Jam the Box presents Mark Archer (xAltern8, Nexus 21)

Jam the Box pres Mark Archer (xALTERN8)
& AGT Rave Cru (I love acid)

06/03/2010
The GRV, Guthrie Street, Edinburgh
1100-0300
Entry £8

Main Room - Mark Archer, AGT Rave Cru & Jam the Box DJ's
Bar Area - Melange FM & Rosco Disco


MARK ARCHER started his Production career in 1988. Archer was a founder member of Bizarre Inc. Nexus 21 and the legendary Altern8.

Altern 8 crashed the UK charts in 1991 with ‘Infiltrate 202’ and ‘Activ-8 (come with me)’, two chaotic slices of hardcore, the latter reaching number 3. They were aided in their chart aspirations by the circulation of fictitious press stories concerning their alleged activities, which included promoting the decongestant Vicks Vapo Rub, which, it was claimed, heightened the effects of Ecstasy; and standing as local candidates for the 1993 General Election.

Their live events were also designed as eye catching performances, where the band donned RAF chemical warfare suits and dust masks. Vinyl outings included the ‘Overload ep’ (1990), ‘Frequency’ (10,000 copies of which were on sale for a single day only and written solely by Archer), and another top ten hit, ’Evapor 8’, followed by ’Hypnotic St8’, the LP ‘Full on Mask Hysteria’ (number 10 in the LP charts).
Archer has gone on to record tracks as diverse as Nu Skool Breaks for Rennie Pilgrem’s label TCR, under the pseudonym ‘Mr Nex’, and remixed ‘Edzy’s’ – ‘Do it till you burn’ on Strictly Rhythm.

2007 was a return to the sound of Nexus 21 with the solo release of the 'Songs for Einna EP' on the Black Dogs new label offshoot DS93, the ep sold out before it's release date and has had collectors paying big money for the sought after vinyl only release.

The EP was followed earlier this year with the release on new label Mutate of the 'Ring of Gyges EP' which follows on from the DS93 release in style.

Mark has continued to dj throught his career in various styles but mainly on the 'Oldskool' scene playing classics from the golden era of 'rave' 1988-1992.

AGT RAVE CRU are old school cut up merchants who mix at a hundred miles an hour! DJ Magazine says: "like Altern8 meets 2manyDJs in fluro coats and Orbital Specs - this duo turned a gaping Smash Bloc floor into a Sunday Rave Riot with their cut-n-paste of tracks like 'Around The World', Reel 2 Real's 'I Like to Move it' and a 15 minute Prodigy medley - beyond insane!!"

We welcome you to Jam the Box on this very special night of full on mask hysteria. We will be providing masks, glowsticks and original old-school rave visuals!

www.myspace.com/markaaronarcher
www.myspace.com/agtravecru
www.myspace.com/jamtheboxclub
www.jamtheboxclub.blogspot.com/

Jam the Box Saturday 9/01/10!

To kick off 2010, we are inviting some of our favourite record playing friends down to...play some records! A veritable vivacious voluminous voluptuous vibrancy!

Delectable Disco, harmonious House, enticing Electrofunk and tantalising Techno!

The saucy sizzling Kris Wasabi of Wasabi Disco, super duper glitterball saviours Simonotron & Honey Sweet Cheeks from Club for Heroes, decadent deck destroyers Clom L'Inane and Drew Wright of Controlled Demolition, man of many magical musics Gav Fort of We is Eclectic.

See you on the floor!

Jam the Box...Goes Live! 11/12/09

Edinburgh Indie Rock five-piece The High Lines return for their second Jam the Box after playing a well received set back in ...April. It's been another sucessful year for the band, playing a number of energetic shows around the city. The lads are currently promoting their latest offering,The Walls EP,so expect another fast-paced,no-nonsence liveperformance.

Lewis Gibson of Dr Ruby's fame performs with the infamous Midas Touch to create a unique fusion of Folk, Blues, Pop and Rock; all with a distinctive Scottish twist. Watch out for the classic crowd-pleaser 'Lil Precious' (aka Movin' On) and much more. This is also their second outing to Jam the Box and if the last times anything to go by, expect the roof to be raised!

Making their first appearence at Jam the Box this month areEdinburgh based four piece Inspired.With a mix of classic Indie and atmospheric chilled out rock, the ladshave been busy taking the live scene by storm throughout 2009. Expect upliftinganthems from the start.

Kicking things off are new arrivals on the Edinburgh live scene Messiah. Only recently formed, the lads play up-tempo Indie Rock, it's sure to be a lively start to the night.

As ever the Jam the Box DJ's will be on hand providing the best in Funk, Soul,psych, Rock & Roll, Garage, Folk, Blues, Disco and everything in between.

Some favourite 12"s of '09

Greetings jam lovers,

Some vinyl out this year I have enjoyed, in no order of preference, there will be some I've forgotten and also some I've yet to get. May edit in later, so watch this space!

I have a dislike for this kind of thing as I don't like to categorise music by year, as we all know, good music should be timeless. The most visible lists of this nature are usually very biased whether influenced by journalistic favourings, or a blindness to where the real creativity lies.

This is solely for the purpose of sharing some appreciation and love for some decent underground music on vinyl in these changing times and since I have no mixes currently posted up, it gives you an idea of what lurks in my box. Laptop/CD DJs, leave the hall!

Snuff Crew - Feel Inside (Hour House Is Your Rush Records)

For the KiNK & Neville Watson Remix of Feel Inside, lovely deep 90's Detroit flavour, drum machine builds very nicely, very rich sounding synths especially the bass line in the middle.

Mantra - Third Mind (Bunker Records)
Dirty raw acid harnessed in a very pleasing master and pressing, one for rough 808 and 303 lovers.

Tactic - Tactic EP (Dress 2 Sweat)
Limited white label B-more and dubstep remixes, MIA's 'Boyz' , 'Can't Juke Without Me' - an old Miami Bass track?, and a fully jacked up version of Ding Dong's dancehall banger, 'Badman Forward...'.

Bubblez - Move Down Low / Loser (Devotional Dubz)
For the version of Lady Saw - Loser on here, takes the original (which is an excellent slice of cheeky dancehall), sticks a massive jackin' drum machine behind it and adds some rough house synth samples, highlighting Lady Saw's irresistible agressive attitude.


Frozen Border - Frozen Border (Frozen Border)
The first release on another faceless imprint of techno possibly from Berlin (where it was mastered at D&M, where else!) has a nice 'classic' sound to it, Basic Channel repetitive sensibilities focusing on an upfront rhythmic dynamic, rather than endless reverb and delay.

Jared Wilson - Ghettoblaster (7777)
Dark, moody, minimal (no not that trendy shit!), stripped down, no nonsense classic Chicago sounding, acid, jackin, jackin, acid, vintage, classic did I say acid, moody, dark, minimal, acid (no not that trendy shit!)? Pick up the excellent 'Drug Related Stories' by the same guy on the same label from 2007, same style, excellent stuff!


Fuzzy Logik Feat. Egypt - In The Morning (Virgin)
Magically blends a basic Caribbean rhythm with dancefloor R&B, UK Garage and deep vocal house, it's the synth that binds it all together which is the icing on the cake, now has a generic 'we're all dancing in the club and looking beautiful' video, just listen to the music, that's my advice...


DJ Mystery Feat. Natalie K - Speechless
Similar style to Fuzzy Logik but with more movement in the bass department and a more softer vocal. Another feel good love song, UK Funky anyone?



Hot City - Hot City Bass (Ramp Recordings)
Massive Detroit style shuffle on the drums 4/4 and a one chord synth sample rhythm with some vocal snippets on the A side, huge bass, need I say more?

Levon Vincent - Solemn Days EP (Deconstruct Music)
Massive big looong tracks to get your teeth into here, plenty of nice reverb, delay, crisp hi hats, rim shots, handclaps, loads of spacey synths, works very well as early doors Saturday night tunes. Deep but not sleepy deep, track title of the year as well: 'Polar Bear Make Nice With That Sea Lion' which is full of highly pleasing Chain Reactionesque synth and bass action with the clear driving drums keeping any notion of valium techno firmly at bay.

Mike Dehnert - Umlaut2 (Clone Basement Series)
Levon Vincents NY Basement mix really steals the show here. Some very fresh sounding tom action and an old fashioned ravey stab, what more do you need??

Rye Rye - Bang (The Remixes)
The original mix is great on its own and the WTF I Asked For A Kuduro Remix By Buraka Som Sistema makes it even bigger, ravey breakbeat samples and an outrageous massive b-more style breakdown.


That's all for now, I may come back and add more. Hope you enjoyed some music in '09!

Marmalade Maslin.x

(also posted at www.myspace.com/paulmaslin )

JAM THE BOX DECEMBER PARTY! 5/12/09

Jam the Box & Friends
5/12/09
The GRV, Guthrie Street, Edinburgh
1100-0300

£4/5 entry

Main Room : Jam the Box residents
Bar area : Malange FM

For our final event of the year Jam the Box shall be inviting some friends along for a main room Christmas special where we shall be playing the finest selection of Disco, House, Detroit Techno, Dubstep and everything in between.

Malange FM take over the bar area where Danny and friends shall provide a healthy mixture of Dub, Funk, Soul and Nu wave.

Jam the Box would like to thank all who have turned out for the Jam the Box club and live band events the past year. We have some very exciting nights planned for next year so stay close.

Jam the Box extends the party again this month for our 3rd '...goes live' event! 5 bands from 7-11, then Jam the Box resident DJs 11-3, spinning the best in underground Disco, House, Electrofunk and Techno!

Nevada Base - we are proud to bring Glasgow's Nevada Base to the capital for the first time. If it's very danceable Electro Pop and heavy Synth Beats that your craving then these lads will give you a plenty to get your teeth into. Creating a perfect blend of Electronica and Rock, the floor is sure to be rammed come November 7th.

The Nature Boys - since their formation last year, they have already become a must see act on the Edinburgh live circuit. With punk sesiblilities and some rough edges, they have a frantic set list that comes together with nods to the likes of the Buzzcocks and the Ramones in their own irrepressible style. They lack some of the pretension which surrounds a lot of bands these days and are all the more refreshing for it.

Green Man Running - New comers to the live scene Green Man Running are currently causing a stir amongst music fans in the capital, so it was only right that we bring them to Jam the Box. Mixing the various musical influences of each band member to create down right dirty beats and haunting electro acoustic melodies, the three piece will be hoping to continue to win over the gig going public.

The Electric Ghosts - Edinburgh Folk Rockers The Electric Ghosts describe their sound as "Country Played faster then slowed down so you can hear the mistakes." These lads have been hard at work on the Edinburgh live scene for some time, but if you haven't been lucky enough to catch them, you can judge for yourself when they arrive on the Jam the Box stage this month.

Kerrie Lynch - We couldn't have asked for a better start to the evening as Kerrie brings her cool acoustic sound to Jam the Box. Laid back and stylish, Kerrie has been slowly building a reputation around the city and beyond. Be sure to get in early to see what all the fuss is about!

This month the bar is hosted by new music blog “Melange.FM”. It’s co-run by Danny Melange and James Thomas (JTB) and features a monthly mix of music from all genres, the idea of the blog is to promote music within a 2 hour show that will feature a classic album section, a record label feature and a guest mix from DJ’s we like. As well as the monthly shows there are regular posts of shorter feature shows that focus around an album or record label and there will also occasionally be random posts of single tracks or links to music related stuff, this weeks post is a feature on Stones Throw Records to coincide with the release of Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement. You can check it at www.melange.fm

See you there!

We are back this month with a residents special! When starting Jam the Box over a year ago the idea was to keep complete quality control over the music, reflected in a series of highly successful guest nights such as Firecracker Recordings, Rebel Waltz, Club for Heroes, and also the “Goes Live…” projects featuring live music from 7PM. It's now time to give you a dose of pure jammin' action straight from the source! The main room will be hosted by Jimmy “Jammin” Thomas, Marmalade Maslin and Jammiwam, selecting a natural progression of instrumental Hip Hop beats through to Disco and House ending with a soulful blend of deep Techno, Dubstep, B-More and just about anything else that we can make fit!

The bar is in the hands of RoskoDisco who has played at Jam the Box since our first parties back in 2008, RoskoDisco holds down a residency at our favourite Glasgow bar, McSorley’s, joining him is Danny Bailey, again a firm favourite at Jam the Box, playing a wide range of music from funk, soul, and psych. Danny has played at various nights up and down the UK and also held down residencies across the pond in NYC at Royale (Brooklyn) and Route 85a (Manhattan). Expect the very best in Funk, Soul, Hip Hop and Disco all night in the bar!