving and more likely to have laughed in the face of being thought of as a hero: the late Tony Wilson. Guilty of an excess of civic pride? Damn right, Tony and thank you.
Is there anything else that you feel that we should know?
You can listen to the Bears Upstairs Radio Show anywhere in the world every Thursday from 10-12pm at here . For updates and tracklistings go to http://www.thebearsupstairs.blogspot.com .
The man they call Spaceface is the enthusiasm behind the Bears and takes care of the promotion and design for the balearic bods. With a love for music that stretches back to the days of the Hacienda, Tony is always up for a laugh on a night out and I especially like the fact that he gets very excited about good music, which he certainly has an ear for. His dulcet tones can be heard every Thursday on The Bears Upstairs radio show that covers just about every base imaginable all delivered with charm, knowledge and above all a love and appreciation for every groove. Apparently in Tony's youth he was Lancashire's answer to Carl Lewis but he's left the days of breaking records behind him and replaced it with long balearic nights with a few of his great mates...not a bad swap in all truth.
This is what Tony had to say about his mix.
Well, not a mix as such, more an updated version of an old-fashioned C90 compilation tape that you’d make for your mates, or, more likely, a girl you were trying to impress at the time ;-)
Just some tunes I love (and have as mp3s), new and old.
TRACKLISTING
Holger Czukay: Persian Love / Bhundhu Boys with Latin Quarter: Radio Africa /Culture: Two Sevens Clash / Jorge Ben: Ponte de Lanca Africano /Manu Dibango: Soul Makossa / Occidental Brothers Dance Band International: Bizarre Love Triangle / Vampire Weekend: Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa / Yeasayer: 2080 / Badly Drawn Boy: The Shining (Avalanches Good Word For The Weekend Remix) / King Creosote: You’ve No Clue Do You? (Atlantic Conveyor Mix) / Holy Fuck: Lovely Allen / MGMT: Time To Pretend / The The: Slow Emotion Replay / Neon Neon: Dream Cars / Band Of Horses: No One’s Gonna Love You / Jens Lekman: I’m Leaving You Because I Don’t Love You
Download the mix here.
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