News

14 posts

The Dark Scene 500 Is Ready

News

The Dark Scene 500 has been printed and delivered to me – here’s the next steps.  

Over the course of the next week, I’ll be sending out copies to everyone who pre-ordered through the Crowdfunder.  The librarians amongst you can be assured that a copy will also be legally deposited in the British Library (this being something of a “victory condition” for me).

Once these books have been sent out, I’ll make it available for general sale.  There’s enough copies to go around and I’ll make sure multiple methods of purchase are available.

The EBook version has just been signed off – this will be released shortly after the printed version.  This may be a suitable alternative for those of you outside of Europe (as postage isn’t cheap) as well as those who have gone all-digital.  

As it’s a self-published affair, I don’t have the assistance of a distributor, so if anyone has any suggestions for good places to sell or promote the book, please let get in touch.  I have a few plans up my sleeve but more ideas would always be welcome.  A few online zines have shown interest in reviewing the work, but I’m open to requests from others who’d like to cast a critical eye over it.

And enjoy the book!  I’ve purposely gone for a writing style that presents music as something to be enjoyed first and analysed thereafter.  If it achieves nothing else, I hope it inspires more music writers to pick up on the styles and eras covered within.

The Dark Scene 500 – Crowdfunder Launched

News

So, it’s finally time. After nearly 4 years, I’m in the homeward stretch and it’s time to open out this project to the world.

My book, The Dark Scene 500 has been written, edited and is currently being proofread. Publication is in sight, but to see the project over the line, I’m seeking your support. Get your pre-orders in, maybe get listed as a supporter, or even contribute your own list of scene favourites. Whatever you can offer will be put to good use.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-dark-scene-500

WGT 2025 – Gothic Identity Lectures

News

For those of you attending WGT, you may notice alongside the gigs and clubs, there’s also some speaking events. In recent years this has included an English language bill, and this year, I’ll be one of the speakers. I’ll be speaking about my recent work on researching, writing and assembling the “Dark Scene 500” and its mission to tell the story of the scene through its most influential songs.  It’s on the Sunday afternoon (8 June), venue not far from the HeiDo (Pagan Village) in the south of the city.


https://www.facebook.com/events/s/gothic-identity-lectures-readi/9791564687589916/

Update – December 2024

News

It was a slow summer on the writing front, but things have woken up since.  I’m now working with an editor on the ‘Dark Scene 500’ text.  Piece by piece, we’re getting my writing into a fit state to publish.  500 songs that define a music scene is quite a number to get through but we are well under way. 

I’m also considering the next steps – self-publishing and then promotion.  I’m going to be contacting all the people I know who I think may be able to help, once the distractions of Christmas are over.  However, I’m also open to suggestions for how to promote this book to a wide an audience as possible.  If you’re interested in what I’m doing and think you can help (or know someone who can), please get in touch.  

Update – May 2024

News

Hi, a few bits of news on the writing front.   I’m now looking into editing and publishing (probably self-publishing) for the “Dark Scene 500” book, subjects that are entirely new to me.  I have a few leads, but if anyone knows anyone who can help with either, please get in touch, as the internet is full of conflicting advice!  All I’ve learned so far is ‘steer clear of vanity publishers’.  

Whilst I’ve been waiting for responses, I’ve updated the existing Listerners Guides on this site, with plans to write a new one soon.  This includes releases up to 2024, included the long-awaiting end to Project Pitchfork’s most recent trilogy.   If you haven’t checked them recently, take a look at the Articles Page.  

Update – April 2023

News
Some of you might remember I’m writing a book about scene music – focused primarily on notable songs. The draft is current around 75% complete. So one way or another, it’s going to be finished – and soon! There’s still a few gaps in my knowledge, but knowing the people I know, I was hoping some of you might be able to help me finish this thing off.
 
So, if you think you know about any of the following (or know someone who does) and are willing to contribute a few ideas, please get in touch.
  • Psychobilly
  • Horror punk
  • Deathrock revival (i.e deathrock bands formed from the mid-90s onwards)
  • Steampunk (even if this is more of a fashion genre, there’s bands associated with it)
  • Industrial hip-hop hybrids
  • Industrial bass music (all past disagreements will be forgiven and forgotten)
  • Club-friendly industrial from the past 10 years
  • EDM that works in scene clubs (again, mainly from past decade, but the 00s area could use some help too)
  • Digital Hardcore (anyone remember that?)
  • Witch House (ditto)
Note that all assistance will be credited and I’m not asking anyone to do any writing – I’m really just asking for some playlist suggestions and a bit of fact and reality-checking.

Update – December 2022

News

There isn’t much Terminates Here DJ activity at the moment (none, actually), but progress on my ‘Dark Scene 500’ book continues.   I’m well over halfway through the first draft, and I’ll soon be at the stage where I’ll be asking for help.  Specifically, I will be looking for some expertise in certain sub-genres which haven’t featured heavily in my own scene experiences, but I know are too important to leave out. 

As for getting the thing published, self-publication seems to be the way to go these days.   I’m hoping crowdfunding will be a cost-effective way of paying for this, given I’m not seeking any personal financial gain from this endeavour.  As a sign of good faith, I won’t start this process until I know the text is close to the “finishing line”, given the real costs of self-publishing don’t really come into play until after the text is drafted.  

The one area where I’m really stuck, and looking for suggestions – finding an editor.  Google searching mainly seems to yield US-oriented editors practised in either academic texts or works of fiction, and this book is none of these things.  So if anyone has any ideas for how to find someone who could help get a mammoth tome about obscure musical styles written in colloquial (sometimes cynical) British English into some kind of publishable shape, please get in touch.  

Update – June 2022

News

Writing on the “Dark Scene 500” continues at a steady pace, with close to 50,000 words written so far. Still a lot to do, but I’m not working to any specific deadline here so no need to rush things. The aim is to get at least some of each chapter written within the next month or two, and then the overall shape of the thing will become clear.

As for DJing, I haven’t fully re-joined the circuit (as if I was in said circuit in the first place!), but I will be making a second appearance at the Work! (To Live) night in July – details are available on the Facebook page for those of you who like EBM done the ‘old way’.

Update – April 2022

News

After my DJing comeback in March, I’ve now turned my attentions back to writing.  The concept remains “500 songs that define a scene”, although the final title won’t be decided for some time yet.  At time of writing, just over 150 songs have received a draft write-up.    Challenges include working out a fresh ways of describing periods where many songs sounded pretty much the same (thank you aggrotech), and how to sensitively handle the whole ‘musically notable-ideologically problematic’ issue.  “Leaving those bits out” isn’t an option – re-writing history to eliminate things you don’t agree with causes more problems than it solves.  

I’m hoping to launch some crowdfunding to actually get this book published – forget about the established press.  However, as a sign of good faith, I won’t launch this until the first draft is nearly complete (probably around the 400 song mark).  It will also be the point where I hope to engage other subject matter experts on corners of the scene I haven’t personally been involved in – so if you think you know your stuff RE: digital hardcore, deathrock revival, 2010s EDM-that-had-a-scene-following or whatever it is steampunks listen to, hold that thought – we might have something to discuss!

Until then, I haven’t counted out DJing again from time to time, particularly if I get to play under-represented styles (as was the case with ‘Work!’) or have the opportunity to work up a decent genre-spanning setlist. 

If you have any interest in any of the above, get in touch!

Update – January 2022

Uncategorized

Hi everyone, and a belated Happy 2022.  I haven’t posted much on here lately, whilst the emergence of the Omicron variant has kept me from picking up the DJing once again.  I have, however, been writing.  I’ve decided that I’ll never have time write every listeners guide I want to, so have instead decided to change course and once again attempt to write a print-to-paper book. 

This is my third attempt at such a thing, but this time I’m 20,000 words in and with plenty more to come, I’m confident of success this time.  The underlying concept is ‘Songs that defined a scene’.  I’ll reveal more as writing progresses.  As for publishing – I’m hoping that aspect can be crowdfunded, but I won’t ask for any money until the first draft is mostly complete. 

I’m otherwise alive and well, and happy to continue with this project at my own pace.  I’ll post updates when there’s news.  Until then, I wish you all the best with whatever it is you’re all doing these days.  Hopefully we’ll all meet again soon.