Speirs Wharf Massive

As I mentioned before my jungle experience would not have been half as exciting if had not been for the my drum n bass cronies. The posse that started in Stirling University campus soon moved through to Glasgow where we had a larger choice of drum n bass nights.

Myself and Lee had set up home in Speirs Wharf and the flat was a regular destination before and after nights out. In the area around the flats there was loads of tags from local gangs like YGX, YQX and YPF (Young Georges Cross, Queens Cross and Possil Fleet). We took it upon ourselves to form our own ultra-ironic gang. The Speirs Wharf Massive. SWM!!

Largely our gang actvity was about giving rival gangs' tags the finger, laughing about how crap we were and maybe, just maybe getting a pen and writing SWM beside YGX on the nearby steps. So not really Jets & Sharks but fun n bass. I have no photoss of SWM but I think the above pic represents our style and swagger. Left to right: Paul, Allan, Myself and Lee.

However, SWM managed to reach national levels when we went to Fabio & Grooverider's live One In The Jungle set at the Glasgow School of Art. Paul wandered up and asked for a shout out to SWM which Fabio or the MC, I cannot remember which, duly did. Live on Radio One. haha, them were the days.

Got a couple of tracks to share. Roni Size's big BIG pal DJ Krust with the ferociously clinical Warhead and Lemon D's immense Manhattan Melody with its elastic bass shaking your body into tribal movements.

DJ Krust - Warhead

Lemon D - Manhattan Melody

Swords 'n' Bass

I want to apologise to Photek because as I write this I am listening to Journey 'Don't Stop Believing' because I feel it will help wake up Mrs Pontiac. So not really the appropriate soundtrack for a post about one of most memorable drum n bass producers but its Saturday morning, so hey!

Photek stood in the crowded jungle because you always recognised his tracks. His signature clinical production was like music made in cleansed laboratory by an army of Ipswich clone scientists piecing each beat, break and tweek with titanium tweezers. Clean and clinical thats my belated point.

That is not a criticism of other producers. Back in the day all the key players were doing some amazing stuff and more often than not they would fill a dancefloor well before any Photek track. But a Photek remained an anticipated event.

Not sure what he doing now. i did read on the bio in his site that he has been in the USofA producing and remixing. Good luck to him. The last Photek product I got was in the form of a present. Jackson gave me his excellent Solaris for my 24th birthday. Solaris was a break from his previous cold, paranoid style....in that a couple of house orientated tracks felt a little, not a lot, more friendly.

So anyway its Saturday morning and the sun is burning down. Kenny Loggins in now on!!! So on to the tracks. I have included two tracks from Photeks 1997 album Modus Operandi and one from Solaris. I think they show his minimalist complexity perfectly. BREAK!!

Smoke Rings (Modus Operandi)
Axiom (Modus Operandi)
Junk (Solaris)

Mind Your Tech Step

Back to the jungle after my liberal America gushing.

While our little collection of junglists did a pretty good job of picking up quality drum n bass from Stirling's few decent music outlets and on trips into Glasgow, we could only touch the tip of the rapidly developing and innovating jungle scene.

So radio was vital to cath up with the latest tracks and happenings. Stirling did not have a Kool FM but we had One In The Jungle on Radio 1. Predominately hosted by Fabio and Grooverider (pictured above) it was an essential listen when we stottered back in from the pub. I used have hunners of taped shows to listen but they all disappeared years ago.

However, I recently stumbled across a One In The Jungle archive which has loads of the shows and in reasonable quality. I was relistening to the 14 March 2007, A Guy Called Gerald, MC Normski & Navigator recording. Always remember it for some reason. Hopefully the other shows will have Fabio hysterical monologues about Eastenders, Pete Beale and Arsenal.

One In The Jungle Archive

Senator Al Franken

Yesterday Al Franken became Senator Al Franken eight months after winning the senatorial election in the American state of Minnesota. The Minnesota Supreme Court judged that he won the election by 312 votes.

I've been following this regularly and I'm delighted to see him get some justice. While I would not agree with a lot his political viewpoints, he is Pro Choice (edit: haha & OMG! I originally typed Pro Life when in fact Al is clear supporter of a woman's right to choose), Pro Gay Rights and Pro working class.

Most of all he has spent much of his time tearing into the rabid conservative right, be it Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly or Anne Coulter. His book Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right is a funny and passionate rejection of right wing lies.

Well done Al.

Lick My Dubplate

Not sure why its been on my mind but been thinking about my days in the jungle. Drum n Bass. Dancing like a crazed witch doctor with the body representing the bass and the hands and arms the breaks and beats.

The interest started in early 1996 if I remember. I was bored one day and picked up a copy of a compilation which had a massive impact on my musical horizons. Then it was a matter of buying more and more cd's and more importantly records. Jungle made my collection explode from a minor hamlet to a large cosmopolitan town. The guys, Allan, Mark, Paul and Lee to name a few all had jungle fever and it meant some great nights, epic gigs, so-so gigs, supercool clothes and a pair of teflon combats!!!

So Pontiac will be celebrating jungle this week from my perspective as a proud former junglist.

So what was that first comp? LTJ Bukem's Logical Progression. Muzik magazine, which in its hey day between 1995-98 was a passionate supporter of jungle, gave an excellent review of the compilation and had a great pic of Bukem wearing he trademark funky specs and a thick silver winter jacket. Did not run out to FOPP then and there but it nestled in my head and on a bored trip to town to avoid some annoying flatmates I bought.

It was unbelievable and I just kept listening to it again and again. The 1st CD was indiviual tracks and the 2nd was a mix by Bukem. A total revelation. And from there I bought Moving Shadow, No U-Turn, Reprezent, Metalheadz, Ram, V and so on. This week I am going to remember some of the highlights of my time in the jungle. When it threatened to break into the mainstream before retreating back to where it worked best. The dirty end of experimental dance music.

My first track is from the Logical Progression. No going for a Bukem track as they are everywhere. But wanted to give a shout to Peshay. This track is a belter. Drum n Bass to drag you onto the dancefloor combined with a soulsister vocal.

Peshay - Vocal Tune

NEWS FLASH ***Michael J Fox Is Alive***

Pontiac Dream can confirm that the reports of Michael J Fox's death due to an exposure to plutonium are unfounded. Michael continues to be a much loved star whose campaigning for greater stem cell research is an inspiration to millions.

Canadian Baking

Since its mid-season in tv land and there is absolutely nothing to watch in the evenings (not even Admiral Baby) I have started to roam the channels beyond Come Done With Me marathons and Virgin's on demand section.

On Friday there appeared to be one of BBC Four theme evenings. Friday was Leonard Cohen, the bruising canadian dark poet. before you could say 'rusty razor blade slicing frantically' I was listening to the big man on Spotify.

I aint one to assume the position of number one fan. I also will admit that I only own a single best of album. Furthermore I will swear on the Koran that there is loads of Leonard which is totally unlistenable. But from the one best of...and from the other tracks I have picked up through blog rummaging, I can confidently say I think he is immense.

He is not some miserablist as some would paint him. For me he just starts in the shadows and moves to the darkness. It's not about tricking you and taking you with him. They're small glimpses of like in Cohen-world, and that world aint Disney Land. Who would want that?

The picture above is of Warren Beatty from Robert Altman's Mr McCabe & Mrs Miller, one of the great 70s anti-westerns. The score is 100% Cohen and gives the film are more dream like quality.

Of the two tracks I have chosen one is my favourite Cohen track, Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye and a prominent track from the above mentioned western, Sisters Of Mercy. Hey, That's No... is beautiful with its acoustic intro, devasting opening line and sirens singing the chorus behind Cohen. A song to hear before you die.

Leonard Cohen - Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye

Leonard Cohen - Sisters Of Mercy

Pimp My Wheelchair

So last Monday I had the day off work to recover from an excessive Sunday afternoon and evening of drinking. Part of the recovery programme was a daytime visit to the cinema. A time where the cinema as a whole is more serene than its normal atmos of an infestation of gremlins.

My choice was Star Trek. I aint a trekkie. I do not really enjoy the original series that much. But I appreciate its campness, enjoy the movies and from time to time will admit the chemistry between the main characters to a be joyful.

The new reimaging of the franchise was pretty good. Kirk is a flawed hero-goofball, Spock is logical, Bones moans, Scottie auch's & recalibrates and a guy in red gets killed. While the time vortex stylee plot was a 'lil unoriginal and the appearance of Leonard Nimoy was annoyingly self knowing, it was a solid 7/10.

But I need to address something. As far as I can see one of Star Trek's strongest points is its relatively complex environment. Warp speed, phasers, klingons, romulans, teleportation, different languages, vulcan culture, 23rd century medicine, time travel, androids, flying cars etc etc. you get the point. A whole new universe which has its roots in a contemporary vision of what may be.

Its strange then that at the end when Kirk and co are getting medals and praise from the Federation that the captain that they save enters stage left. Sitting in and being pushed along in, a wheelchair.

Bizarrely someone took the effort to pimp that ride by giving it bigger wheel trims but given the technology available why does the wheelchair still exist. Why is being pushed? Why does he not have a joystick. Even wheelchairs in 1997 had user control!!! Why did he not float in on some hoverboard thing? Why not mechanical leg joints? Why was he not walking because of some tool Bones attached to his spine?

I aint being smart or smug by pointing out continuity errors or something like that. People who do that are baaaad ok.

Its just feels like someone went to bed early.

Super Troupers

Well its been too long in coming and by golly what a way to launch themselves on Pontiac Dream.

While I hosted a Camera Obscura track last week, little did I know that would prompt ex-Scottish comedian and know superstar in the field of American chatshows, Craig Ferguson, to give them a slot on his show.

Seriously, when Allan (ta Aldo) posted this on Facebook I was in awe and more than a little impressed with C Ob (as we call them on the street). Please spend some time watching the below clip:



Impressed. Well if not then here is another taster. Straight from their latest album I am glad to host the title track, My Maudlin Career, and album closer, Honey In The Sun.

Both show C Ob at their best. Production that improves which each album and they're comfortable slowing it down to make you nod and sway, or the usual album finale which has you shuffling and clapping. Take a good listen. Craig Freekin' Ferguson!!!

Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career

Camera Obscura - Honey In The Sun

West End Festivus

The sun is out...technically. But there is also some cloud activity to be wary of. Why the concern over the weather?

It's the West End Festival today so that means we're off to Kelvin Way for a bit of a street party with music, rides, balloon salesmen and barbacues. I know the West End festival is actually on over a few weeks but for most of us we only wander along to this as its a good excuse to get drunk, see friends and watch the always funny badger parade.

The photo above is some of the gang at the 2007(?) party but I am willing to be corrected. It captures the essence of the day. Friends. Beer. Shades. Tshirts. Crowds.

Me, Mrs Pontiac and elements of her family are all wandering along but I will be making a sharp exit at some point to drink and be merry. And unlike last year when I had a fookin job interview the following day, this year I am off work tomorrow.

Now I know some you, like Shatbass, will want to remind me I a potential carrier of the Pork Virus. But it's the West End so everyone has probably been travelling recently and just as likely to have it. There is also a childrens, maternity and general hospital all within 10 mins. Simply - I aint missing out because I touched paper touched by someone who touched someone with pandemic fever.

Musically I am sure there will be proto-hi-land-funk-fling, 60's tribute band for old hippies, country & westend, shat-rock and maybe ska-skiffle. Personally the soundtrack I would be like to hear would include these:

Brute Force - The Deacon

Graeme Allwright - Dommage

Tito Puente - Fancy Feet

Just chose them randomly from my 'Festivus Folder' however I am sure you will agree that would be the greatest god-damn festivus of all time.