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Editorial
The people who run the shop, write the words, source the stories, spread the rumours, open the jiffy bags, answer the phones and all that jazz...
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Chris Cooke, Editor / Publisher [CC]
I'm an indie kid at heart (hey, I grew up near Manchester in the late eighties), though my music tastes stretch quite a bit further than the average indie kid, which is why I spend so much time explaining the merits of MIA, Meatloaf and McFly to the indie faithful. And why anything vaguely cross genre gets me so excited (hence my slight obsession with the mash-up scene). A co-founder of CMU back in 1998, I now know far too much about the ins and outs of the music business, P2P networks, major label mergers, radio regulations and copyright loopholes. And far far too much about the lives of Pete Doherty and Britney Spears.
Top 5 albums: Queen - Innuendo, Ben Folds - Rockin The Suburbs, Blur - Parklife, The Killers - Hot Fuss, Dean Gray - American Edit |
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Caroline Moses, Editor / Publisher [CM]
When it comes to music, I have, on occasion, been labelled "undiscriminating", but I would prefer to call my taste "broad ranging". I grew up with classical music, some jazz, a bit of Elvis Costello, some Beatles and the works of Queen, but once I started to get out a bit more found myself becoming a big fan of the likes of The Smiths and The Stone Roses – like my colleague Chris I grew up near Manchester, so that’s perhaps only to be expected, along with a bit of a weakness for northern soul. Ultimately, though, I do like a bit of everything, and moved on from indie stuff to embrace all manner of rock, pop, electronica, motown, funk, hip hop, folk, blues, reggae, things which are a bit quirky and dramatic, and contemporary music featuring string arrangements when you’re least expecting it. It cannot, by the way, be expressed in five albums. I was not a co-founder of CMU, not least because I was too busy writing and producing theatre at the time, but to be fair, I am now the most important person on the team. No, really. I am.
Top 5 albums: Ben Folds - Rockin The Suburbs, Pulp - Different Class, Joaquin Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez, The Divine Comedy - Promenade, Grand National - Kicking The National Habit |
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Andy Malt, CMU Coordinator [AHM]
Um, what music do I like? When asked, I usually tell people that I like everything from Music Hall to white noise – mainly because it sounds more interesting than mumbling something about liking a bit of everything. Still, I’m a sucker for a good pop song, and the tastes for indie, metal and punk I picked up in my teenage years still hold heavy influence over me. Choosing my top five albums has been stressful, to say the least, and I will no doubt change my mind about three seconds after this goes online. Like my musical tastes, my experience within the industry has been varied, with the common theme being that everything made my house very messy. Now, at CMU, I am slowly spreading that mess even further and cultivating an encyclopaedic knowledge of the movements of Amy Winehouse.
Top 5 albums: Refused - The Shape Of Punk To Come, Fiona Apple - When The Pawn, Xploding Plastix - Amateur Girlfriends Go Proskirt Agents, Busdriver - Fear Of A Black Tangent, Yann Tiersen - Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain
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Mary Macdonald, Editorial Associate [MM]
Raised on Canada’s West Coast by hipster hippie parents, I’ve been a music fiend since my earliest memories of dancing about to the Talking Heads, lustily singing along to Puccini and wrestling my brother over the Police and Supertramp albums. My own singing career met an ignoble end when I fled the stage at an open mic night only to be glimpsed a few moments later by the bemused audience as I tore past the outside windows, my long flowing gown lending a certain forlorn glamour to the proceedings. So no life as a diva for me which is just as well really. I love listening to music far too much to spend time making it. Everyone touts their own eclectic tastes but I truly do love every type of music from Mahler to Morrissey, Depeche Mode to Dead Kennedys, opera to ambient, indie rock to banging house, from Brasian to Brubeck to breaks and back again. I’m especially fond of songs with whistling and clapping in them.
Top 5 albums: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Tender Prey, Bjork - Homogenic, Massive Attack - Blue Lines, Orbital - Internal, Grand National - Kicking the National Habit |
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Owen Smith, SNAP Chief [OS]
My childhood was spent listening to the Jackson Five and borrowing Springsteen, Neil Young, John Lee Hooker and Van Morrison albums from my parents. Present acts I enjoy include 65 Days Of Static, Ryan Adams and Sonic Youth. I've written about music for Filter and Losing Today, while dabbling in sub-editing for ThreeWeeks In Edinburgh and my student magazine. I also DJ and co-present a radio show.
Top 5 albums: Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker, DJ Shadow - Entroducing, Neil Young - After The Goldrush, Ben Kweller - Sha Sha, 65 Days Of Static - Fall of Math |
The review team
The people whose collected musical opinions you can sample each day in the CMU Daily, should you wish to. All the CMU reviewers are also freelance music journalists - if you'd like to hire their services email us here and we'll put you in touch.
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Abi Willey [AW]
I love bands that make a big round noise, Northern Soul and well-written pop songs (the genre, not the mass-accepted). I graduated from Loughborough Uni in July, where I ran student record label Uni-ty Records, presented on Loughborough Campus Radio and wrote for Label. I then spent another awesome August in Edinburgh on the ThreeWeeks team.
Top 5 albums: Various - Soul Survivors, 65daysofstatic - One Time For All Time, Sheryl Crow - Sheryl Crow, Tim Minchin - Darkside, Hanson - Underneath |
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Ali Maloney [AM]
A freelance journalist, writer, designer and lowly insurance clerk living out the Kafka dream, I also perform as a DJ, vocalist and general sonic terrorist spreading altered beats and outer limit hip-hop to Edinburgh’s core. Maybe I invent new genres along the way, maybe I just make a fool of myself, but ain’t that what life’s about?
Top 5 albums: Mr Bungle - Mr Bungle, Themselves - Themselves, Keiji Haino - Abandon All Words At A Stroke, So That Prayer Can Come Spilling Out, Noah23 - Neophyte Phenotype, Emperor - Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk |
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Daisy Harriet [DH]
Just a little lady from the sticks who likes to rant and rave about music which excites or appals me. My first gig was The Hives, and currently the last was The Long Blondes. I’m into all sorts of stuff: twee, indie-rock, electro, pop, folk... little bits of all sorts. I believe a good melody is the backbone of a good song. Plinky noises and meaty bass are also good. I can’t think of a better way to spend my time than listening to good music, or discovering a new band that is actually amazing. I become obsessed with something new from one week to another, but I suppose I’m an indie kid at heart. I do wear Converse after all. And I have an asymmetric haircut.
Top 5 albums: Mew - Half The World Is Watching Me,
Arcade Fire - Funeral,
IAMX - Kiss And Swallow,
Yann Tiersen - Les Retrouvailles,
Richard Thompson - Mock Tudor |
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Duncan Geere [DG]
I'm a London-based DJ, tech geek and general indie kid. I love nothing more than creating a huge complex mess of wires and musical equipment that only I understand. My specialist subject on Mastermind would be 'How to make money from giving away music for free', and I'm hugely interested in new business models in the changing music industry. I've been writing for CMU for four years, and covered SxSW 2007 as their American correspondent. Recently, I also joined the ranks of the CMU:DJs, as RAD!O ED!T. Music-wise, I'm into disco-punk, electro-pop, dreamy indie and post-rock. I like guitars that sound like lasers, keyboards that sound like bowel movements, and crescendos that sound like the end of the world.
Top 5 albums: Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump, Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights, LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver, The Divine Comedy - Casanova, Doves - The Last Broadcast |
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Erin Orozco [EO]
A bookish child, it fell upon my mother to inculcate into me some musical wisdom. A child of 1960s America, her music taste was surprisingly diverse, including Cypress Hill, Blue Oyster Cult, and, of course, the Spice Girls. Eventually, though, I managed to develop my own likes and dislikes, including, to her ultimate disapproval, Britney Spears (her new album is amazing, guys). Apart from forays into the world of pop, I'm really into indie folk and alt-country as well as the occasional electronic, dance, or rap track. I guess like mother, like daughter. Aside from my music reviews at CMU, I have had experience as editor of the literature section for the LSESU student newspaper; a contributor for Southern California lifestyles magazine, Coast; and a staff writer for the arts and culture magazine, ISM.
Top 5 albums: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours, Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans, Beirut - The Flying Club Cup, U2 - The Joshua Tree, Goo Goo Dolls - A Boy Named Goo |
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Gav Murphy [GM]
I grew up with a trance loving sister in the house and because of this was infused with a love of beats at an early age. Anything a bit funky or mixed particularly well will more often than not get the thumbs up from me. I'm also partial to a bit of metal and alt rock and a sucker for a folk guitar (or 2, or 3 or 4). There's nothing better than finding a new band, a hidden gem unsoiled by the world.
Top 5 Albums: Cypress Hill - Black Sunday, Fingathing - Superhero Music, The Eagles of Death Metal - Death By Sexy, Ratatat - Ratatat, Hot Chip - The Warning |
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Ian Marshall [IM]
Growing up at the height of Britpop saw me becoming a fan of all things indie. Encouraged by John Peel's late night missives, I explored the worlds of obscure Belgian techno and nosebleed Midlands rock without great enthusiasm but developed the love of searching for new and interesting music, whatever the genre. I do like things that display "dangerous hints of melody" though, as long as it has an edge. At uni in Sheffield I grew fond of Pulp and The Longpigs and have been impressed with the Arctic Monkeys' continuation of the steel city's musical heritage. London is my home now though and we really are spoilt for gigs in this city. Highlights over the years have been The Beta Band at Shepherds Bush Empire, Joe Driscoll at Notting Hill Arts Club and Primal Scream at Brixton Academy.
Top 5 albums: Ooberman - The Magic Treehouse, Akira The Don - When We Were Young, The Beta Band - The Three EPs, Leftfield - Leftism, Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister |
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Jane Wright [JW]
My two great obsessions during my formative years were alternative guitar rock and electro pop and these continue to be my great loves. Although I like to think I’ve strayed out of my indie ghetto slightly of late. I never thought I’d be listening to country music, even if it is alt.country. My adventures in music journalism began when I started sending angry rants to various music papers (RIP Smash Hits). I wrote and published my own fanzine for a few years and then stumbled on CMU.
Top 5 albums: Suede - Coming Up, The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead, Depeche Mode - Black Celebration, The Associates - Sulk, Ryan Adams - Love Is Hell |
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Kevin Wilson [KW]
Since borrowing a Smiths Best Of from a schoolfriend when I was 13 I've been into music; primarily indie, but over the years my tastes have changed and become more diverse and broad, and I'm bound to own something from most genres. I've been writing for CMU for just over two years and have sung the praises of some of the most interesting artists out there. Watch out Simon Reynolds!
Top 5 albums: American Music Club - Everclear, The The - Mind Bomb, Junior Boys - Last Exit, Phoenix - Alphabetical, Associates - Sulk |
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Marc Samuels [MS]
I got involved in journalism by complete accident, but somehow ended up becoming music editor, then editor, of my student magazine, and doing a fair bit of freelance stuff over the years too. I'm essentially an electro boy, so if it comes from the 80s and/or has a synthesizer on it, I'll probably like it. I have also been known to nod approvingly to various sounds from the "dance scene" (ambient, electronica, progressive house and breaks when the mood takes me). Oh, I also like indie music too, preferably of the fey and melancholy sort, but nothing too noisy, mind.
Top 5 albums: ABC - The Lexicon Of Love, Global Communication - 76:14, Pet Shop Boys - Very, Slowdive - Souvlaki, Suede - Dog Man Star |
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Richard Lemmer [RL]
The first album I bought was Madness' 'Greatest Hits', aged just ten. It was 'Baggy Trousers' that I could really empathise with. Since then I’ve blossomed like a pubescent girl comming into her own - but purely in a musical sense. I love 60s rock and modern hip hop and pretty much everything in between - I can’t stand music nazis who refuse to accept Coldplay’s existence. I started writing about music at college, where I set up my own magazine and managed to interview Corrine Bailey Rae and Brandon Flowers. Since then I’ve chased down Scouting For Girls, Scroobius Pip and Dan Le Sac, and Maroon 5 for interviews and landed a job at a magazine in south London. You can find me at Reading Festival every year, without fail.
Top five albums: The White Stripes - Elephant, Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine, Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP, Daft Punk - Discovery, The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold As Love.
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Paul Vig [PV]
I discovered pirate radio in the early 90s which whisked me away from my West London guitar twanging peers. Finding rave, then hooked onto techno, house, and even ambient, I heard firsthand drum and bass evolve from jungle techno. Loving all good electronic music, old and new, but a sucker for a wicked beatsy backdrop and some awesome melodics, I am now partial to a bit of 'future soul'. Previous music editor for Kings College London Student newspaper in 1998, I found CMU in 2001, and compose the club tip each Friday.
Top 5 albums: Various - Mixmag Live 13 (Mixed by Darren Emerson and Dave Angel), Maas - Latitude, 4hero - Two Pages (2 Disc Edition), Gavin Froome - Mobile Villager, Atjazz - Labfunk |
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Tom Hawkins [TH]
I've been kicking around the music industry for a while, helping out where I'm needed, at varous records labels, management companies and so forth - much like David Banner in the 80's series of The Incredible Hulk. I like rock, jazz and funk, and things that succeed in mixing any or all of the three. I've also lately become drawn to the wonderful folk music that is around at the moment. Happily, this is also a genre which permits the wearing of comfy sweaters at gigs, so I can finally feel less self-conscious when I go out.
Top 5 albums: Faith No More - Angel Dust, Grand Drive - True Love and High Adventure, Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik, King Creosote - KC Rules OK, Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters |
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