Top 5 Retro Playstation 1 & 2 Games You Can Buy On The Playstation Store
Today I’ll be counting down my top 5 retro games you can buy in the PlayStation store. They are all my favorites and I had to think hard on what I thought was the best one and looked on their website to research the games. I know I say this a lot but just a friendly reminder that I wasn’t endorsed by anyone to make this post and is just my opinion and my personal favorites of games I’ve played in the past and when they were brand new and just out but now are some old school classics for all ages to enjoy despite some of them being a 18+ so okay they ain’t for all ages but most of them are but if you don’t tell then I won’t anyways enjoy.
5. Oddworld Abe’s Oddysee
I must admit I was addicted to this game when it came all that eh oh follow me business even though I did get stuck on climbing things if I remember as in those days they didn’t tell you what button to press and had to work it out all for yourself which I wasn’t good at obviously. The game was released in 1997 but still had some nice graphics for that time I think that’s what caught my eye to is the graphics of the game. It centres on the titular Ade, a meek Mudokon slave at the RuptureFarms meat processing factory. When he discovers that he and his fellow Mudokons are to be slaughtered, Abe decides to escape and liberate as many enslaved Mudokons as he can. The player assumes the role of Abe as he attempts a perilous quest to emancipate his downtrodden people. The bit I like about the game is you can control any bady with a bit of alien chanting and you lead them to their death took me ages to work out how to do that. It’s a puzzle game so no guns in site but it is quite gross, leading the bady to the working machinery and you hear a crunch and bloodsheds but it’s all quite tame really. It’s more of a stealth game and you can’t get caught ever or you will die and start at the checkpoint but I liked that a lot about it. What I also liked about it is setting prisoners free who mainly scrubs floors in this game again with your alien chanting and every now and then you have a scoreboard in the room which tells you how many employees there are, how many employees casualty and how many rescued which I thought was a nice touch to the game, gotta keep them casualty down just for peace of mind and if you lose all of them you have to start again from the beginning which was the frustrating part. You can buy the game for £1.35 (1.61 Euros) ($1.81) on the PlayStation network or in the PlayStation store as it’s currently on sale or you can buy the PlayStation Plus and get it free on the monthly subscription from as low as £.7.99 a month (9.54 Euros) ($10.69.)
4. The Warriors
Another game I was addicted to when it came out The Warriors on PS2 and released in 2005 and I actually had to buy another PS just to play this game but it was worth it and was around the time the PS2 was very new and had loads of good games I miss those days. I’m a big fan of the movie so I was excited when I saw they had the game out and I reckon they didn’t disappoint as I think it’s as good as the film. Released in 2005 the game takes place in gritty 1970s Newyork City. The story follows a street gang known as the Warriors, who have been accused of a murder they didn’t commit, and must return to their home turf in one night, although the game begins three months prior to the film’s events. The actors from the film itself reprised their roles to perform the voices of their original characters. Upon its release, The Warriors received a positive critical response and I know a lot of friends said how good it was. My favorite bit in the game is pick locking locks and then looting the shops the back alley escapes really made it feel authentic too and the commands you do like watch my back and scatter it all made it feel real. I also enjoyed buying drugs off the pushers that helped you with your health it’s an all-round good game I think. The game was close to the film as it looked the same and had the same characters in who also did the voice overs so they are the same actors and actress in the game. Two other things I liked about this game was the pick locking of detained gang members by the police and you had to tap L1 and L2 one after another in this rhythm as it was all about the rhythm to free them and the other thing I got reminded of whilst watching YouTube game play you can command your crew to do a set amount of things from rounding up the herd to pick locking a store lock and I loved how inventive it was and was there for hours struggling at first with the locks and other things in the game. One thing I didn’t like was the jump to building to building and the jump was stiff and hard to control same with the characters they were stiff and at times hard to control but I still had fun playing them and controlling the characters. Also I love the smash and grab element after you picked locked the store’s lock you can pick up stuff like free health and money which you may need when you meet the dealer to buy more health when you have smashed and grabbed all the local stores and takes time to come back again. The smash and grab element reminds me of another game similar where you smash and grab and cause mayhem that game was called State Of Emergency and another game by Rockstar and another fun game to play I haven’t played for at least for over 20 years now since it came out and I completed it but still worth a play I think. You can buy the game for PlayStation 4 for £11.99 (14.42 Euros) ($16.04) in the PlayStation store or in the PlayStation Network.
3. Canis Canem (Bully)
Yet another addictive game though this one was a slow burner for me but got real into by the end of it so much so I was actually gutted I completed it so quickly. Released in 2006 the game is set within the fictional town of Bullworth, the story follows a student and his efforts to rise through the ranks of the school system. The open-world design lets the player freely roam Bullworth. The game is played from a thrid person perspective and its world is navigated on foot, skateboard, scooter, bicycle or go-kart. Players control teenager James “Jimmy” Hopkins, a student who is involuntarily enrolled at Bullworth Academy. He discovers that the school is filled with bullies, and becomes determined to bring peace, ultimately becoming more respected among the town groups. Jimmy is expected to attend class, which is a main gameplay aspect. In Scholarship Edition, a two-player competitive multiplayer mode lets two players compete for the highest score in different classes. I like it’s open world and you can go all over the place and the fact it’s not just one place to explore but five areas Bullworth Academy, Old Bullworth Vale, Bullworth Town, New Coventry, and the Blue Skies Industrial Area and I also liked the tasks you do they always made it seem quite fun just be sure to be back before curfew for Pete’s sake. It’s another stealth game I also liked the classes you have to do that was quite enjoyable once I got the hang of it then it was easy all you need to is get an A and you didn’t have to attend that class again pretty cool cos you can go to town and explore there. My favourite part of the game though is when it goes into Halloween and you get costumed up and wreak havoc on the school that was super fun to do and don’t forget the shop to spend all your money that was a nice touch to the game too. There was so much to do it’s too much to talk about but all I can is it’s a good game to play I think. You can buy the game for £11.99 (14.42 Euros) ($16.04) in the PlayStation store or PlayStation network or you can subscribe to GTA for £7.99 (9.54 Euros) ($10.69) a month and download it for free but please beware this subscription only works for PS5 not PS4 which is kind of a bummer if you want to subscribe to GTA and you only have a PlayStation 4 now’s your chance to splash out lol or broke like me.
4. Jak II - Renegade
This is another fun game to play if you are into platform games and quite a tricky game at times trying to collect battery life and not be consumed by the army full of enemies sometimes I ask myself how am I meant to get through this but never the less I get through it and still a fun game for all ages and sexes. The game was released in 2003 and on PlayStation 2 so quite a old school game now as it’s over 20 years old and it being on the PS2 when we are now on the PS5 and counting and I still ain’t got my PS5 update I’m waiting for Grand Theft Auto is out and also there are a couple of more games I’m interesting in playing before I consider buying the update and I’m broke as a joke so at this time I’m unsure how I’m going to afford it but I’ll deal with that when the time comes around. Even though it is a platform game I feel it’s a crossover shooting game as the main features are the guns he has and also the use of Daxter his right hand man in the game if it’s the same game as it could of been the first one but I’m unsure as it’s been a while since I played the game I mean way back when it was first released in 2003 so I hardly remember the game except it was hard at times but a overall fun game to play but boy was it stressful in some parts. The game follows fresh-faced, cheerful young hero we once knew is no more… Jak has changed. After years of pseudo-scientific testing at the hands of Baron Praxis, Jak has developed a burning rage and a hunger for revenge. With wisecracking pal Daxter in tow, the pair sets off on their darkest mission yet – and with the untamed power of Dark Eco coursing through his veins, Jak is a renegade to be reckoned with. Even though it’s a hard game it’s action packed and full of surprises and fun stuff in the game that kept me playing for hours on end and I even pulled all nighters when I was proper into the game and wanted to keep playing no matter how tired I got even though sometimes I would fall asleep with the joystick in my hand or be woken up by a loud bang of the joystick being dropped on my coffee table which surrounds my seating area. The most fun thing you can do is travel and ride in the hover ships and drive to your next location it’s pretty much open world but like most PS2 games they did have what I call dead spots where you couldn’t go and had that invisible force field stopping you from moving any closer to the non playable area which reminds me of some of the glitches it had but a quick restart always fixed that but pretty annoying if you are half way or nearly through a mission the angry lol. You buy it for £11.99 (14.32 Euros) ($16.04) or you can go for the PlayStation Plus Premium for £14.99 a month (17.90 Euros) ($20.55) and get it as a free package deal and like all subscriptions you must pay per month to keep the games active.
5. Manhunt
Now this game took me ages to get into now it’s at number one of my top 5 how about that. I like the atmosphere of the game and it’s very well done I think though the graphics wouldn’t look too good with more up to date games. Manhunt is a stealth-based urban horror styled game played from a third-person perspective The game consists of twenty levels, called “scenes”, as well as four unlockable bonus scenes. Players survive the Scenes by dispatching enemy gang members, occasionally with firearms, but primarily by stealthily execting them. At the end of each scene, players are graded based on their performance, and awarded one to five stars. Unlockable content becomes available only when the player achieves three or more stars on a certain number of levels. On normal difficulty (called “Fetish”), players can earn only four stars; one is awarded for completing the scene under a certain amount of time, and one to three stars are awarded based on the brutality of the executions carried out during the scene. On hard difficulty (called “Hardcore”), players are graded out of five stars; one for speed, one to three for brutality and one for simply completing the scene. To gain the maximum number of stars, a set number of brutal executions must be carried out over the course of each scene; face-to-face fighting does not award stars. In order to carry out executions, players must approach a hunter from behind, undetected. To facilitate this, each scene is full of “dark spots” (shadows where the player can hide). Enemies cannot see into the shadows (unless they see the player actually entering the area). A standard technique in the game is to hide in the shadows and tap a wall to attract the attention of a nearby hunter. When the hunter has examined the area and is moving away, players can emerge from the shadows behind them, and execute them. The game has three levels of execution, with each level progressively more violent and graphic than the last: “hasty” executions are quick and not very bloody, “violent” are considerably gorier, and “gruesome” are over-the-top blood-soaked murders. Players are entirely in control of which level they use; once players have locked onto an enemy, the lock-on reticule changes colour over time to indicate the three levels: white, yellow and red. I like the way you use the cameras to hunt down enemies I didn’t like holding down the buttons to execute as again that took me quite a bit of time to figure out how to do the deed. I like my horror games so this is why it’s at number one and I like it cos it’s creepy looking and like a snuff movie and set in dark and dingy atmospheres that’s how I always picture them. This game caused a lot of controversy when it was first released and some countries banned it altogether also a lot of talk of the state of the video game and a attempt push back for such games but as you can tell it’s still available and bloodier games came to the market years after Manhunt. The main argument against the push back was with games like Doom and arcade shoot em ups and also army games had killing in and it was a different type of killing game so there was basically a bit of argy bargy and restrictions were made like permanent bans in certain countries or a 18+ rating but it still didn’t stop the younger generation from playing it what I saw in the fields of what the younger kids were playing and obsessed with but it was revolutionary. You can buy the game for £11.99 (14.42 Euros) ($16.04) in the PlayStation store or in the PlayStation network.
Let’s Talk About Racism
This blog post I made in 2021 is after a series of racist viral and news items I have seen in the last week or two which makes me want to write a blog post about it as I feel it’s something I should talk about though it’s something I do not like to get into too much but it’s something that can’t be ignored. I would like to point out these are my opinions and are my beliefs so please respect that. We were always in what I would call a battle between the what I would call the ignorant and non ignorant people of all colors are welcome in this and I am grateful for people to be non ignorant and try to push back against the BS. Being bi racial which means I have both worlds of white and black and identify as bi racial I’ve been attacked by both sides saying I’m too black or I’m too white calling me all sorts of names like mongrel, nigger, white man, coconut all because either they don’t like black people in general or the way I carry myself which ain’t the stereotypical mixed race or black person but I don’t go on special may I just add I mean the type of person you may associate in a gang or sells drugs all stereotypical stuff I have no time for to myself or others. I did have a loud Bristolian accent mixed with London where my parents are from and that could be confused with a man from rural Gloucester when excited or drunk but I wouldn’t call it loud all the time though it does vary and is hard to explain. It goes both ways and I never understood when I was in a multicultural school and this person told me that they wished they were my color as they could like me better and never believed it was because I was half white but it was more when I grew older seeing stuff about colorism and also watching stuff on YouTube, it all hit me like oh I see and no I ain’t mad I actually see their point but I was a bit like not every person feels like that and I’m sorry you feel that way and been told by the media and whoever else that we are better, prettier, smarter etc but I don’t and I don’t care if I was the person and the way they are like if they are giving, loving always there for someone, don’t care what they say or what color you are, that sort of thing and that has always been with me. When I get funny is when religion gets in the way and though I don’t mind religion it’s some hardcore fundamentalists I don’t like it’s too pushy and is outdated and nothing I feel we should be living under as god children (enter god here) as I feel he and they would not allow that to happen and they would be casted out to hell or wherever (again insert your own hell here) if they committed a act in the name of god but anyway I’m drifting away from the subject now but that’s my stance on religion. The next bit is for you colorist like this person in the clip which all comes from the well known platform TikTok a well known place for colorist jokes and unfunny skits. You people on TikTok and like this girl in the video said please stop with this reinforcement you may think you are more attractive than black girls or boys and you are all that or you may have a preference it doesn’t mean to say they are ugly and not as or more attractive than black girls or boys. I myself look at personality I’m really not bothered about how good you look, skin tone or whatever. Though I haven’t dated many black girls I never thought they were ugly because she was too dark true fact lol I once was dating a black girl in my school days and she was can I say dark skinned and I said if we had babies they would hopefully come out darker then me because I loved the thought of having black babies they were pretty to me and not in a object way so this misleading narrative that they have about themselves that they think they are more prettier etc doesn’t represent the whole wide world and though they feel like that doesn’t mean to say that we all think that and are like that because that doesn’t represent the race as a whole and we are in this together and still face racism so I really don’t know where this girl is coming from how does the black family members feel cos I know there must be some sort of diversion within the families. As I said before TikTok is starting to get a reputation for it’s racism and though famous YouTubers like Pew Pie, Shane Dawson and Jeffery Star not to mention the rest but those are the ones I’ve followed and looked into and can remember you would of thought after that people would be like that’s not “cool” better not do that. No because people allow it and the ones who still hang around the followers they still buy whatever they sell and they laugh to the bank so it goes round in a circle they just swap platforms and probably rebrand their name in worse case scenario. I really do hope their apologizes are real and not just a way to win viewers back and not to look like a racist twat but I do believe in change but obviously you would want to change first but that’s pointing out the obvious. I’m not familiar with TikTok as I haven’t actually got a account but I hope they ban these people but it feels they are allowing it to happen but I don’t know the full story but I’m sure they must have released some sort of statement at least they should. I don’t even know how many complaints they get some skits are quite violent like there is one where he’s like “white woman” the word not a actual female but it says white woman and he’s like all posing and stunting then the word “black girl” and he does the hardest bitch slap and then walks off, I thought it was disturbing to be honest and something I didn’t find funny. It is true and no denying that media has a big role in the subject of colorism and have reinforced the idea that light skin people are more attractive than black people with all the music videos, people who lightened their skin tone in Hollywood, and the music and film industry it has had a negative effect on black and even white people which we all know steams back from slavery. That’s the other thing there is self hate from all sides but at the end of the day you can’t be a sheep and laugh when the other sheep gets eaten by the wolf cos you could be next so you should join forces to stop each other from getting eaten so there is no need to say you are better you are still half sheep or full sheep so you are still vulnerable to attacks, sorry to use sheep as the metaphor but that’s the best way to put in in a metaphor way. What I’m trying to say is you may call them ugly but someone is going to think the same about you, people who are not your colour and I won’t go on about slavery but they should know or know by now where it comes from and do better by not making these reinforcement videos cos all they are, are trends and I didn’t know it was a trend and “cool” to be a racist yeah let’s be racist like Trump or my leader I want to be just like them. I actually saw this really good video of a trend on TikTok but I seen it on Facebook it was young teens confronting their racist parents and it was sad but good to watch at the same time. It made me angry the things they were saying and their beliefs which were being blown apart. People get crazy when it comes to racism and do all sorts to justify and deny it but to be honest I like the open racist not like that but I mean at least it’s honest and you know not to talk to that person again if they are in your life, I’m talking about people more in your life it’s not to say I would talk to them and the random racist on the street can shut the fuck up crazy old bat no time or patience.
Obviously with a racism blog I can’t do it without mentioning George Floyd and the countless others who have died from police brutality. As I speak the jury is out from the court case and I’m scanning the news every hour or two to check the latest but I’m unsure when that’s going to be. It’s been a bit side eying some of the things said in the court but that is court for you and you need to tell two sides but wow sounds that defence team for the cop should be on some sort of FBI payroll *cough cough. I really would like to know what’s going to happen cos I think hell is about to break loose if he gets let off, it already has but how more worse do they want it is the question cos people ain’t taking it this time surely they would do the right thing and more importantly make changes and also I don’t even think it would of went to court if Trump was still president he would of waived it out the court I believe. I watched a unseen clip on Facebook of the murder of George Floyd seen below this text and it made me angry. I will warn you it does show the murder of George Floyd and is not to glorify the situation but to show people who may not have watched it already how he was murdered by the police and is something the news won’t show. You can see the police officer kneeling on George for 10 minutes despite people in the background telling them to check his pulse and he is not breathing and not to mention telling the officer he can’t breathe. Please do not watch it if you don’t like to see cold blooded murder happen and you don’t like to see dead bodies as it shows all of that so please think carefully before you watch the video, thank you. I did hate the aftermath of the murder as their was a brutal backlash from anti George Floyd supporters who thought it was important and necessary to drag him through the mud and air out what they claim was his private life all for the public especially the American public to hear and savagely attack the man after he was filmed being killed by a police officer. I mean the poor family had to put up with abuse and wickedness as in evil jokes about their family member and put through more pain plus now fighting a landslide battle against them with the police and government something not everyone is cut out to do as judging by other victim’s family members it’s exhausting and painful as what they probably want to do is shut the case and pretend like it never happend which is why after the backlash from the world they did their best to trash his name and make him into a villain and that is classic old CIA and police tactics if you read up about their tricks of the trade and you believe the old CIA were evil. It really is a joke I mean it’s like they would have slowed down by now and not kill as many or anymore people cos this is getting out of hand. Let’s be honest though it was always out of hand but we are just hearing about it cos of this one big case with George Floyd now they are telling us the latest victims by the police. It does make me me wonder how many people they have killed throughout the decades and I dread to think it was under the radar for decades and also covered over by the police as I heard police reports of accidental death by the police are only submitted by them voluntary so that’s a good system to have, honestly it’s not and is ridiculous what crap is that only submit if you want to it’s like saying don’t worry if you murder anyone we won’t charge you for it anyway. It’s funny there are all these laws to protect them but they don’t have much to protect them with in law wise and everything will usually go in their favor cos the courts won’t go against the police which is not a fair justice court to rule under. We do need better rules to ensure police will be prosecuted if they mistreat, harm or kill any of their detainees cos they can’t keep running people down they are meant to do a job and protect us all against crimes not committing crimes like racism and murder. I would like to think this is just some sort of accident but knowing the history and the killings in America I know it’s more sinister and something just ain’t right I didn’t know the killer cop in question obviously but it does make me wonder what his beliefs were like was he a racist cos all fingers point to yes. I tell you why I am mad and not just cos it’s the racist thing I’ve had a similar experience when I was arrested. I made a run for it when I saw the police and they chased me but I gave up and stopped he pounced on me and basically did the same thing to me he put his knees on my neck and kept me there despite me telling him I couldn’t breathe and gasping for air I remember moving my neck to the side and I manged to get a good amount of air in my lungs and he kind of eased off it but he could of killed me and even worse I was in a field like a country field not even in my town so he could of easily got away with it, my mate was saying your going to kill him but he wouldn’t listen. It was like he didn’t give a shit he was going to kill me and had the same facial expressions like on the killer cop in the video. They have done it a few times and done by security most of the time I wasn’t in the wrong the police incidents maybe but the security guards was because I’m a mental case and they always follow me pissing me off when I shop there regularly. I haven’t been following all the killings going on recently but my friend tells me as he watches TV and the news so he tells me of the latest and it seems to be every other day but yes justice for them all.
There was a lot of things I wished I said and could of said when I appeared on the BBC news about institutional racism and the Stephen Lawrence anniversary where a black man called Stephen Lawrence was murdered by racist thugs in London in 1992 a case that shook must of us. It’s more my dad’s thing appearing on TV and he does great things for the ethnic communities and helps a lot of disadvantaged people into greater things with his work which I’m still not sure what he does but it’s community and his business based. This is where I get my everyone is the same approach and he taught me not to judge others by their skin and beliefs and was drilled into me at a young age which I am thankful for but probably saw it as a boring lecture not understanding what he’s fully saying but I got bits but all them talks about this is such and such they did this and helped us here and you may be lighter than some of us but you are the same and will be treated the same by most or some people. Honestly I didn’t get it for a long time until the monkey chants came at school then I saw it oh and that was a depressing moment I must admit. Going back to Stephen Lawrence he was 18 when he was attacked and killed by racist thugs who later went to jail but a lot of changes happened in England and laws were enforced for people who commit crimes towards a person due to race but recent reports show things haven’t changed much despite the laws and institutional racism is on the up rise again due to knife crime and gang culture in London but does affect other cities too. Don’t forget another thing happening every year on the 22nd April it’s Stephen Lawrence Day the day he was murdered and is a new day to remember in Britain but if you want to celebrate a black man who was murdered by racist thugs and changed laws like I see the George Floyd drama please feel free to do so, it shook Britain like it did with America and is something we will always remember. It is a day dedicated to Stephen’s memory that also allows people to reflect upon the part we all play in creating a society in which everyone can flourish and this year’s theme is friendship, respect and difference just in case you feel like doing something. I’ve already talked about my experience going on the BBC News at 6.00 PM and at 10.00 PM on BBC 1 the main BBC channel so instead I’ll give you my own knock on effects I had after the Stephen Lawrence murder. Thinking about it I remember the day being a dark and cloudy day and on that April’s day and when I heard about it after seeing it first in the headlines of the newspapers and later on on the news channel but I remember a cloud like object over the UK and myself including being on edge and paranoid thinking this could be a start of a race war or more vicious killings of innocent black people and not just blacks but I feared more racial related crimes could be on the surge and I knew this as my dad worked for the council and did a lot of charity work with racism charity Sari pronounced sorry which is or was based here in Bristol in the UK so I heard about all the reports and statics coming in dealing with racism and was worried for any ethnic background including black people like my dad and his side of the family. I’ve been hearing about a race war for decades now and this always worried me as I stand with my dad and his side of the family (the black side) and I was worried about losing good friends and family members from my mum’s side (the white side) and all the blood that could be spilt it was a worrying time and plus dealing with some people who was living for this race war to happen they were rubbing their hands and adding fuel to the fire and a whole lot of dead weight let’s call it.
Okay last topic as it’s been quite a long discussion but this bit is about racism in the Church Of England and after a exposé by BBC Panorama about churches in England having problems with institutionalized racism and how people are treated differently and silenced into not saying anything by signing non disclosures. I haven’t watched the documentary but I’ve read a article by the BBC who reported a trainee vicar who was born in Brazil and he was told he was not coherent enough and that he was too passionate. Another case a black man was sent a banana with his face superimposed on it and when he complained to human resources they saw it not to be racist but the man was paid some compensation by the church and had to sign a non disclosure I was shocked by this when I heard of it today and had a lengthy conversation. I was saying I think the problem is I think racist people get jobs in high up places like the police force or in the church, even your council or housing office and they don’t separate themselves from their job from their real life and bring it into the workplace where it can catch if it’s in the wrong place and it’s not diverse. But the church of all places, a place where you are meant to be welcome and not discriminated against cos I’m not being funny I don’t think God or Jesus would want people to discriminate especially to people who he would call his own people. It really is disheartening and I can’t believe that institutional racism is within the churches and is something that shouldn’t be anywhere near there and is a place to worship not to make racist jokes they are not at the office but I’m not saying they can’t make jokes but racist jokes NO! It seems it’s another big joke and Former Church race-relations adviser Dr Elizabeth Henry stepped down from the position last year as she felt like she was getting nowhere with the issues in her job and had to sign a non disclosure stopping her from talking. Good on her for coming out cos I think racism is something to be exposed and can’t just hide it under the rug like a dead body under the carpet all lumpy and obvious causing a stench in your home or work environment. I don’t know where the church think they are in Hollywood or something but non disclosures are shady and is something that would happen in shady places I wouldn’t expect that in the church and am shocked they do it. I would have probably laughed if someone told me the church made them sign a non disclosure it’s makes we wonder what do they see, we all know about the R. Kelly shit ugh. So the church really don’t want us to know how racist they are but surely it would come out eventually IDK what is going on well I have a guess and like I said before it’s racists bringing their beliefs into work cos they just don’t spring from the air what I meant it just doesn’t grow on you over night it’s something taught and is in you or could be in you something is just waiting to trigger it off so it’s something wired into all of us what ever way or belief or race that is or we could say something that might not sound offensive to you but to the person in question they might and most of the time it is offensive as it’s old stereotypes that was played out on the TV and theatre and old stereotypical jokes that were done decades and centuries before or even the image of the black person being slow and unable to read well apperared. This has reinforced people’s image of the black person as a negative thing and most of the stereotypical jokes and assumptions come from the media and of course slavery but the media has done a great job in reinforcing the negative image of black people and still happens today with colorism both the idea that light skin people are more attractive and also all the stereotypes of black people like being ghetto, loud or being in gangs, it’s weird to think people watch stuff and think that all people are like this cos this is what they see on TV not sure if it’s like that now but it was like that at least for me. What made me furious is when I heard the black ex Bishop Of Canterbury was silenced by the church after he was about to give a open discussion because that is all it was but he was going to give his interest take of the race of God and Jesus not so much Jesus but God he was quickly shut down by head office who told him in words but something like this that it was in his best interest not to speak on the topic. I was so angry when he told the reporter this and yet again signed a disclaimer so he wouldn’t speak about it but he went against the churches grain and spoke out about it. Now I was always a believer that the church was a open place for all races and beliefs on what God and Jesus actually looked like it’s the same script IE same passages and prays and that all views are welcome just as long as you pray to the same God it doesn’t matter what your beliefs are but how wrong I was. I’m also angry for my grandma who I think has dealt with the churches backward ways and I might of witness it myself as when I was in London visiting my gran this one time and there was this church event she wanted to go to which was only down the road and some sort of cake fair anyway I only caught the reverend of the church throw my gran some dirty looks like she was a rat and shit under his shoe. I brushed it off thinking he’s the reverend he’s not giving my gran the daggers but I now think he was and it has dawned on me in that later years she might not be as welcomed in his church as he said she was. Now I could be wrong and I would like to think I’m wrong but the evil look in his eye really shook me up like it was a piercing cold stare that only a racist would do but as I said I hope to god I’m wrong cos I’m not going to be happy if I do found out the man is a turd so to speak. Just for reference my gran was around 70 at the time she 86 now bless her and she is a black god fearing woman like most black seniors she does her part for the church as she was a caretaker and she’s in and out the church more times than a reverend’s first day in hell casting demons out. She doesn’t care where she worships and if she’s at home in London or here in Bristol or oversees she would always stop by at the church when she can but especially Sundays she feels at home when in church which makes me sad and angry that she too and still has to put up with such crap and coming from the church the one place where it’s everyone shelter or anyone Christian, Catholic or Protestant home or place to call home where you don’t get judged and persecuted I mean didn’t Jesus get persecuted too but still they persecute others and that’s just wrong and makes me feel sad to anyone of color who thought they found their place only to be casted out like what they did to Jesus and still they haven’t learned their lesson.
Well that is it I finished my two cents worth on racism bit longer than expected but there was a lot of things I’ve been watching and have watched over the years so there was a lot to talk about. Before I end this blog post I’ll leave you with a poem I did for anti racism day on World Poetry Day both on the 21st March I would like to say this. It doesn’t matter what skin color you are someone will find you beautiful and though people may hate they don’t understand or care to understand their actions and can’t be excused in any way. It’s such a shame what slavery did and really did something against humanity if they knew what would of happened would they still of done it, probably if they are anything like the Klu Klax Klan and they are a linked to slavery. I don’t think nothing can undo the cost of slavery and the ongoing racism that is happening nowadays I hope it does change but that involves a lot of work and undoing all the “good” they done in all those years and when I say good I obviously mean bad but they say it’s good. We can all do our bit to help tackle racism and make it more harder to have around by having tougher laws and regulations like on TikTok and other well known platforms where the infestation problem happens if there isn’t already but they still should make it tough on these matters. They are a serious problem and racism and discrimination is a worldwide problem and discrimination is also very deadly so is racism but I feel it has lead to all sorts from murder to slavery your whole fucked up beliefs can do harm to others all because you don’t like the person’s race and have some sort of fucked up belief system. The stuff you could and do allow to happen is discrimination at it’s best and I meant worse. There’s nothing wrong with being proud with who you are just don’t be too proud by hating other colours cos you think you are superior to them cos someone told you that or you keep being told that. There is a thing of being too much but that’s my opinion when I say being too much I mean saying fuck (enter race here) they are all the same etc etc. But as I said before I get it why you get mad when you see certain stuff and I understand and I believe in telling black girls and boys too that they are pretty and build them up because they are going to be told otherwise. Hate and love comes from within and should start at a early age just speaking from my background I had it early and got taught racism by both conversations and real life events and it really did help me build myself up to know who I was and how people would treat me and how I should treat others. I am proud of both my white and black heritage and even though it’s been a confusing and now more days annoying journey I am not sorry for who am and what I believe and despite the at times negativity I will still solider on and continue to be me, anyway here’s the poem.
Dear ALL Racists
8 Singles I Bought After Hearing Them On The Radio Or On A Music Channel
To celebrate the start of my newest radio station Synthi@ 1.0.1. and Synthi@ 1.0.1.+ I thought I’d do a list of some of the tracks I heard as a kid on the radio and on the music channels that I bought after hearing them. It’s kind of weird as shops like Virgin, Our Store and HMV either don’t exist or barely thrive on music now a days and with everything being digital downloads there is no need to go to your local shop to buy that single or album you heard and that is a shame or even listen to the radio dare I say except if you have a car and your bored of the collection you have. I do know some people who still support music by going to the record store but mostly people like to download as what’s more convenient than not even having to get out your seat to buy your favorite song or album kind of lazy huh. I started collecting tapes and CDs from 11 fully and is where I remember buying regularly after hearing the TOP 40 on Galaxy FM now Kiss FM and Radio 1 I believe or on Saturday mornings there was a Top 20 show and I used to decide what songs I liked that week and go to the shop that day to buy them. I was heavily into my Walkman hated the compact disc Walkman as it skipped like crazy so I was always faithful to the tape cassette Walkman as it was more reliable then the crappy compact disc version and anyway CD’s were a bit more expensive and with my pocket money I could get two tapes for a price of one single CD let’s see £2.50 for a tape single and £3.50 to £4.50 for a CD single. Most of the times I would tape the radio and get them free but they would sometimes cut bits off or speak over the track and I was like shut the hell up causing me to buy the track which I never minded as I had my own copy and not rely on hearing it on the radio. Okay I must admit I was and still am obsessed with music it’s the only way to get by and always enjoy listening and now creating it and do so on a daily basis. My genre styles vary and changed as I got older or grew stronger it makes me feel old when new genres like Dubstep pop up and I’m like they don’t make music like they used to I am stuck in my music ways as throughout the decades I’ve heard so much good music it’s hard when something more rougher and not so appealing comes along but that’s just me. As I bought a lot of singles over the years I’ve included only a selection and of my favourites also some forgotten songs if you don’t play the radio that is but all of them I liked at one point of my life and some I still do, I hope you enjoy it and bring back some good memories.
1. Madonna - Frozen
Released in 1998 and one of my favorite Madonna songs especially from the later years not sure if this my second or top favourite from Human Nature from the 90s. With the opening lines “You only wanna see what your eyes want to see how can life be what you want it to be you’re frozen when your hearts not open” is a understatement and something that drew me closer to the song as I wasn’t frozen but I was feeling definitely frosty and soon to be frozen with all the drama in my life. Then she says ” Your so consumed with how much you get you waste your time with hate and regret” which made me really think I wasn’t really consumed with money but I did waste so many years with hate and regret I was in a bad place back then so this song really helped me move on and upwards as I came to a realization that I was bringing myself down and I needed to stop before I got like that bitter old man who shouts at you for sitting on their wall I never wanted to be so bitter. I bought it for the lyrics as it really meant something to me and still does. I call it a conscious song and is something I think everyone should hear it really does put you in a lighter mind if you are a conscious person that is. Being obsessed with synths I really like the electronic bits and the chilled vibe which wasn’t usually my thing but the lyrics and the instrumental really made made me love the song. I think I heard this song first on the radio and then I saw the music video on TV and was blown away by it so much so I went out and bought it first thing Sunday morning.
2. 3T - Anything
90s was filled with slow jams and 3T were like the Jodeci for the younger audience I think and something to romance your lover with. The song was released in 1995 and of course I was a MJ fan so his group he mentored was a hit for me. Fun fact I used this as my night song just before I go to bed to get me in the mood for sleep lol cos sex wasn’t a option then I was too young to even consider that sort of thing. It’s funny it wasn’t seen as cheesy to be singing about love your spouse or throwing rose petals, back rubs and the Jacuzzi moments it was all about love and doing right and I’m glad as it taught me to love right of course people in my life did that too but it was reinforced with 90’s slow jams and R’N’B songs. I think I used this song to romance my girlfriend at school can’t remember if it was this one anyway one said I was being cheesy so I broke up with her and the other one who had her eye on me liked it and thought I was being romantic this was just before I headed to secondary school or High School if you are from the US, ain’t it funny how quick love adapts when you are younger in and out like a rotating door. Now I laugh as I must admit I do find the song a bit cheesy but saying that it’s still a good slow jam and is still listenable so I’m not knocking it, it does very much remind me of my early years of living. I heard a lot about 3T as mentor Micheal Jackson pumped them up and I think I heard this passing for the first time at a friend’s house before I heard it on TOTP on BBC and TOTP or Top Of The Pops was a showcase of commercial songs that was out that second and on the BBC channel from the late 70s to the mid 00s and where they pretend to sing and look happy in front of a live audience it’s pre recorded and is hosted usually by two hosts and aired every Friday night.
3. Pink - There You Go
I’m breaking up with you track of 2000 Pink before she turned P!nk and the rock chick she is today. Now granted this is a song for the girls but if you took away the fact she singing about her good for nothing man this could fit in anyone’s life. I liked the song right off the bat I liked the lyrics again weirdly enough it spoke to me but I loved it even more after the Garage remix released that same year or I think it was a year after actually I was playing both quite a lot. I’m still not sure who this was marketed for but I bought it anyway as I liked the lyrics and the change of the pre hook after the second verse I thought it was really catchy and anything catchy and I liked I always bought especially if it had meaning behind and I felt it. I like it still it’s a good song and thanks to both the original and the garage version I know most of the lyrics I listened to both versions a couple of months back and still knew most of the lyrics I was thought damn I really pumped that song a lot lol. It’s funny as it was just before 2001 the worst year in history and not so far behind 2020 in fact it still ain’t got nothing on 2001 9/11 and the passing of Aaliyah but this is just personal opinion but it’s funny how much and what has been changed since then it feels our rights are being stripped away but that’s a different story altogether and also partial conspiracy theories. I remember hearing this on the radio for the first time and thought this is good and after a couple of plays on whatever radio station it was on I think it was Galaxy 101 anyway after hearing it a couple of times I was proper into it and flew to the record shop that Saturday to pick up the single and was heavily played on my Walkman and on my mini stereo I had which was a toy stereo but it was loud and it worked.
4. Sonique - It Feels So Good
This song was released in 1998 and just before the second wave of Dance music that hit Europe which happend around the early 2000’s with songs from Kylie Minogue, Armand Van Helden, Daft Punk, Groove Jets just to name a few artists that had a dance hit in the early 2000’s. I was always into Dance music from the early years from 1991 and upwards from all the most famous Dance songs and videos that were popular in the early 90s but times had moved on from those early days and the sound Sonique had was a new breed of dance music which was still commercial don’t get me wrong it was still commercial but at a time and the last couple of years of real good feel good music that was uplifting and easy to listen to and was all about positive vibes that spoke to everyone man, female, adult, child and races. I always loved a good female vocalist and I always loved my House, Jungle/Drum & Bass and as I stated Dance vocalist and is something I’m still obsessed with probably not so much nowadays but when I was growing up I had a thing for female vocalist and would listen to a lot of Dance, House, and other mainstream genres as I was obsessed with the vocalist and their talent to belt out the song. This probably stems from watching Razzette sing live at Sunrise in 1989 and all the great singers and songs I listened to growing up and being part of and of course as I mentioned in a previous blog post listening to Bob Marley and The Wailers and James Brown’s backing singers really got me into the female vocalist and Sonique was no exception. I first heard the song on the radio and I must admit I wasn’t too keen on it at first but like any good song it’s not going to hit home right away and make take several plays to fully get into it. After hearing the song a couple of times on the radio I began to like it no love it so much so I went and brought it that Saturday and played it on my Walkman until it got chewed up which I was gutted but I only had to wait around 2 years in the 2000’s for it to be placed on a compilation album of Dance tracks I think it was the Now series which I was delighted as I had the CD and could burn off as many copies as I want to all on my cassette tapes those were the days.
5. Artful Dodger Ft Michelle Escoffery - Think About Me
This song has a sentimental attachment to it and is a track I haven’t heard for quite some time now til I just played it after so many years. The track is from a UK Garage artist but this track isn’t the normal UK Garage track and more a soft R’n’B track with soft piano sounds and gentle singing which I thought was appealing and is why I fell in love with the track the first time hearing when it was released in 2000. When the song was released I was so in my feelings and feeling quite low and this track fall in my lap whilst I was in a bad state and feeling lonely and depressed and a sore thumb sticking out in this cold world and kind of helped with my pain and to take action like the fact I moved to a new area once again and I left all my old friends behind after I moved school due to complications so I had no friends in this new area and I couldn’t reach out to my old friends as I thought we all moved on and I was also thinking about the missing family I lost along the way which made me low and sad but I manged to get through with a little help of my new friends I eventually found in this new area I was living in. I would say this is a sad song with the sad piano keys and the mild sad singing and lyrics as it’s all about asking the question if the person in question still thinks about them after the breakout and helped me move on with my life and be a bit more happier but I was always crying and doing dumb stuff when I was drunk on that cheap cider and vodka and I never knew how to balance until I was around in my early 30s when I gave up drinking and taking drugs. I first heard this song I think it was on the radio and on a music show on ITV or a main British TV channel and as I said I fall in love with it right away and waited till Saturday to get me a copy as I loved the lyrics, the melodies and the keys and overall production it’s a nice calm number that I knew was good for me and didn’t make me itch so to speak so I went out and bought it ASAP.
6. Aaliyah - More Than A Woman
This was the most saddest single to buy and was released after her death in November 2001. I was and still am the biggest Aaliyah fan and I remember when the video was released and was on the radio a lot. Actually I remember hearing on the radio that there was going to be a new video released in October I think it was it might of been November not sure now but they said it was possibly the last video Aaliyah was going to release and got me thinking there wasn’t going to be no music either which really put me in a downer. Hearing the track on the radio and watching the video was good but depressing and I knew she wasn’t ever going to make a guest appearance again or make any more songs by herself or with Missy Elliott and Timbaland and I just kept thinking why couldn’t it happen to someone else I was kind of angry I must admit. What I liked about Aaliyah was not just her personality or talents she had style and that was shown on her single for More Than A Woman with her Bump ‘N’ Flex Club mix. It shows she always went for something new and different and it sounded like UK Garage though I’m unsure what genre it really is. I bought the CD out of respect for Aaliyah and cos I loved the song probably not my favorite Aaliyah track I have hundreds more like 4 Page Letter, Read Between The Lines and Young Nation to name a few but it is one I do love and played quite a few times the single and on the album too. I was happy when it entered number one as I heard how work hungry she was so it was good to see it get that high not matter where the money went but again that’s a whole different story altogether. I remember buying it a record shop it was a Virgin shop I think and I went to buy it and the man who served me and knew of me as I was a recent flyer at the Virgin, HMV and other record shops anyway as he served me he said something like sorry for your loss or something like that which shattered my heart into two as it was then the realization that she was no longer with us and his act of kindness had me in bits though I kept my composure until I left the shop where I broke into tears. It was also the impact of how many lives she threw upside down and not just fans who loved Aaliyah, her music and her talents her dancing and acting skills and people who’s been with her for so long. In 2004 it would of been here 10th anniversary in the game and in 2024 it would of been her 20th anniversary in the business and now we morn her death date and celebrity her birthday it’s sad and in 2026 I’m still not over it maybe a little.
7. Jamelia Ft Bennie Man - Money
Wow I ain’t heard this for decades I still think this is a really good song and it’s not that poppy it’s quite R’N’B still of course the Beenie Man and Jameila appearance makes it urban. You got to love the opera the Dancehall influence and the of course the lyrics which is saying money can’t buy my love something every little girl should hear now a days and is something that doesn’t get pumped like the hardcore lyrics. I actually like the whole package of the track and always loved it since I first heard it it’s just too catchy and produced very well. I think after listening to it again it’s one of the best British R’n’B songs that is not too poppy and has that replay factor I won’t lie I just played it three times once for refreshment of memory and the other two because I enjoyed the song so much and anyway like I said I ain’t heard it since it was on the radio so it was so good to hear it again after so long. I remember first taping this off the radio but then the tape snapped too much fast forward and rewind and my up to date Walkman at the time had the habit of chewing up tapes cos one of the buttons was faulty or something like that. Anyway that broke and I waited till the weekend where I bought the single and I was kind of embarrassed buying it not cos the song itself cos it felt the song wasn’t for me IE for the girls but I liked it so much I was like I’m buying it and I did. I was meant to go swimming that day but I decided I wanted the single or I won’t get it out my head so I went straight to town to buy it in I bought it in Our Store which isn’t going no more and shut down so long ago I forgot how long or when it shut down but I do remember going to Virgin instead but that has shut down as well. I’m not sure what happened to what I would call educational music maybe kids don’t want to hear that no more but I still think they should promote that sort of stuff as well so there is a mixture and guidance out there as I think music can guide people into a better path if giving the right stuff.
8. Mel B Ft Missy Elliott - I Want You Back
Hang on a minute did Mel B really rap at the start of the track she has spice indeed. Honestly I lost my mind when I heard this a Missy and Mel B collaboration yes please. I just love the instrumental, the catchy lyrics the video looks crazy another UK/oversees collaboration that works very well. When I heard it I was like I’m buying that cos this song is ridiculous I think it was Timbaland who produced the track it sounds like his work and he always comes with something massive and over blown catchy that’s why I’m a big fan of him and used to buy any Timbaland albums or singles as I knew it would be good and he never disappoints. Same with Missy Elliot her albums are always good and she’s got them raps and singing tracks which I like about her. I think I discovered the track on the radio and I went out that weekend to buy it I was quite excited and got a little anxiety as I was worried there wasn’t going to be none there when I get there but there was still. I waited five days to buy it but it was worth the wait and till then they were playing it on the radio but not that often too much All Saints and Atomic Kitten I was like play that song for F sake they only played it a handful of times and even then I wasn’t ready to record oh the drama of bootlegging to tape lol. When I saw the video which I think it’s produced by Hype Williams I was blown away and loved the neon lighting and the crazy looks in the video it looked expensive and I wouldn’t like to pay the bill for lighting alone. It really added to the song and made it feel even crazier to go with the crazy lyrics and definitely hyped up the song even more for me to walk to town to buy it. I must admit that if it wasn’t for the Missy Elliot and Timbaland production I doubt I would of bought it they put that song on a whole different level but saying that I was always a Mel B fan that girl from the Spice Girls so I was happy to see her with new music but with Missy Elliott I was jumping up and down for joy as they were my two favorites of that time in the mid 90s till the Spice Girls split and ventured on solo careers all around the same time Mel had this track in 1998 or at the height of the split should I say but I liked and bought all of their singles including Geri Halliwell’s as I was a Spice Boy.
Cor Ona Why You So Deadly!
In 2020 at the height of the Corona lock down and virus that was about I made a Coronavirus album called Social Distance that was all about dealing with the fall out of the virus and I thought I put it into words for my blog and my experience with the fall out of Corona and my opinions on certain yesterday’s drama. At first I thought it wasn’t that serious but the more deaths and the people getting it has made me reconsider what is going on. I don’t watch the news or read much about it I’ve seen what it can do to people and I thought I rather not watch or hear too much but I have kept myself informed by conversations and a little reading but not too much. I wouldn’t say I’ve seen much change in this lock down period I’ve always been at home ever since my dog died and I have the time to make music more than ever which is why I’m always uploading tracks I like to keep my mind busy. I must admit though it was weird going out and seeing no cars or no people on the street and in the local town it felt like a Sunday night dead with no one out at all.
I’ve never experienced a toilet paper and food shortage and going out to get that stuff wasn’t too bad, luckily I ran out of toilet roll after the big panic buy but food was harder to get and I had to resort in buying tins which I didn’t mind as I knew it wouldn’t go off and store for some time you can’t beat tinned food lol. You had to laugh at the people panic buying toilet roll and coming out with more toilet roll then a janitor coming out a cash and carry and I was laughing at all the silliness on Facebook where people were posting lots of stuff on there I even stole a few myself yeah I share other people’s posts ha. It would have made me feel silly if I did run out of toilet paper during the fiasco and would of been a bit embarrassed to get it but I would of though but honestly toilet roll is the last thing to get in a crisis, fun fact I got inspiration for the track Empty Shelves from when I was in Lidi which is a cheap supermarket store and the shelves were bare but I did come out with the jingle before the announcer comes on the speaker you know that three note scale sound kind of like lift music I think.
The whole social distancing was easy for me and have been practicing this for over 10 years now so I wouldn’t say I missed social interactions as I haven’t been social for sometime now. It has been weird as I said seeing the streets dead but most weird of all standing outside shops in ques to get in and protection glass over the counters that was so surreal at first. I’ve had two social distance run ins one wasn’t that bad the other was just annoying. The first encounter wasn’t that bad a bit embarrassing when I walked straight past the que and walked into the shop before getting stopped and told to que up that actually happened twice lol . The second encounter same thing or though the man got shirty and got all “uh there’s a que mate” and was quite rude about it but I told him don’t speak to me like that I didn’t see you were waiting outside honestly I thought he was waiting for a friend to come out but it wasn’t oh my bad. There’s been a lot of people crossing the road when I pass and I’ve been told it wasn’t just me which made me feel better but seriously if I had it I wouldn’t be out but I do understand where they are coming from especially the old and young but seriously you begin to get questionable with people and get all irate but it’s not that bad it’s cool really just kind of bugs me but like I said I understand. On a personal level though it has been hard for one I haven’t seen my gran who is 82, for some time now I think it was a couple of months before Christmas not sure but it’s been some time now and she keeps asking me to go up and see her but with the restrictions I can’t and have to hope it goes before I can see her again as I know she might not have much time left. She is still active and does her thing helping the church and she loves to clean and is always tidying so I am glad she is getting a break from all that hard work she does with the church. I usually see my friend and my dad quite frequent but again with the restrictions it’s been quite hard I ain’t seen my friend for two months now which is weird but I’m not stressing as I don’t mind being alone we both don’t which is cool.
It’s been shocking to see celebrities come out and say they have had the Coronavirus from Tom Hanks, Madonna, Pink and Marc Almond from Soft Cell are to name a few. Thankfully they all have recovered and well again but that’s not forgetting the other legends who have died due to the virus and most are at a old age so at least they lived a good long life but still it is sad. There’s been many celebrities doing their bit to keep people home and entertained from singer Mariah Carey, Actress Gal Gadot from the most recent film Wonder Woman, talk show show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres, with Singer John Legend, Michelle Obama (do I have to explain who she is), Singer Madonna, and the whole Battles Of The Rapper/Singer where famous R’n’B and Hip Hop artist go head to head track for track and one get’s crowned the winner they are the two I’ve been hearing about and when I have time I will watch the battles and decide myself but judging by feedback on Twitter and what I seen on YouTube it hasn’t been great in technical problem wise but that’s what you get when the world is down I suppose mayhem but great to watch no shade though lol. Not to mention Rihanna’s Charity fundraiser where she donated 5 million dollars to organisations assisting with Coronavirus. Also Ciara and Russell Wilson donated one million meals to food banks and John Legend and Chris Martin have performed and other celebrities have done home gigs on Instagram. Also Cardi B has her own Meme out with the caption “Corona S*** Is Getting Real” which is I believe is from one of her videos and all proceedings from the remix that was spawned goes to charity so people are doing their bit. There has also been a few challenges on TikTok which apparently has been very successful whilst the Coronavirus has been happening and has become blown up I thought it was already I see it all the time. For those who don’t know TikTok is it’s a platform where you upload videos with or without music and can be of you doing a prank, dancing, acting, something funny/stupid they are usually around two minutes long and is popular with young people but enjoyed by most. I see Missy Elliot and Megan Thee Stallion have their own TikTok trends going with dance trends videos and also I saw some wicked sign language to Missy Elliot’s Cool Off, I must admit it took me a few seconds to realize what was going on but when I realized what was going on I was like ah I see yes and love it.
Talking of cool off one guy that does need to cool off is Trump with his suggestion that injecting bleach can kill the virus in your saliva in 5 minutes. Um I know I ain’t a doctor or know that much about chemicals science or the body I know a few names but wasn’t we all taught not to put bleach into your eyes, mouth or skin and correct me if I’m wrong but if you inject something it goes straight into your blood system and nothing but blood and other blood related stuff shouldn’t be mixed inside your blood maybe I have it wrong but I know just by sense that that’s not healthy or advisable. On a serious note I hope some of the people don’t get it wrong and do something dramatic there has already been reports of a uprise of accidental poisoning in the US but I don’t know how true that is as I’m not good with other countries sources I know Fox News though. Meanwhile over this neck of the woods Boris Johnson has had a Corona baby Wilfred while other parents are trying not to kill their kids yeah shoutout to all the mums and dads looking after your kids when they should be at school. I thought this was a rumour at first but no Boris had a baby and it wasn’t just a wild story well at least he didn’t call him Corona related names but I suppose the two twins Corona and Covid has already taken the best names who blames you and if I was going to do it I would of done a name that sounds similar or ryhmes with the name not the actual name itself but good for character though oh did anyone see the new edition to a famous fighting game Corona just wow shorty is a killer lol.
Now there has been many conspiracies about the Coronavirus one came from Trump himself that China started it deliberately which probably started unnecessary hate and misinforming people. Others say it came from a laboratory and was purposely spread some say it was a Chinese lab some say otherwise. Then you have the one about the elections and Brexit conspiracies, then you have the news conspiracies okay I think it’s been overdone now. I’m not sure what to think to be honest it could be purposely spread by who we will only find out later on in life or not at all but maybe it was bats maybe it wasn’t but I would, like most people like to know what is up. I’m not ruling it out but I think we might not be told the whole story but that’s just my conspiracy mind racing lol and going on past events. At first for a split second I thought there was martial law coming to play but I now know it’s just extra safety precautions being taken and is nothing to worry about or so I hope or I’ve made a massive error of judgement. I’ve just seen a well polished video I haven’t yet watched but it’s a conspiracy video about Corona and apparently makes all sorts of accusations some I’m even guilty of. Some other conspiracies are wearing a mask can increase your chances of getting the virus and other’s claims that also wearing gloves doesn’t prevent you from catching the virus, it came from a laboratory and to keep the beaches open as it’s the healing microbes that can save lives. It’s no surprise the video has been removed from YouTube but it has been reported that people keep uploading it to there and also other sites. I don’t want to name the video for people who haven’t seen it as I think it’s dangerous and what I read is misinformation and misleading and is something I’m not trying to promote as I don’t know the real truth only what I hear and read like most people then I make my own judgement. I think it is dangerous though for people who Trump would probably hire in his office dangerous quacks to go main stream and make wild allegations only because people would follow and do before they see and that’s not calling them a monkey I just meant they act before thinking that’s what I meant okay so they might be a monkey or in a state of panic they caused. Don’t get me wrong it’s good to have videos like that but people must start to remember they are for mostly entertainment purposes and in my opinion to make people think and talk but people go way too far and take way too much in and kind of lose their mind I know I’ve been there before.
Well here in the UK we have been in lockdown for over two months now and even though we are allowed unlimited exercise time and some shops are opening back up no one knows what the future holds well I don’t do you? All I can say is like everyone else I can’t wait to get back to normal and go out more it get’s boring indoors all the time and like I said I haven’t been out for ages so can’t wait to go out even go on holiday that will be next year now, it was going to be this year but you know the story of what happened Corona happened. The question is though what will be the aftermath both social and economic wise there must be some fall out in both. In social wise my friendly guess is that more people will stay home more often bringing the outdoors in or it could drive more people out who knows but it will be interesting to see what happens. I know there will be loads of people out when the initial ban gets lifted when that will be who knows but I can’t wait till it is. Will there be more homeschooling I mean is that even allowed? And also how many people will get married, divorce or have kids because of this whole thing that would also be interesting to see we can call it the Modern Infection Fallout but all jokes aside this is the time to think of the unfortunate who are trapped in homes they don’t want to be in all gender, ages and races. I guess I’m lucky I have no kids and I don’t have my dog no more so I have no one depending on me which in this time is a good time to have all the above no offense guys I like kids and animals but I couldn’t have a baby or have another pet just yet. If this was back in my dog’s hay day she wouldn’t of liked the restrictions and with the hour a day exercise I couldn’t go anywhere far so in a way I’m glad I haven’t got her but of course I still miss her. So that’s my Corona story and what’s I’ve been doing so far and hopefully that will be it but if there is no change in the weather then of course I’ll do a update in a few months time but let’s just hope that the death toll comes down and we are free to roam the streets once more. Also thanks to the key workers who do their bit to help their bit for the community’s big shoutout to all of you from hospitals to the shops and in between your good we’re good, but you know big shout out to the nurses in the hospitals especially I’ve heard about most of the battles of the frontline hospital staff and it’s scandalous.
I will leave you with the album that inspired this blog post and is all about the Coronavirus and is a Electronic album. I never know what to call the genre to be honest as it’s just Electronic a bit of Vaporwave, a bit of Hauntology, a bit of Synthwave and a bit of Progressive Rock so it is a combination of all the above, putting it in a more simple way Synthesizer Music. It is a dark album but has light tracks in there too and is all around the fall out of the Coronavirus as it happened in 2020. It was inspired by as it happened and I took my hourly walk getting inspiration from many places such as local and not so local shops, street walks and various different places. It’s free to stream on all major music platforms and you can download the album on my paid Bandcamp page all the links are in the buttons below.
10 Tracks I Like To Hear When Raving
I love a good banger to get me off on one and dancing sometimes I have to restrain myself but then sometimes I can’t restrain it anymore and just let go. I blame it on the drink and drugs though I don’t do that sort of drugs no more or even drink but even without them I can still get hyped and bounce around the place like a nutter, lol. I do like energy music and is why I love to make House, Jungle/Drum & Bass, UK Funky House and UK Garage as I like to make tracks to get down to though I do like the mellow tracks too but when in a mood or out clubbing it’s just that time. I was once a raver and party addict and I always wanted to go out and enjoy the night but now I enjoy doing it at home and staying in as that’s where I like to be but I do enjoy going out sometimes, I love walking in the countryside. The last time I went out raving was back in 2012 when I went to London it was my second London club scene experience the first time was the year before but I enjoyed both times and was up till the next morning. That’s the thing I like about London clubs they open till the next morning we left 9.00 AM and it was still live then and more packed all of a sudden. What I love about raving is dancing and interacting with others love a person who can get down and the conversations you have it’s always a good night. I never have time for people who want to start stuff in a rave people didn’t come out to fight and it brings the whole place down for a second, poor DJ has to work harder. I’ve never had a fight in a rave or club but I’ve had my close shaves but I’m never initially aggressive to someone which cools down the situation I suppose you need to know how to act. These are my personal favorites and music I just love to dance to at a rave and have danced to at a rave. It’s in no particular order and more songs from the vault I hope you enjoy as much as I enjoyed the tracks and hopefully you might know some or all of them or you’ll be learning something new so get your dancing shoes at the ready we are off to the D.I.S.C.O. anyway here it comes.
1. Renegade - Terrorist
I get too hype when I hear this track it is time to break my feet when it comes on even though it’s old now it’s still a banger and something to go nuts on the dance floor. I love the moodiness of it and the snare action drives me mental and oh yeah the FXs. I tell no lie this tracks makes me wanna make some more Jungle/Drum & Bass and I might just one day. This is what I love about it all in this track though not really much of a fan of that Dubstep sound but I have a passion for that old school flavor that was the blueprint for years to come.
2. Colours - Hold On (SE22 Mix)
For the love of Garage this track is a killer one of my favorites UK Garage tracks and I have a few but this one does get me hype. Not sure if this is speed Garage or just normal Garage but I know it reminds me of my school days and the summer around 1998. It just gets me in a bouncy mood and I have to restrain myself from getting all hype and dancing and the singy. I wanna know why they never put this track on the Garage compilation album but I suppose it savored it which is always a good thing.
3. Donaeo - African Worrior
This is just a track to let loose to and dance it out love the lyrics. singing, spitting and that instrumental is what gets me I’m hype now listening to it now. There are many UK Funky tracks that get me in the dance and prance mood but this track just get’s me over hyped and I always dance or bop to it I just can’t help it. There is a lot of energy coming off this track and Donaeo has had a few hits Devil In A Blue Dress and Party Hard two other favorites but not as good as this one I think. I first heard it on radio station BBC 1Xtra and it had me pumping up the volume and enjoying the track.
4. Roberto Rodriguez - I Keep Thinking Of You
Okay a different type of hype but definitely gets me dancing when I put it on. I think I heard this in a club in London in December 2011 guess it was a good time to go clubbing in London as there were a lot of good Deep House tunes coming out then and I just had to go back home and find them. I found some but found a heap more it’s a shame I can’t remember them but if I seen the names I would. I love the whole chilled but vibrant energy to this track and I like singing got to have that female singer on your house tracks.
5. DJ Zinc - Super Sharp Shooter (Original Mix)
Funny fact it was a reminder that shooters had two o’s in not that I was busting raps about shooting or shooters shotgun or shot away maybe. This track always gets me hype and want to dance and I’ve been in raves and heard this and always got my gun out so to speak. It’s a Jungle/Drum and Bass track I did get tired off like most tracks but listening to it now and yep it still has it’s magic. It does remind me of when I was a teenager and also when I was around 20 something when I was going out a bit enjoying the clubs, raves and the music.
6. Industry Standard - Got Somebody Else
A UK Garage classic and one I would of put on my top 100 rave tracks podcast I did if I found it in time and it would be higher up the list as I love this track so much and it’s been a while since I heard it last which was in a club in 2011 but it still feels new to me as funny enough I haven’t over heard this track and was exclusively in the rave vibes. This isn’t the most famous track from Industry Standard and that goes to What You Want another old favorite of mine but this is my top favorite from them and always makes me want to dance at full pelt speed even though it’s at a moderate tempo.
7. B-15 Project - Girls Like Us - Original Mix
Something I always will love and is another UK Garage classic but a bit on the commercial side of things but still a banger of that time and era. I think it’s catchy and danceable and I like to throw some shapes to this track and reminds me of the summer when it was out when I was still a teenager and getting drunk and more in random parks and fields ah the good old days when we were all free and care free those were the days. I’ve had some good times to this song and is why it’s so embedded in my soul and still a bop in 2026 for a commercial song of that nature.
8. Ordinary People - Baby You Make My Heart Sing
One to be belting out at the club and to your enemies and I can’t decide if this is House or US Garage but whatever it is it’s a old favorite of mine and something I first heard when I was around 11 going all over the place to free parties and events around Bristol here in the UK. I just love the whole vibe to this track and something I can easily dance to as I’ve danced to it already and know the rhythms and parts which keeps me coming back for more music like that.
9. Mental Flowz - Things You Do To Me (Snazzy Trax Remix)
Now this song was featured on my top 100 rave tracks selected by me and was higher down the list as it’s one of my favorite tracks to listen to and to dance to and reminds me of being in a club giving it to the beats the DJ lays down and this was one of them. I never get bored of this track as it holds so many memories of raving and having a good time and just love the whole package of the song man I miss the old days of raving and going out. I really enjoy this track more than others and think it’s perfect for party music or something to hear at a rave like I attended.
10. D.E.A Project - So High
Now this song I haven’t heard in a while till recently and is another favorite of mine to dance to and to also listen to. This has to be my favorite from D.E.A. Project but I like all their music. The track comes from the UK Garage scene and is a underground hit rather than a commercial hit and one to be played at a UK Garage event when they are done with the commercial hits like Flowers which is no disrespect to that song as I always liked that track but I like underground hits to make me dance 100 miles per hour and this is one of them.
10 Albums That Changed My Musical Taste
I saw a good idea on my friends Facebook I thought I’ll repeat to pick 15 albums one per day of albums that influenced your music tastes so I thought it would be a great idea to do one 15 in a row maybe a caption anyway here it is my 15 albums that influenced my music tastes, I hope you enjoy and learn something new. Also I picked the albums I was brought up with and grew to love after so much time playing them so it’s also a trip down memory lane anyway enjoy.
1. Pure Garage Vol. 1
This UK Garage compilation album was released in 2000 at the height of the UK Garage scene that was evolving and even though that the genre started in around 1996 it didn’t take till the 2000’s to fully populate the genre but the songs were already popular in the clubs way before the 2000’s when it proper blew up and on the radio especially London radio in mainstream and pirate radio where I heard it being played quite a lot around 1996 onwards whilst visiting London. That was my first taste of UK Garage listening to London radio but I was thrilled when this album came out and really got me into UK Garage more and get a real good London vibe. Now I was deciding what Pure Garage album to do vol. 1 this one or Vol. 2 which is the one I probably played more but I feel this one had the more underground tracks with a sprinkle of some commercial hits but I thought this one was the better one. There are two CDs but both CDs are mixed by DJ EZ a famous UK Garage producer but most famous for this series the Pure Garage series he mixed by him.
2. Salt 'n' Pepa - Hot Cool Vicious
Hot Cool Vicious by Hip Hop trio group Salt ‘n’ Pepa was released in 1986 so a year after I was born. This was my first couple of tastes of female Hip Hop and was something I had on my Walkman and played quite a lot when I wasn’t in school that is. It’s no secret I prefer female Hip Hop and Salt ‘n’ Pepa was the ultimate reason why I still listen to a lot of female Hip Hop till this day and why I still prefer female Hip Hop over the dominated male circuit. It was their breakout hit Push It that drawn me to them but I liked their sassyness and attitude which taught me a lot of things down the line and I love my 80s Hip Hop so I was in love with them for quite a long time till the others came along then I shared them and played all of them from Foxy Brown, Lil’ Kim, Eve, Trina, and Lady Rage those are and were my favorites. Salt ‘n’ Pepa paved the way for other female rappers and not forgetting their rival Queen Latifah who was out around the same time and another female Hip Hop rapper who paved the way for other female rappers to take their place and the true queens of Hip Hop and all who I mentioned from the 90s and 00s when it wasn’t a trend which is no disrespect to the newcomers I actually wish them all the best but what I meant it wasn’t fashionable to listen to female Rap and Hip Hop as a male until that Niki Minaj came along and made it more sociable excepted guess I give her one prop for that I’m stingy with my nero lol but I remember growing up being laughed at but it was nothing.
3. Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death
Life After Death by Notorious B.I.G. was released in 1996 and was released a couple of months after his death after he was fatally shot after leaving a party by a rival gang in L.A. This album really taught me about metaphors and word play as a young rapper and song writer and was around 1996 when I really started to listen to the bars and content and process them. I was already a fan of Notorious B.I.G. and Lil’ Kim when they were a part of Junior Mafia and had songs like Need You Tonight featuring the late and great Aaliyah and Get Money and also Biggie on his own with songs like One More Chance (Remix) and Flava In Ya Ear (Remix) and I listened to his first album Ready To Die which was released in 1994 so I knew what to expect but I was too young for the grittyness of the album as I was 9 when Ready To Die came out and had some strong content in his lyrics but Life After Death was more palatable for a then 11 year old when Life After Death came out and when I was allowed to listen to such strong content. It also taught me how to be more witty in my lines and play on words after hearing this album and also his first album which had a lot of metaphors and play on words and some things I understood and some things I understood later on in life but it really taught me how to be more smarter in my writing and poems which is how I started off doing before I transformed most of them into songs.
4. Mary J. Blige - What's The 411
What’s The 411 by Mary J Blige was released in 1992 and paved the way for people like Faith Evans and Keyshia Cole. This album got me into female R’n’B and also into what I call heartache music which this album is all about even though it’s quite upbeat. When this album came out it was when I was seven I was going through a hard time and I felt this album helped me with my struggles and I felt her pain in her singing and I think it really helped me along the way to find some burning questions and even what to do in a event of a lets call it a love emergency. It really opened my eyes to heartache relationships, love and friendship and was something I was recently learning about being 7 and still new to the game. As I said before it also opened up my tastes of other female R’n’B and I got into SWV cos of Mary J Blige and also Aaliyah my top favorite but I also love SWV and that was all because Mary J Blige and this album but also a lot of other female R’n’B artists and I think made me more comfortable to listen to lady problems and love you know all that sloppy unmanly stuff we get told is only for the ladies but as always I beg to differ and this is all down to Mary J. Blige and this album What’s The 411 something all R’n’B fans from the 90s most know.
5. AMY WINEHOUSE - BACK TO BLACK
Back To Black by Amy Winehouse was released in 2006. This album really woken my tastes to something different and not so strong as I would put it and more laid back songs you can just have on and just relax to. I loved her voice and styles of music and lyrics and got me back into Jazz and Blues music from the older days. I do think she was unique and something no one like no one was doing at the time and was a old but new to most people like me though I was brought up with Jazz and Blues so it was something similar to that I think. The lyrics are so relatable and down to earth and a far cry from the booty throwing Hip Hop and R’n’B that was out around the same time or it has been out for quite some time now. I love stripped back real instruments and this album is just that it’s raw and stripped back which means not over produced with too many sounds and loudness. It’s such a shame she is no longer with us after she died after a Heroin overdose but her and her music will forever be loved for bringing back the m in music.
6. OASIS - (WHAT'S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY
(What’s The Story) Morning Glory by Oasis was released in 1995. It really got me into Brit Pop and guitar based music even though I was accustomed to Punk and Rock ‘n’ Roll in my early years this album opened my taste buds for something a bit more rocky and non traditional which for me is Hip Hop, R’n’B and Soul music. I wasn’t really into Brit Pop before I heard Oasis and I wasn’t a great fan at first but after hearing this album a couple of times and hearing their music on the radio and watching the music videos I couldn’t deny it any more I’m a Brit Pop fan and started to open up to the genre. I mean I liked guitar based music before but as I said before I wasn’t a great fan as in it was in my Walkman playlist or the tracks I recorded off the radio or someone gave to me but after this album I had a broader taste for guitar based music and started to record my favorite Brit Pop anthems off the radio and became more comfortable playing them as hey it was fashionable back then. The album reminds me of setting up the pool table when I was a ball boy for my dad’s friend where I heard it the most and when I really fall in love with the genre.
7. James Brown - Live At The Apollo
James Brown Live At The Apollo was recorded in 1968. This album along with his other hits got me heavily into Funk music and also seeing live acts with the band and all the trimmings especially Funk acts. I love hearing female backing singers and comes from my love for Reggae and the harmonization of vocals they use in Reggae but also can be found in Funk too and I love the combination. This album got me more into James Brown and open for tracks that were similar from other Funk artists and is good music to jump around and dance to. It also got me into James Brown more soulful tracks that I liked already but loved even more after hearing this album a couple of times. It really made me feel old slow Soul music and always reminds me of watching a film about the olden days and they put on a real good Soul song which I always seem to love all because of James Brown and this album. I love live instruments in music and this album got me more into hearing live instruments in music and especially in live acts especially older music which had me searching for tracks with live instruments and real singing opposed to the electronic sound I was also into but you can’t beat a good live act and where I am in Bristol here in the UK there is plenty to choose from.
8. Kraftwerk - Autobahn
Autobahn by Kraftwerk was released in 1974. This album along with all the late 70s and early 80s Synth-Pop got me into Electronic and Electronica music from a early age. It was albums like this that made me say and I was around 6 to 7 at the time but it really make me say I want to make Electronic music like this when I get older and I have accomplished by plans and dreams with so much music I’ve made. This album definitely shaped my musical taste and I fall in love with all the textures and sounds in this album and I was so keen to make something like it with my new skill of playing the keyboard which I’ve been playing since I was 6-7. It was the first time I heard of a concept album and was intrigued in how they made it and put it altogether it really did inspire me to keep going and go through the pain of learning scales of the keyboard or piano and practice a lot to become good at playing and yet another thing I can tick off and shout out to my gran who taught me how to play oh and my old piano teacher who also taught me how to play. This album also taught me about futuristic sounds and also space sounds which I was and still into and gave me a taste of songs of the future meaning futuristic sounds that sound cool in music and something I was also keen to try all thanks to this album. It is a album I’ve only heard in passing but I fall in love with it and reminds me of my much younger days birth to 7.
9. Micheal Jackson - Off The Wall
Off The Wall by Micheal Jackson was released in 1979. This album really opened up my tastes from a early age and is the album I was brought up with. I really got into Disco and old school Rhythms and Blues because of this album and heavily inspired me into getting into dancing where I was at the dance schools for a bit of my younger days. I mean I was into Disco before after hearing all the Disco greats from that era but it made me feel it even more and get into it more and I think is a genre worth fighting for. Also it really taught me what Disco was and wasn’t and as I said before with all the other great Disco tracks it taught me about music way before my time and I was interested to know more. Now even though it was before my time and around six years before I was born it’s still a album that grew with me and even listening to it now brings back childhood memories of a much simpler time. Not only did it inspire my dancing and music taste it also inspired my writing skill as it taught me how to harmonize and add different parts to my songs now I’m not saying Micheal was the only person who did this but he was heavily in my much younger life and where I listened to the lyrics and different bits and try and make something like that and I was alright at it as I had a million and one ways to harmonize and add different bits to the songs which is what I’m still good at. Some people who I was with at the time I can’t remember who they were but they said Disco was naff and outdated and this album really taught me to like it and say I like it and really shut down that accusation as it’s a timeless album.
10. Bob Marley And The Wailers - Catch Fire
Catch Fire by Bob Marley and The Wailers was released in 1973. Now he’s not the only Reggae artist to get me into Reggae as I’ve heard quite a lot of Reggae in passing and in my own time but he certified my love for Reggae and especially from the 70s which I feel was the best decade for Reggae. Bob Marley and The Wailers is another group that taught me all about the biblical side of places in the bible, slavery and also misjustice and crimes against humanity and was a eye opener for me being at a young age around nine and upwards. This album really taught me what Reggae was and what was different to what was going to come next Ragga and later on called Dancehall which is now the umbrella term for Jamaican music. As I said I like a good backing singer accompanied with the main singer and it doesn’t have to be female but that is my preference but this album has some good male backing singers which I also love. I’m kinda was obsessed with the backing singer the main singer too but I love how it mixes together especially Rita and The Wailers and as I stated before singers that can be also be found in Funk too but I feel it really makes the song even better and enhances the song and makes it special and back when all artists could sing live may I just add.
Sheet Music #46 – Pain
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Sheet Music #45 – Daft
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Sheet Music #44 – Sum/Dizzi
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Sheet Music #43 – Sprint
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