Random Top Tips For 2010

Right...in between sheltering from the rain as I play hide 'n' seek with the kids in a damp garden and eating as many mince pies as my greedy gob can manage I've written my last lists of 2009. Have a great New Year's Eve. Increase the peace!

TOP THREE RECORDS I'D PLAY AT A RAVE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE IF MY WIFE WASN’T HOSTING A DELIA DOES DALLAS THEMED NEW YEARS BASH AT OURS
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll (A Trak remix)
Snap – Rhythm Is A Dancer (Lil John mix)
Music Go Music – Warm In The Shadows (Villa remix)

SOME RANDOM TOP TIPS FOR BANDS AND DJ'S THAT I'M GONNA BE SUPPORTING IN 2010
The Antlers – Brookyln dudes singing abour cancer, hospitals and grim things in a surprisingly beautiful way on the LP Hospice.
Muchuu – bit twee but sodding infectious duo from the UK
Charli XCX – future star, model, clothes horse and ballsy singer (pictured - showing off - above)
Hurts – proper Marmite reaction to their '80s stylings and Ultravox meets Heaven 17 vocals. Pass me my grey-flecked slacks, I love it!
Ellie Goulding – just been named Mercury Prize new talent bod thingy, say no more.
Neon Indian – Brill US psychy electro indie outfit that blew me away in Ireland recently
Joy Orbison – my fave producer of late 2009 will be back in 2010
Samuel and The Dragon – check the video for 'Diamonds On A Boat' and fall in love
The Middle East – crap, lazy description but maybe the Australian Arcade Fire comes close
Music Go Music – ELO, Abba and Hall and Oates all rolled into one high kicking package, ace live too!
Villa – the new Aeroplane, amazing remixers and DJs
An Horse – two piece from down under for fans of Death Cab for Cutie, Postal Service and Tegan and Sara..including me!
Laura J Martin – incredible, engaging, weird one woman sampling, multi-instrumental band

THREE THINGS I'LL BE DOING IN 2010 OTHER THAN OBSESSING OVER MUSIC AND FESTIVALS
Going to the cinema more than the once I managed in 2009 (a double bill of Fantastic Mr Fox and Up with my three year old)
The London Marathon in April
Learning to cook more than an egg

x Robby

Become a part of Bill Drummond's amazing happening at Camp Bestival 2010!

Hey up people...hope the poor old turkey's in the bin by now and you're hard at work polishing your dancing shoes for NYE. Bill Drummond's crew have just sent over a latest missive about his exclusive UK performance of The 17 that'll be taking place at Camp Bestival in July. If you haven't already done so, then visit www.campbestival.net right now to find out how you, yes YOU, could be part of this incredible happening. In the meantime, read this:

TEN TRUTHS ABOUT The17

The17 is a choir

The17 makes music that celebrates time, place and occasion.

The17 make music using no words, rhythm or melody

The17 have different singers every time they perform

The17 singers can be anybody, from anywhere of any age and you

The17 has not, and will not, be recorded for posterity

The17 will never be heard on CD, TV, radio or the internet

The17 never has an audience

The17 have performed more than 250 times around the world since 2006

The17 make music for our time

To find out more, visit www.the17.org

The Besti headliners yet...but who are they?

The sprouts have been harvested, my vintage port is warming by the fireside, the Stilton's stinking, Noddy Holder's on TV with those ridiculous sideburns and it's shitting it down with rain outside, it must be Xmas! So just to wish you all a very merry Xmas, and keep yourselves out of trouble for 24 hours if you can.

Never one to turn off my computer and play with the kids or help with the turkey basting, I've just checked the latest odds on the Bestival forum for acts supposedly playing in 2010. As I've just confirmed all 3 headliners, plus at least 3 other big names, it makes an interesting read! Rseamer, the forum poster boy extraordinaire, has got 2 out of the 3 headliners in there and one of the other big acts...

At this point I cut off my tongue, hang up my stocking and bid you hippy Xmas eve before I get sozzled on sherry and give the game away!

x Robby

Daft Punk Evens-Fav
The Cure 3-1
Arcade Fire 5-1
Stevie Wonder 5-1
Bjork 5-1
Pixies 5-1
Hot Chip 7-1
Flaming Lips 9-1
Beck 10-1
Sigur Ros 10-1
Dolly Parton 12-1
Gorillaz 15-1
Depeche Mode 20-1
Radiohead 33-1
Faithless 33-1
The Strokes 33-1
Groove Armada 40-1
N.E.R.D 50-1
The Killers 50-1
Public Enemy 50-1
AC/DC 66-1
The Prodigy 66-1
Kanye West 66-1
Florence And The Machine 66-1
Sonic Youth 66-1
Brian Wilson 66-1
Blur 100-1
U2 200-1
Kate Bush 1000-1

Any other act 50-1

Meet... Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Celebrity chef and organic food champion Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will be bringing his River Cottage Café back to Camp Bestival 2010, so who better to give us tips on tasty local produce and join us in looking forward to cooking in the great outdoors next summer…

"Lulworth is in the heart of Dorset, of course - a county that is truly blessed with fantastic food and drink. I couldn’t begin to list it all, but I’d certainly recommend you look out for some fantastic west country cheeses, such as the Woolsery goat’s cheeses and of course Dorset Blue Vinny. Locally caught fish should be on your menu too, including gurnard, pollack, and the first spider crab and mackerel of the season. July is a rich time for seasonal fruit and veg wherever you are in the UK, and you should be able to find fresh berries, salad leaves, herbs, peas and beans, new potatoes, carrots, beetroot and much more.

I’m not a veteran of many festivals but I do know quite a few people in the food business who’ve been involved in setting up at festivals and my understanding is that over the last decade or so things have improved hugely. My hunch is that the West Country festivals are slightly ahead of the curve here – there’s a synchronicity between our artisan food producers and the festival circuit that has led to a more innovative approach to festival food.

There’s certainly generally an awful lot more choice than there used to be, and more forward-thinking organisers these days even make sure there’s locally sourced, organic grub on offer. There’s always been a tradition of vegan and vegetarian set-ups at festivals, but now I think that’s less based around vegeburgers and TVP (textured vegetable protein – yuk!) type products, and more around fresh seasonal produce. That’s obviously a good thing.

At the River Cottage Café you can fortify yourself with a breakfast of River Cottage yogurt, with fresh berries and muesli, or one of our fantastic bacon sandwiches, then later on we’ll be serving spicy mutton burgers, fresh summery soups and – a bit of an RC vegetarian special this - beetroot houmous flatbread rolls! There will also be organic fruit smoothies and mint tea on offer to quench your thirst all day long.
      
One of my favourite beers to serve with food is Stinger - delicious, organic ale made from spring water, hops and nettles - which I helped develop with a local Dorset brewer, Badger Ales. I’d describe it as a little bit spicy, just nicely bitter, and not too heavy.

What tips would I advise for cooking in the great outdoors? Cook first; drink later! Take your time and enjoy the cooking, and the eating, even if it means missing something on the festival line up.

You just need to choose recipes that suit the setting. Barbecue fare is of course perfect for eating outdoors and very simple to prepare and cook. It’s always a good idea to prepare some things ahead of time too: dressings and sauces can be mixed up and transported in bottles, and lovely sweet things such as flapjacks, brownies and fruit cakes are easy to bring with you, and don’t need to be refrigerated. Add a few robust accompaniments that travel well – crusty loaves of bread, hearty salads that can be carted around in a plastic tub – and you’ll be laughing."

The Countryside Alliance Crew - We Are Rural

from the people who brought us the farmyard classics 'conkers' and 'wearing my thermals'...



... catch them live at camp bestival 2010

www.myspace.com/thecountrysidealliancecrew

Meet... Marcus Brigstocke

In the first of our series of interviews with the great and the good performing at next year's Camp Bestival, we shoot the preverbial breeze with TV funnyman and laugh-a-minute stand-up, Mr Marcus Brigstocke...

What's the secret to being funny?
The belief that you are funny. It's mainly about confidence. Be brave enough to tell people how you see the world. Provided the way you see the world amuses you and makes you laugh it will probably make other people laugh too.

Can you remember what your first experiences of performing live were like?I burrowed under the fence of my primary school and was found singing songs to the elderly people in the retirement home next door. They were a great crowd, ­ I think I might have encored. I was dressed as a soldier and it felt really good. Then I was beaten for the burrowing and disappearance, but ­ it was worth it.

What advice would you give to any aspiring stand-ups out there?
Gig as much as you possibly can. Do at least 2 shows a week for the first year and aim high. After 100 gigs if you still suck you aren¹t funny. If it¹s beginning to come just keep going until you find what you really want to say. Be brave young Jedi

Is there a difference performing to festival crowds than regular shows?
Yes a big difference. The festival crowd is often really up for it ­ they¹re there for a great time to enjoy the whole weekend. However ­ you often find that you are competing with a nearby music tent ­ bass and rumbling coursing through the tent can be a distraction. I used to over perform at festivals but I¹ve done a lot of them now and I think you can still be subtle and clever. The audience is usually smart.

What can we expect from your performance at Camp Bestival 2010?
I'm happy to tell you that at this stage I've no idea. Knowing me I might well talk about climate change and God. One's real and very dangerous ­ the other's made up and even more dangerous.

Do you test your material out on friends and family, or just go with your instincts?
I occasionally make the mistake of testing it out on mates and family ­ it almost never works. The only place I've ever written really good stand up is on stage.

How do you deal with hecklers?
With respect, humility, kindness and a firm but guiding hand. I destroy the motherfuckers.

What's the funniest reaction you've ever had at a gig?
I had a prosthetic leg thrown at me in Birmingham. Then again about 2 years later in Gloucester. Something's going on.

Tell us about your involvement with the UK garage classic 'Don't Smoke Da Reefer'?
Ah my number 11 chart smash... Myself and some mates wrote a series of sketches for a Channel 4 show called Barking with Catherine Tate, David Walliams, Omid Djalili, Rhys Thomas and many others. In one of the sketches I played a psychotic airline pilot who made strange announcements and asked odd questions of his co-pilot Paul. One was inquiring whether or not Paul smoked... This bit was sampled by DJ Dee Kline and turned into a 2 step dance hall classic. Now I get a tiny cheque every 2 years and I¹m a dance music legend.

Is it true that you worked as a podium dancer?
Yes it is.

And on an oil rig? Tell us more...
Erm, I worked on a rig for 7 months (The Dan Countess) in the Cromarty firth when I was 19. (nb. I was not employed as a dancer on the rig)

Anything else we should know about?
Yes, the day of apathy is over. Get up. Get involved. Vote. Contact your MP Join an NGO. Make a noise. Be heard. Protest. Support. Whatever it is get involved. You are not a passenger. Your destiny is up to you. You own your life. You own your government. You own your the choices you make. We must become the change we wish to see. Peace.

www.marcusbrigstocke.com

amazing billy bragg & florence fairytale duet

the billy bragg and florence 'fairytale of new york' duet from my christmas radio 1 show might just make u weep tinsel its so damn good!



listen again to the whole show, also featuring Stornoway, Masters of the Kazooniverse and the Lost & Found Helium Choir, at www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/robdabank ... now!

robby ;)

hello, welcome and hippy xmas!

hey folks,
welcome to the inaugural blog on our new... umm... blog. basically we've got so much happening between bestival, camp bestival, sunday best recordings and da banko's djing and radio shows not to mention tweets, youtube bits and myspace happenings that we felt we'd best stick it all on one blog for your easy digestion. Well we'll give it a whirl, see how we get on and what you lot reckon and then we can tweak and shape to perfection over the next few weeks / millenia!

we want it to be a two way street of ideas and inspiration so feel free to email us at besti-blog@bestival.net with anything you feel might fit the besti-blog criteria.

hippy xmas one and all and let it snow, let it snow, let it bloody snow!

robby

:)