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Above are a few of my recent journalistic exploits. The Daniel O’Sullivan article is the first in an ongoing project called Avant Guardian where I focus on an artist who appears to have been overlooked by the press. The subjects will be multi-faceted with enormous crossover appeal and would have played an integral part of the formation and/or development of a particular scene, artistic movement or singular monument - next stop is Charlie Looker (Extra Life, Zs, Zorn, Dirty Projectors, Glenn Branca’s 100 Guitars and more).

2010 will see me working with some sexy people including The Stool Pigeon, FACT, the awesome chaps at The Quietus and my recently appointed partner in crime, photographer Darran Armstrong. I’ll also be working on a few music projects: One is called Expatriot and the other, with Jack, goes by the name of Flying Guillotine.

2009 was a fucking plague. It taught me that as a graduate, you really REALLY have to fight your corner if you want to get anywhere in your career. No one is going to lend you a hand if you aren’t willing to use huge amounts of initiative and gall to ruffle a few editorial feathers. Here’s to a hugely prosperous, healthy and fucking FUN 2010.

A happy new year to you all…

GOOD NOISE:

US Maple: Long Hair in Three Stages/Talker/Acre Thrills

Dj/rupture: Uproot (this really is an excellent mix)

Au Pairs: Playing with a Different Sex

A Guy Called Gerald: Black Secret Technology

Silver Apples: Contact

Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life/Talking Book

Shackleton: Three EPs

Ulver: Shadows of the Sun

Horace Andy: Dance Hall Style

GOOD FILM:

Force of Evil (one of the most iconic and enduring film noirs. So brooding, tense and mysterious…absolutely ace)

The Piano Teacher (OH…)

Hidden

Derek Jarman’s Blue

Stray Dog

The Room

Kiss Me Deadly

Onibaba

Night and the City

GOOD WORDS:

Camus: The Stranger/The Fall/The Rebel

Haruki Murakami: anything…

Kafka: The Great Wall of China/The Burrow/Investigations of a Dog

The Wire

Pitchfork

Station/Elizabeth Barrett’s projects

Frieze