Full Fat Boogie...By Saul Wilks

As part of a 30 minute mini mix series we're doing for Boogie Cartel, where you guessed it, each one of us does a 30 minute mix taking in our favourite sound, I recorded this earlier on today.

I haven't had a proper mix for a little while, so I was bang into this and think it shines through...to say I was cutting rug is bit of an understatement.

Anyhow, enough jibba jabba... The weathers shocking so treat your ears and press play!

Enjoy

Universal Works Rockabilly.... by Shaun Dangerfield

Uni Works Rockabilly navy wool jacket with cotton twill sleeves and inner cord waist pull.
Nice & simple (much like Saul) piece from British label Universal Works which solves my navy jacket problem for this winter. (the problem being in my head..... not any kind of actual problem)

Reminds me of a Varsity jacket without the fitted bomber style and I've always loved contrasting materials and shades/colours on jackets.

Norse Projects Incoming...By Saul Wilks

I haven't bought any Norse Projects for a long time and the stuff I have bought I've moved on seeing as Norse is kind of like the new Penfield. However, one of my favourite pieces of outwear to this day is the Norse X Elka waterproof which I have from the first run they did a few years back, in dark forest green.

The simplicity of the Elka rain jacket has always appealed to me greatly and love them or hate them, they just look cool. No if's, no but's... Just cool.

When I saw that Norse had released this killer jacket in a gorgeous red for this AW I couldn't resist and duly snapped it up, better still, I've only seen one place stocking this colour on domestic shore's which is pretty ace seeing as the yellow version, although a thing of utter beauty, quickly became one of the most seen jackets around certain areas of London town over the past year.

These jackets get a lot of mixed press as some argue that the material is clammy and uncomfortable but I would whole heartedly disagree - for a pedigree waterproof manufacturer such as Elka, the choice of material is simple - the one that's going to keep you dry as, after all, that's the essence of a waterproof jacket.

I've never found the material to be too clingy and I've worn it to festivals, on sunny days and in pissing down rain. Granted, you wouldn't wear it out during July, but for this time of year when the sun is packing up and the rain gods are coming on strong, there's not a better bit of kit to have at your disposal.

As always when I've landed a new bit of cloth that I'm made up with, I took to the tropical Welsh climate to have an impromptu photo shoot to show how good this jacket looks in action. You know the drill - lots of timer setting and posing from here on in.

Oh, and the new Nike's got their first run out... They don't look too shabby either!

Boogie Cartel mini mix..... by Shaun Dangerfield

A series of 30 minute mini mixes that we will be putting up on our facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/theboogiecartel
First mix Captain Turtle edition:

Mandy B Jones "1234" Boogie Cartel rework
Sure Thing "Holding You Tight"
Boogie Cartel "The Get Down"
Nocturnal "Enjoy The Ride"
Boogie Cartel "Saturday Dub"
Boogie Cartel "Night Ridin'"
Boogie Cartel "Reverend Synth'e'sizer"
Ashford & Simpson "Found A Cure"

A Little Souvenir from Bestival...By Saul Wilks

I personally haven't posted up a mix by someone else for a good long while but having come back from Bestival and having seen some absolutely killer sets I decided to break protocol and share something a bit special.

Having taken in some of the big names and talking points of the festival including the likes of Moodyman, Julio Bashmore and my personal favourite Krystal Klear, it was with great admiration that possibly the best set I seen all weekend came from another Newport head, Neil Young.

Our paths have briefly crossed many moons ago in different circles but this was the first time I'd had the chance to catch him playing a live set out and about, and to say I was blown away would be an understatement.

With all the hype surrounding some of the DJs at Bestival, Neil delivered the perfect party recipe every night and conjured up an array of sets that were worthy of the weekend itself, and for me personally, they were the highlight of each night.

This was recorded live during the festival and I'm happy to say I was right there having it big time, surrounded by nothing but people having the time of their lives, loved up to the hilt and proper going for it.

To paraphrase, those few hours were how the party should always be... Quality music, quality people and quality times with no attitudes or pretentiousness.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did because believe me when I say, this set is completely off the radar.

Best served post 1am, extra loud... NICE

The Last Buys of Our Indian Summer...By Saul Wilks

It's certainly been a funny old summer hasn't it? We've had weeks and weeks of rain and minging greyness and now at the very end everything has fallen into place and Apollo has pulled his finger out.

This actually worked in my advantage seeing as this past weekend I found myself on the IOW for Bestival. The weather was piping hot and gorgeous, I couldn't fault it.

Being the kind of chap I am, I checked the forecast way in advance and kept checking right until the day I was leaving to make sure my new purchases would be getting a good wear.

Aside from a couple of plain YMC's I had a decent splurge in the their Spitalfields store and stocked up on some quality basics that served me well throughout the duration of the festival and will no doubt feature heavily until the weather starts to turn for the worse...

Here's the pick of the bunch, encompassing a couple of the tonal marl tee's and the spot on block stripe tee.

Good old YMC, they never fail to disappoint - one of them's a Newport head too.

Can't complain for a little over a ton, spot on sunshine fodder.

YMC Tonal Marl Red

YMC Block Stripe Bold

YMC Tonal Marl Cream

Nike Tennis Vintage...By Saul Wilks

It's been a long time coming but I finally delved into the realms of Nike and snapped up the ultra cool Nike Tennis Classic, made infamous by that whiny camp American John McEnroe a few decades ago at Wimbledon.

I'm not really sure why or how, but I've undergone a sort of second coming of late as regards training shoes - I think it was the recent unearthing of a few old pairs of Adidas that beat the chop when I decided to cash in on the crazy eBay boom a few years ago when you could easily rake in well over a ton for certain city series models when it was very much a sellers market.

Fast forward 5 years and apart from the odd pair of New Balance and enough pairs of Superga to shoe the population of China a few times over, these are the first pair of trainers I've bought... Honestly.

Still, as tempted as I've been by certain Nike models over the past few years these are the first I've decided to buy and I fear it's reignited my old passion for training shoes which all those like minded individuals will be able to agree with, became something of an addiction during my football going days.

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to getting these and checking out my centre court steez during the rest of our late-come Summer. One things for sure though, the tantrums will be kept to a pure minimum.

Thinking time.... by Shaun Dangerfield

Not had the greatest few weeks and every now & again when I'm ticking things over in my head I always end up going deeper into music or I get the box of pencils out.
It just helps to concentrate on something else.
Lewis has been on my mind more than usual of recent times and I have already surrounded myself in various reminders and sources of comfort but the past couple of months I've found myself painting and drawing him more often so I decided to make something to put up on the wall.
I used pencil and charcoal for the main part and then used colour pencil, watercolours and oil paint for the surrounding features, this is the third time I've done this actual picture because each time I've wanted to add more.
I thoroughly enjoyed it so expect a semi regular feature of various drawings and paintings I finish.
I'll be building a large box frame for it and mounting it myself within the next couple of weeks.

Hollie Cook.... by Shaun Dangerfield

It's not very often these day's that I buy vinyl that I wouldn't want to play out, put in a mix or whatever because I'm constantly looking for music to play out I very rarely just buy something that I would only play to myself.
I have had this on the list since last year but finally picked it up with a 7" of her's (that I will play out).
Hollie Cook has been around for some time now but she's one of those artists you either know or you don't, destined for a musical career with her father being Sex Pistol's drummer Paul Cook and mother being Jeni Cook who had some backing vocal roll's for Culture Club, and from that Boy George became her Godfather. It didn't start off too bad for her did it really ?

Her roots are deep in Reggae/Ska/Dub but some of her work is very pop' and that cross over I've always loved because it's always drenched in beautiful lyrics or melody.
Her voice on some tracks are amazing, I'm not completely into her because I can't get into the full on dub work she does but have a listen to her track "Milk & Honey" and wait for her vocals to kick in, produced with Prince Fatty on the Mr Bongo label it give's for great laid back listening.
The album is self named Hollie Cook and has some gem's on for future cocktail supping.
The other vinyl I picked from her was the 7" collaboration with Prince Fatty again on the Mr Bongo label of "And the best goes on" the cover of the Whispers post Disco classic, it gives it a certain new edge similar to what Alice Russell did with "Seven nation army" which again I hammered over time.
I'm going to put them all up here and you can judge them for yourselves, you might hate them.... you might love them.
First up Hollie Cook "And the beat goes on"
Followed by The Whispers "And the beat goes on"
Followed by Hollie Cook "Milk & Honey" (again wait for her vocal to drift in)
Followed by Alice Russell "Seven Nation Army"

Tender Ticking Stripe.... by Shaun Dangerfield

Another piece in from William Kroll's British label.
A future heavy hitter in the hard wear stakes that for me rivals players such as LVC and RRL with their no nonsense built to last clothing. Each piece feel's like it's giving you a background into how it was made, that moment you pick something up and appreciate what has gone into it. That's what you get with Tender.
I covered quite a large piece on him last year some time after I picked up some other Tender garments but for those reading who have not looked into Tender yet and to summarise William Kroll learnt his denim trade in Japan and experiments and succeed's in the dyeing process's that he uses, It's easy to band the wording about "Crafted" these days but the work and love that goes into these items is not something you generally see or find and the past couple of years in general I'm constantly drawn to hard wearing but current clothing, not to be confused with work wear which again is banded around too easily, thousands of items linked to work or heritage that wouldn't last you a week outside in the real world.
I feel like I could wear this for week's on end (not like a tramp....thinking more along the lines of Tom Hanks castaway) and the ground I was walking on would give in before this split. The kind of item that Jesus would wear while working on his carpentry.... and if it's good enough for Jesus then it's good enough for me.*

*Please note Tender has never and will never liken this to "what Jesus wears" this is copyright Sinister Delicious.

Now if you excuse me I'm off to make a coffee table for a big supper I'm planning.

New Crepes...By Saul Wilks

 It would seem that I've caught that bug again...Only a few days after splurging on some new sunglasses I couldn't help but delve into the footwear market. And I was doing so well. Shit.

Larking about aside, these Pointer Higgle crepes have been on my radar for months and months and months. It just so happens that they were slashed from 185 sheets down to 75 courtesy of Notting Hills The Garbstore. As it goes a further 50% discount had been added so I walked away with these gems for 35 quid, which has got to rank up there with one of the best bargains I've ever had.

You've got to love some monk strap action haven't you? These are the bollocks man, I kid you not. Brushed tan suede, nice big chunky buckle straps and a lovely moulded crepe sole. To summarise, these are one mean, killer pair of kicks.

I'm still buzzing about the price I paid for them, I don't think you can beat that to be honest! Definitely one of the best pairs Pointer have put out since their conception in my opinion and one of the strongest collections to date overall!

I'll get some good wear out of these during the rest of our Indian summer, although I'll refrain from wearing them on a night out like I did their cousin, the Crago (they got absolutely battered on their début) but then you live and learn I guess...

Certified Tuesday afternoon winner bar none, thank you Garbstore!

The Boogie Cartel "Saturday Dub"

When Saul came up the other week we spent some time playing around with this track and this is the end result, it's a couple of snippets from Cherelle "Saturday Love" featuring Alexander O'Neal.
The track has been built from scratch and we tried to keep it sounding as sleazy/sexual/moody as possible, free WAV download so please feel free if you want it.... take it.

The Boogie Cartel x

Shuron Sportivo...By Saul Wilks

Next Thursday we'll be setting off over to the Isle of White for this year's Bestival and it just so happens that we're lucky enough to be playing a couple of sets over the course of the weekend... To be included on any bill that has the likes of New Order and Sister Sledge to name but a few is a pretty monumental thing for us and I'm sure I speak for us both when I say we're major stoked to be involved!

Festivals are a tricky one aren't they? No one ever wants to take their best cloth in case of getting it bogging but then bowling around in faded tee's and tatty denims doesn't really cut the mustard either so with this in mind and a carefully selected festival wardrobe under debate, after the usual tosh like sleeping bag, tent and all that caper sorted out, the next thing on the list is a decent pair of sunglasses...Of course.

These Shuron Sportivo have been burning a hole in my virtual wallet all summer so I couldn't help but pull the trigger while using Bestival as the perfect excuse to justify the oner I put down on them. I haven't really bought anything of note for myself for a good while so it's swings and roundabouts really. Know what I'm saying?

To be honest I think it's testament to the changed man that I am now that I lasted this long without snapping them up, but like an old itch that just needs scratching, I couldn't help but indulge myself for old times sake.

For the record I've stuck with my faithful Han Kjobenhavns for a good two years but it's time for a shake up in the eye department and after all, no man can be expected to have just the one pair of sunglasses can he?

Guilty conscience aside, there's a couple of things I love about these; firstly, the tortoise shell frames are my idea of sunglasses heaven and are just too cool for school...I've always opted for this kind of colour as I think it looks proper classic and suave whatever style it's on.

Secondly, I love the oversized lenses. They've got this mega sleazy 80s vibe going on and I'm sure that if a pair of sunglasses were made to be worn while dropping late night boogie licks then these were sent from heaven to fill the role perfectly... I'm pretty sure they'll look great on me while I'm off my nut and cutting rug. That's the plan anyway.

Overall I'm over the moon that I finally gave in to my desires and landed these killer sunnies, I can't wait to glue them to my head for the next 2 weeks... Literally.

Now for the sun and plenty of it... What you saying Ra?