Author: Paul Tunkin

Following ‘Leaving For A Day‘, another brand new track from Mockingbird, Wish Me Luck, an melancholy upbeat indie-pop song for Christmas….

Released before Christmas, you can check out now on Soundcloud and youTube...

Big Boss Man kick of their mini-European tour this Thursday at Le Bar Du Matin in Brussels, followed by dates in 2012, with concerts in Frankfurt, Strasbourg and Paris…

See all the Big Boss Man dates here

Blow Up’s new monthly West London residency at Ginglik in Shepherd’s Bush, continues with live guests this month B-MOVIE . Plus Blow Up DJs Paul Tunkin & Ian Jackson (and the occasional guest) spinning their trademark mix of Pop Stylism, 60’s Soul, Beat, Garage, Funk, Ska, Soundtracks, Electronica, Library Music colliding with British Pop, Glam, Indie-Pop and New-Wave. A celebration from the other side of Pop where the Kinks, Bowie, Blur share the dancefloor with current newcomers Pete & The Pirates, British Sea Power and Metronomy, all alongside Swinging Soundtracks & TV Themes (The Italian Job to Barbarella), 60s Exotica & Electronica (Jean-Jacques Perry), 60s Club Soul (Motown, Stax etc.), Northern Soul, Beat, Mod Jazz, French Pop (Jacques Dutronc, Bridget Bardot) and New Wave (XTC, Wire). More info: blowupclub.com • Facebook Event • Map Tickets for live show before 11pm £8 adv. from: Stargreen.com • We Got Tickets • Gigantic • SeeTickets • Ticketweb / Tickets for club only – entry after 11pm: £6 Connect: Facebook • Twitter • mySpace   B-Movie live at Blow Up B-MOVIE Cult 80’s New-Wavers B-Movie return for a one off show for Blow Up at Ginglik in Shepherds Bush on May 4th 2012, 30 years after the release of their most famous song. Expect all the classic early eighties post punk singles plus songs from their new EP, Echoes, out April 2012.Originally released in 1982, the single made the Top 10 in many European countries and reached #68 in the United Kingdom at the time. In 2000 Uncut magazine released an album entitled Dawn of Electronica, a tribute to the early pioneers of electronic music, and alongside acts like Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, Art of Noise and Giorgio Moroder were B-Movie. ‘B-Movie’s Remembrance Day though it may might not have stormed the top 40 was quintessential synth pop: the lugubrious vocals and heroic gravitas, the stabbing keyboard as rhythmic device and air of icy melodrama/melancholia.’ Echoes of this Nottinghamshire quartet’s melodic post punk analogue synth driven sound can be heard in many indie and dance acts of today; American electro-punk indie band The Faint reworked Remembrance Day into Southern Belles in London Sing on their Wet from Birth album, and B-Movie’s most famous song Nowhere Girl was remixed by Adam Freeland for the Future Retro compilation.

Blow Up Easter Special: Sulk + Fractures + David Woodcock + Thee Attacks + Powersolo with Blow Up DJs Blow Up’s new monthly West London residency at Ginglik in Shepherd’s Bush, continues with the BLOW UP EASTER SPECIAL on THURSDAY 5th APRIL (please note that we’re usually the First Friday of the month – moved forward to Thursday for Good Friday). We’ve FIVE live bands for you this month: SULK , FRACTURES , DAVID WOODCOCK , THEE ATTACKS (dk) and POWERSOLO (DK). Plus of course Blow Up DJs Paul Tunkin & Ian Jackson (and the occasional guest) spinning their trademark mix of Pop Stylism, 60’s Soul, Beat, Garage, Funk, Ska, Soundtracks, Electronica, Library Music colliding with British Pop, Glam, Indie-Pop and New-Wave. …. A celebration from the other side of Pop where the Kinks, Bowie, Blur share the dancefloor with current newcomers Pete & The Pirates, British Sea Power and Metronomy, all alongside Swinging Soundtracks & TV Themes (The Italian Job to Barbarella), 60s Exotica & Electronica (Jean-Jacques Perry), 60s Club Soul (Motown, Stax etc.), Northern Soul, Beat, Mod Jazz, French Pop (Jacques Dutronc, Bridget Bardot) and New Wave (XTC, Wire). More info: blowupclub.com • Facebook Event • Map Tickets £6 adv. from: Stargreen.com • We Got Tickets • Gigantic • SeeTickets • Ticketweb Connect: Facebook • Twitter • mySpace Sulk live at Blow Up SULK Under the rainy skies of London, the shining sounds of Britpop, Shoegaze and Psychedelia are back in bloom. Locked up in the back room of an east end gallery stirring up 90s inspired sonic harmonies, this five-piece’s influences are less worn on their sleeves, than branded on their hearts. Bands such as The Stone Roses, Suede, Ride and The Verve are wholly evident, but this isn’t nostalgia for old time’s sake. It’s a whitewash of powerful prettiness; with sun-drenched vocals, ethereal guitars and pounding drums, rooted in 90s vibes but with its eyes to the future… “Epic, stadium-indie guitars, baggy beats and trippy lyrics, this Suede-meets-Oasis number sets Sulk far above other 1990s revivalists” The Independent, November 2011 Fractures live at Blow Up FRACTURES “Reminiscent of Supergrass circa ‘I Should Coco’, Britpoppy [and] drenched in London” NME, 2011 “The kind of indie band that has become all but extinct in recent years” NME ones to watch 2012 David Woodcock live at Blow Up DAVID WOODCOCK David Woodcock returns to Blow Up after his show at the club’s 18th Birthday in November and will be heading up from the town of outstanding talent Southend-On-Sea. Expect great songs delivered in Dave’s own inimitable Essex style. Best described as the closest thing to a knees-up with Chas’N’Dave and The Kinks’ Ray Davies! Thee Attacks (dk) live at Blow Up THEE ATTACKS (DK) Fresh from their stint at SXSW and signed to hip Danish label Crunchy Frog are Thee Attacks… Powersolo (dk) live at Blow Up POWERSOLO (DK) Also signed to Crunchy Frog and first on tonight are Powersolo…

Big Boss Man have just confirmed a mini tour in Europe for the start of December 2012, with concerts in Belgium, Germany and France… see the dates here

Blow Up’s new monthly West London residency at Ginglik in Shepherd’s Bush, continues with live guests this month THE WOLFMEN , BERMONDSEY JOYRIDERS and RKC . Plus of course Blow Up DJs Paul Tunkin & Ian Jackson (and the occasional guest) spinning their trademark mix of Pop Stylism, 60’s Soul, Beat, Garage, Funk, Ska, Soundtracks, Electronica, Library Music colliding with British Pop, Glam, Indie-Pop and New-Wave. …. A celebration from the other side of Pop where the Kinks, Bowie, Blur share the dancefloor with current newcomers Pete & The Pirates, British Sea Power and Metronomy, all alongside Swinging Soundtracks & TV Themes (The Italian Job to Barbarella), 60s Exotica & Electronica (Jean-Jacques Perry), 60s Club Soul (Motown, Stax etc.), Northern Soul, Beat, Mod Jazz, French Pop (Jacques Dutronc, Bridget Bardot) and New Wave (XTC, Wire). More info: blowupclub.com • Facebook Event • Map Tickets £6 adv. from: Stargreen.com • We Got Tickets • Gigantic • SeeTickets • Ticketweb Connect: Facebook • Twitter • mySpace THE WOLFMEN The Wolfmen Marco Pirroni and Chris Constantinou formed The Wolfmen in 2005. Marco (guitars) enjoyed extraordinary success with ADAM & THE ANTS and later worked with Sinead O’Connor. Chris (bass, lead vocals) previously led JACKIEONASSID and has worked with Adam Ant, Annabella Lwin(Bow-Wow-Wow) and Sinead O’Connor also. Zelig Preston Heyman (Massive Attack, Kate Bush) also features in the Wolfmen on percussion. Alongside their own work, the band is known for some surprising collaborations with artists ranging from LOU REED to DALER MEHNDI, the biggest selling artist Indian in music history. They’ve also covered Screaming Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell On You” with PRIMAL SCREAM for an ALEXANDER MCQUEEN catwalk show and co-written a few tracks on Sinead O’Connor’s new album. Debut album Modernity Killed Every Night was mixed by Alan Moulder (The Killers, U2, Arctic Monkeys, Smashing Pumpkins), lead track “Cecilie” being A-listed on NME Radio for seven weeks in a row. The Wolfmen’s 2011 second album – Married To The Eiffel Tower – was produced by Courtney-Taylor-Taylor (frontman/songwriter with The Dandy Warhols) and Jacob Portrait (Queens Of The Stone Age, Foo Fighters)., winning massive radio support with spins from the likes of Dermot O’Leary (BBC Radio 2), Chris Hawkins (BBC 6Music), Don Letts, Sarah Kerr (BBC 6Music), Lauren Laverne, Gary Crowley and David Quantick. “Dense stuff… Extraordinarily overstated… an unholy mix…” UNCUT “Steeped in the space-age glam boogie of Bowie and T Rex with a bit of Iggy-in-Berlin thrown in… infernally catchy…” MOJO   THE BERMONDSEY JOYRIDERS The Bermondsey Joyriders Claiming all the credentials of a bonafide 77 super group, The Bermondsey Joyriders is a band pooling all the hard won experience and history of three veteran Punks…Gary Lammin,Martin Stacey,and Chris Musto.. Founder members Gary Lammin(Vocals/Guitar) and Martin Stacey(Bass) cut their teeth in the Joe Strummer produced ‘Little Roosters’ and Chelsea respectively..Whilst recent recruit Chris Musto (Drums) is a sticksman of some credenials..Having previously played with Johnny Thunders,Joe Strummer and Nico to name a few! At Blow up they will be playing their classic 1st album set and showcasing selected songs from their eagerly awaited forthcoming 2nd album ‘Noise & Revolution’,featuring ex MC5 manager / White panther party leader John Sinclair! Voted one of the Bands to watch in 2012 in ‘Viva le Rock’ magazine! Tags 60s , Adam & The Ants , BabyShambles , Blow Up , Blow Up Club , Britpop , Ginglik , Live , London , Mod , Shepherds Bush , The Wolfmen , West London | Comment (0)

Some Blow Up highlights of 2011, including HMV’s Next Big Thing back in February, another return to the USA and Japan, Latitude Festival in July, The Bongolian’s fourth album and the club finally coming of age (b. October 16th 1993).

Blow Up Christmas Party, Firday 2nd December 2011: The Bongolian + Thee Faction Blow Up DJs   The 2nd of Blow Up’s new monthly West London residency at Ginglik in Shepherd’s Bush, and just in time for Christmas! Always guaranteed to get the party going is BIG BOSS MAN’s Nasser Bouzida aka THE BONGOLIAN & his band, with support from THEE FACTION . Plus of course Blow Up DJs Paul Tunkin & Ian Jackson spinning their trademark mix of Pop Stylism, 60’s Soul, Beat, Garage, Funk, Ska, Soundtracks, Electronica, Library Music colliding with British Pop, Glam, Indie-Pop and New-Wave . ….A celebration from the other side of Pop where the Kinks, Bowie, Blur share the dancefloor with current newcomers Pete & The Pirates, British Sea Power and Metronomy, all alongside Swinging Soundtracks & TV Themes (The Italian Job to Barbarella), 60s Exotica & Electronica (Jean-Jacques Perry), 60s Club Soul (Motown, Stax etc.), Northern Soul, Beat, Mod Jazz, French Pop (Jacques Dutronc, Bridget Bardot) and New Wave (XTC, Wire). More info: blowupclub.com • Facebook Event • Map Tickets £6 adv. from: Stargreen.com • We Got Tickets • Gigantic • SeeTickets • Ticketweb Connect: Facebook • Twitter • mySpace THE BONGOLIAN   THE BONGOLIAN will be playing tracks from his eagerly-awaited 4th album ‘Bongos For Beatniks’ released this May – a wildly eclectic rare groove fusion of Funk Soul Hammond Beat Jazz and a Sci-Fi Boogaloo. The first single from the album ‘The Riviera Affair’ was a BBC 6music Lunchtime Love and if you listen to Craig Charles you will have heard more than a few spins on his show too: “A bakers dozen of gems. Bongo powered grooves at their very best. Preston Epps eat your heart out” SCOOTERING ‘RECOMMENDED’ “Mightily funky. Part mod, part Sergio Mendes, very swingin” TIME OUT live this year at the Blow Up Easter Special :   ‘Bongos For Beatniks’ album sampler :   THEE FACTION Blistering, visceral socialist R&B with an explicit political agenda:   As good as Slade Alive. Yes, THAT good Chris Roberts, The Guardian

Blow Up Tokyo   Blow Up Tokyo □伝説的 -タイムアウト誌、イヴニング・スタンダード誌、NME誌- （Legendary -Time Out, Evening Standard, NME） □タイムアウト誌が選ぶ90年代のパーティートップ10中、第4位。 （No.4：Time Out’s Top Ten Club’s of The 90s.） □ヴォックス誌が選ぶクラッシッククラブ第5位。 （The Roxy, Blitz Club, Shoom, Syndrome & Blow Up：Vox Magazine’s 5 Classic Clubs of our Time.） □世界を変えたパーティー。-メロディメーカー誌- （The club that changed the world – Melody Maker） ロンドン・クラブ・シーンが最もホットだったとされる90年代――そのまっただ中、1993年にパーティー【blow up】は〈The Laurel Tree Pub〉においてスイングしはじめた。主宰はPaul Tunkin。カムデンにあった2階建ての小さなパブで開催されていたパーティーながら、毎週土曜〈The Laurel Tree Pub〉の外には、長い長い行列が作られていった。その人気は年々大きくなり、Select誌やTime Out誌、Vox誌などの有力メディアでも取り上げられ、〈Cream〉や〈Ministry of Sound〉といったロンドンを代表する大型クラブに肩を並べるほどの人気を誇るようになった。その常連にはブラーやパルプ、スウェード、ステレオ・ラ ブ、ジーザス＆メリー・チェインから、スパイス・ガールズ（！）にいたるまでさまざま。その後は〈Wag Club（1996-2001）〉、〈The Metro Club（2002-2009）〉など場所を移しながら、現在も〈THE ALLEY CAT）にて、Paul Tunkin、Ian Jacksonのふたりによって続けられている。 歴代のレジデントDJには、Paul、IanそしてAndy Lewis（現在はポール・ウェラー・バンドのベーシストでもある）が〈blow up floor〉で60年代のモッド・ミュージック、インディ・ポップ、ノーザン・ソウル、ブルー・ビート、ニューウェーヴなどをプレイ。〈jet set floor〉では、The Karminsky Experience（1993から1995年の間プレイ）、Nori（池田正典、1995から1998の間プレイ、彼が日本へ帰国した後はカーミンス キー兄弟が再び〈Wag〉の閉店まで担当）らが彼らの友人たち、Martin Green(Smashing/The Sound Gallery)、Keb Darge(Deep Funk)、Jazz Man Gerald(Jazz Man Record)、Soul Jazz Record Crew等をゲストに迎えてさまざまなライブラリー・ミュージック、ファンク・レアグルーヴ、ムード・ミュージック等をプレイ。またレジデントDJたちは 【blow up DJ’s】としてブラーなどのツアーDJ、フェスへのテント参加、そしてNMEブリティシュアワード・パーティーでのDJなども担当し、主宰のPaulは レーベル《blow up records》を立ち上げ、レアなマテリアルを扱ったコンピやパーティーのクラシック集、そして多くのバンド／アーティストをレーベルから世に送り出す など活躍の場を広げていった。 これまでにさまざまなDJ、ライヴ・アクトをゲストとして招聘し、18年間毎週末のロンドンのサタデーナイトをスイングさせ続けている【blow up】のレジデント＝Paulを迎え、池田正典（彼もレジデントのひとり）、そしてTOP GEARのサポートのもとに緊急開催決定！