Hackney Junk Tour

 We were originally going to go to Islington as it was horrible out, but ended up walking into Hackney instead.  If your tastes go towards the left wing and you don't like a proper high street then Hackney is the proper place for you, as its a shambles of a place sprawling all over the shop like a bad rash.  True it has the Hackney Empire and a few other cultural bits and pieces but fuck me is it grim there.  Its best summed up with a pub I saw called the Cock Tavern, and yes I did see many leftie ponces walking down the street and that.  No shit I actually saw someone buy the Tardian (Guardian) newspaper in a mini market on the high street (there was of course no Smiths or Lidls or anything else recogniseable just a load of independent shops).

Ironically all those sandal wearing, stop the war Corby trouser press fanatics made for quite a nice array of Charity shops.  There is a weird Independent one in town, a Sense on the high street as well as a particularly grim Cash Converters and the Salvation's Barmy.  So what did I get for my cash.

Quite a lot of Electroclash to be fair as well as some other weird shit that turned out to be pure gold including a combined cookbook and album on Disko B.
Some highlights so far include.

Farhan or Farxaan Muse Gaari.

 I've no idea who this guy is only that he has a Youtube channel and that he doesn't have a bad voice at all.  I normally despise african music due to highlife, its all jangly guitars and Jesus, true the guys from Awesome tapes From Africa have been redressing this with some stellar releases but I ain't a fan at all.  There is some autotuning which is done well and quite a bit of organ work on the reggaeish tracks here so well worth tracking down if you ever come across his CDs.  Also Gaaaaarry (Fools and Horses)

Death and Vanilla.  To Where the Wild things are.

This is an odd one too.  Imagine a mash up of Warp records fay 60's Library tunesmiths Broadcast and Scarfolk the Hauntology people.  Full on washes of Psychedelic guitar and synth that invoke the former and imagery on the sleeve that reminds me of the latter.  For further information please re read.

Also grabbed a few dvds as well including BTTV music magazine and an episode of slices with Monolake.

Coming home we find that the toy museum in Bethnal Green is having a special show for Smallfilms stuff including some much loved shows such as Bagpuss and the Clangers.  Of course we stopped off to have a butchers and its quite informative there are bits and pieces used to make up Jones the Steam from Ivor the Engine and the Original Bagpuss toys, including Madeleine the doll.  Madeleine is fucking sinister in real life, sort of a mix between a rag doll and a meth casualty.

Get Momma's Gin for her.

Its only a small area but definitely worth a visit if you are in the area and that.