Apologies for stating the seriously obvious but stop for a second and just think how amazing 'Google' is. After reading the excellent taster from Chris Anderson's new book about the 'Free' economy (follow up to 'The Long Tail') in Wired magazine from about a couple of months ago, I've constantly reminded myself how simply phenomenal 'Google' is, ultimately because, after at least 10 years of constant use, it's still f*cking FREE!!

Endless rinsing of 'Google Maps' to easily find out where you need to go, daily news digests from 'Google News' and searches by the second, in fact, second nature, a digital reflex you don't often stop to consider.

Then, the incredible YouTube (yes, owned & bought for about $1.65 billion by Google in case you've been sleeping) and not forgetting one of, if not THE best web-based e-mail services around 'GMail', fabulous at filtering your Spam as well as countless other Google apps.

I'm hard pressed to find another company who comes close to 'Google' in its 'free-kyness'. For example, say, your phone provider, who gives the illusion of 'free' but more often than not you're stung with caveats, hidden charges such as 'limits' to your usage, poor service, which you end up paying for via unhelpful premium-rate lines.

Ever had a problem with 'Google'? I wouldn't even know where to begin to call/e-mail/find their 'complaints line'; I'm sure it'd be something like that classic Carlsberg ad where a man, walking down the 'Carlsberg Corridors' hears a phone ringing behind one of the doors. He enters the very dusty, cob-webbed room, picks up the equally dusty phone and it turns out the caller has the wrong number. Final shot reveals the sign on the door, "Carlsberg Customer Complaints Department".

Back to the example of phone companies & the illusion of 'free' - don't forget their 'bill-bullying' for late payment or for you not complying to how they want you to pay i.e. 'Direct Debit'.

Maybe the 'Golden Age' of Google could soon be myth and end abruptly. OK, nobody/no company's perfect - Google has come under fire for its 'privacy' issues with people concerned about themselves and their 'data' being spied on and stored. Is that so bad? That's up for debate.

I simply repeat where I began - think how much and what you've used 'Google' for, how invaluable it's been and at what cost? Nothing but your time.

(For more Loops33, check their MySpace or website).

September 2007 - April 2008
Highlights of James Hyman's weekly 'Music Expert' feature on "Nuts TV" alongside other presenters OJ Borg, Lucy Pinder, Chanelle Hayes, Zoe Hardman, Lyndsey Horn and Ellie Dible.

Nuts - Showreel

Click here or image below to read in full.

....No way (& just missed April Fool's too so believe!)

The station is just changing its approach slightly which means the late night 'live' slots featuring the different experts (Music, Video Games, Gadgets, Film etc.) are alas, no longer.

[LEFT: Lucy Pinder & James Hyman - MIDDLE: James Hyman with Chanelle Hayes & OJ Borg - RIGHT: James Hyman & OJ Borg]

As previously blogged, Nuts TV was bursting with phenomenal potential & hopefully will continue to do so with its new content.

Again, must big up each and everyone on the whole team and I mean EVERYONE - on air & off air; probably the best set of people I've ever had the pleasure to work with - no egos, fun, creative, a laugh and on screen - TV full of 'E' (educational, entertaining & exciting). Too many of you to name & simply wouldn't want to miss anyone out, ya get me!

And to those who've e-mailed me about Lucy Pinder (below), her fine assets include more than you think; she's obviously sexy and, yes very smart/switched on too.

If you want to check out full-length 'Music Expert' slots, go here and here for a 'Best Of'.

-----Original Message-----
From: Simone
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 3:10 PM
To: James Hyman
Subject: Re: Shit...no more Nuts?

Just read your blog. No more 'Nuts TV'....how crap! It was so cool. And you have become so good on camera these days. Really, I was most impressed.

Even so though, nothing now stops you from coming to Aruba. Hey, maybe you should DJ here at a beach party & then you can help me out with my new radio show too. I need the help. Looks like I'll be interviewing Wyclef, Erica Badouh and some others at the up-coming soul beach festival which is held by the radio station too. Should be fun. So what do you think? Shall I try and get you a gig?

Love ya! Simone

Time permitting, I'll try to make this a regular blog thing (monthly?) otherwise bookmark here to digest the digest!

[COMING SOON]

With James Hyman, Thursday nights.

Nuts - 1st April 2008 (PART 02)

Nuts - 1st April 2008 (PART 01)

Nuts - 27th March 2008 (PART 02)

Nuts - 27th March 2008 (PART 01)

Nuts - 20th March 2008

Nuts - 13th March 2008 (PART 02)

Nuts - 13th March 2008 (PART 01)

Nuts - 6th March 2008

Nuts - 28th February 2008 (PART 02)

Nuts - 28th February 2008 (PART 01)

Nuts - 21st February 2008 (PART 02)

Nuts - 21st February 2008 (PART 01)

Nuts - 14th February 2008 (PART 02)

Nuts - 14th February 2008 (PART 01)

THURSDAY 07 FEBRUARY:

THURSDAY 17 JANUARY:

Some of James Hyman's bits from BBC3's "Top 100 Most Annoying Pop Moments":
[MORE COMING SOON]

NO.77 "THE INVENTION OF 'MASH-UPS'"

NO.32 "THE BIRTH OF THE CHILL-OUT"

NO.29 "MOTHER'S PRIDE"

NO.22 "POP GOES OPERA"

NO.01 "WHEN AMY DISCOVERED DRINK"

In preparation for New Year's DJ-ing in Barcelona, I decided it was long overdue to get my ears tested and invest in some custom-molded DJ-ear plugs. Like any club-DJ or live gig-pig, I'd had bouts of temporary tinnitus and worried about further damage; thankfully when the specialist gave me my results (pictured above), he said my hearing was excellent, "Like a baby's". That was it, no turning back on using the plugs!! After my 1st try-out on New Year's Eve in Barcelona at Razzmatazz, they worked a treat. If you're a DJ or frequenter of loud venues, in fact maybe you go shooting etc., I can't urge you enough to take care and protect ya ears!!! Later that evening, I popped in to a "Tinsel & Tiaras" party with Kate, then off to the country/sea to chill.

Time was spent generally relaxing, eating excessively & unhealthily (!) and, as the picture above suggests, loads of lazy late nights lounging in bed, catching up on some magazine reading (including vintage Vanity Fairs - divine!) and savagely rinsing out YouTube. Oh sure, in true OCD and ADD-style, I watched and enjoyed lots of traditional TV's end of year clip-countdown styled shows like "Most Annoying People Of 2007" on BBC3, "Big Fat Quiz Of The Year" and an updated AFI's Top 100 Movies (where was 11 Oscar-winning "Ben Hur"?) on Channel 4, but derived more pleasure from the less-passive, more active instant gratification of YouTube's clip-culture.

On Cable/Satellite, Sumo comes quite close to YouTube with its random bizarre mashed media-morsels and I enjoyed some of its longform pop-culture programme compilations like "Cult45 TV" with an episode that explored the post-humous "Bruce-ploitation" of martial arts king, Bruce Lee. Similarly, I was drawn (not the first time) to Channel 376 on Sky, "Bedroom TV" which, in a nutshell, is home-made fan versions of viewer's favourite tracks. Some efforts are so awful, out of sync, shabby and simply diabolical but riveting in a karaoke-d car-crash TV way. Others, with more effort, show sparks of creative genius.

Back to the YouTube rinsing:
(sorry if some of the hyperlinks are broken when you read this and click on them; tends to happen, usually for legal reasons).

I got seriously nostalgic and never ceased to be amazed by users uploading the geekiest of visual treats. First off the "Alpha Video Logo". I remembered this mad disco-synth jingle on it but unless you had the original old school VHS tapes of films with it on e.g "Creepshow", "The Exterminator" etc., the logo would be erased by new companies on the more recent DVD format. Lo & behold, here's "Alpha Video Logo" in FULL effect!!! Respect to everyone and anyone who bothers uploading this stuff - I equally love user's comments along the lines of "Thanks dude, I've searched for this for 20 years.....blah blah...etc. and you're a LEGEND etc.!! "

After "Alpha", I continued the 80s obscurity with a f*cking PHENOMENAL Wrangler Jeans ad featuring superb electro-robotic dancing, visual gimmicks a plenty and a wicked made for jingle to boot. Next Maxell's cassette classic with Pete Murphy - break the sound barrier boyeeee!! This led to further hours of 80s indulgence, encouraged by the "related" searches that can send you even deeper. So I marvelled at Sigue Sigue Sputnik videos like "Love Missile F1-11" (still love those overdub sound FX!!) then Sigue Sigue Sputnik being interviewed on The Tube by Muriel Gray.

Next 80s pop videos like Alexei Sayle's bonkers"Ullo John! Gotta New Motor?" (he can't 'alf play the bongos!), Haysi Fantayszee's "John Wayne Is Big Leggy" and "related" 'live' performances and TV interviews like this one. I stumbled across pop videos I'd produced/edited at MTV that I'd almost forgotten about like New Order's "Blue Monday '95", Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Relax" (Ollie J Remix)", Ultramarine's "Hooter (Carl Craig Remix)" and loads of video megamixes under my "Party Zone Massive" moniker for labels like Trevor Horn's 'ZTT', Logic, R&S etc.

Digitally digging I went deeper with a Rod Serling documentary (Rod was just phenomenal; believe!), re-visits to classic clips from cult horror movies like "Phantasm" and "Salem's Lot". I was SO scared by "Salem's Lot" as a kid that my imagination convinced me I was seeing vampires scratching at the windows and I had to crawl on my floor very slowly to get into my bed!!! The spin-off linkage went crazy as I moved onto DJ Noise not just winning the 1996 DMC Mixing Championships but his Rimini exhibition set also for DMC in 1998 plus his incredible Supremacy DJ battle where he annihilated 8-ball and click, a Wogan interview with Max Headroom. Not enough uploads of Max Headroom's TV clip/chat-show which featured brilliant obscure pop-vids that weren't always top 40 driven. Talking of cool 80s' clip-show formats, more fan devotion with loads of 'The Chart Show' uploads, again, check those crazy user comments included in this one from February 1991 where the 'Indie' countdown was featured with no Nirvana video for "Sliver ". In similar stylee, plenty helpings from late Saturday into Sunday essential viewing "Night Network".

Then there's right raw postings where people love a tune so much they simply upload a still picture/bit of type, an auto-computer generated fractal(s) (!) or often just the vinyl on a spinning deck (this seems to be commonplace with old skool rave/hardcore tunes, love it!!!) Some things, I was suprised not to find but on second thoughts, again, probably legal reasons prevent them from being up there like the video I produced for Prince's "Pink Cashmere" and "Breaking The Magician's Code" where Val Valentino revealed amazing illusions behind big-time stage tricks. After OD-ing on YouTube, I moved onto some Hype Machine, again big up all the music-related blogs it led me onto like "Audio.Out", one of the funniest, brilliantly minutiae-detailed ramblings which includes great posts like "Deep Heat/Warehouse Raves" and "I Get Stupid, I Mean Outrageous" which spun me further into a great interview piece with Chill Rob G whose classic 'The Power' was sadly shadowed by Snap's version (the latter's went ballistic chart & sales wise).

31 December, up early EasyJet to Barcelona for New Year's Eve and en route managed to finish off the two inspirational Malcolm Gladwell books I'd been reading, "Blink" & "The Tipping Point" - faultless, well researched analysis of 'Gut instinct' (Blink) and 'Social epidemics' (The Tipping Point).

Barcelona Boys in effect (pictured left to right: Sergi, Christian, Paul, Michael, James, Ben & Johno)

Arrived, short rest, then an amazing multi-course dinner at "El Noti" with posse in effect (Javi, Wendy James, Amber, Johno, Rex The Dog, Christina, Christian, Sergi, Paul Bricks, Michael, Kate and Pete Doherty , sorry I meant Ben Austin!) which ended with Spain's '12 Grapes' tradition where you eat 12 grapes very fast (one for each bong of the gong)!!

Paul, Ben & Michael get busy with "Oh me grapes" (said in 'Bo' Selecta' Mel B/Scary Spice voice)

Another short siesta post-dinner, then a 2-hour set to a rammed Razzmatazz with hanging out/backroom bizness around 5:30AM -7AMish then mid-afternoon flight home.

01.01.08, around 4:40AM, Main Room, Club Razz

As I write, I'm slowly lapsing back into a bout of YouTube whilst thinking and planning/preparing an exciting 2008. Wishing you all a happy, healthy year ahead.
x

F*ck!! Sometimes a song is so good that BAM! out of nowhere one of its hooks jumps into your brain when you least expect it and, because you're not that familiar with it yet, you just don't know what it is; it can drive you nuts. It's like a musical malaise, call it "Sample-itis".

Well, I got it real bad last night, literally in my dreams!!!! I woke up with this almost operatic 'Rocky Horror' type indie-goth lull of a chorus buzzing round my brain and to make matters worse, couldn't sing it that well, in the hope of someone being able to decipher it and tell me what it is. Luckily my brain vaguely recalled hearing it on Radio 1 with Zane Lowe, Thursday night, on my way to present my weekly "Nuts TV" music expert slot.

So, after a bit of Googling, You-Tubing & Radio 1 tracklists, that gorgeous "Eureka!" moment arrived. Song in question, and better late than never for one of 2007's BEST singles of the year.....(opens envelope & drum roll......) Late Of The Pier with "Bathroom Gurgle" on Moshi Moshi. When such tearing hooks invade the brain so randomly, that's a serious mark of a seriously good tune!!! Just downloaded it here - now a firm favourite to be dropped for sure at my last DJ date of 2007, New Year's Eve @ Razzmatazz; make sure you reach!

Well, after 7 years of phenomenal fun on Radio, producing / presenting "The Remix" and "Rinse" on Xfm, I've decided to take a break to focus on "JLH", my 'Music Supervision ' company, presenting on "Nuts TV" and other projects under wraps for now.

I'm still Club DJ-ing e.g. Razzmatazz (including this coming NYE) plus VIP parties/film premieres etc., though again limiting this due to time/other commitments.

Xfm's statement is here. Thanks to all the fantastic listeners, artists, record companies, pluggers/promoters, Xfm etc. for the support & opportunity to rinse the airwaves!!

For Facebook freaks, 2 groups to join & post on: XFM THE RINSE and BRING BACK JAMES HYMAN

Best wishes,

James Hyman

Don't be fooled, Nuts TV does more than what it says on the tin and is no carbon copy of its magazine namesake.

Don't readily dismiss Nuts TV either, it's a cheeky/cool channel, the Observer's given it props, hell, the RZA dropped in to hang out the other week, Tarantino's shown some love too and with Sky in sight to add to the existing Freeview platform it currently transmits from, the potential is, er, Nuts.

Nuts TV exudes plenty of fresh talent (Connor the perma-tanned barman is comedic class), loads of entertaining quirky guests/features plus sincere, smart presenters including, er, ok, yours truly (!) as the weekly music
(s)expert (sorry!) on Thursdays. And I didn't even mention the T & A!!

I enjoy working with the great Production team too; a vibe reminiscent of old skool MTV Europe in its Ray Cokes/Most Wanted era before the 'Long Tail' of mass media exploded with daily niche channels launching practically every mealtime, YouTube, I-Phone/I-Pod/I-Tunes/I-Can't Cope!!, Internet, Facebook et cetera!!! And with such fractured fragmented media nowadays, it's really a lot harder to be heard, hopefully Nuts TV will make more noise to rise above the, ahem, broadcasting babel.

THURSDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2007:
Includes news/gossip on X-Factor's Leona Lewis, Boy George, Britney Spears & Jay-Z:

THURSDAY 04 OCTOBER 2007:
Includes news/gossip on Radiohead's "In Rainbows", Kasabian (Tom) buying the E.T. bike, Oasis, Happy Mondays, Liam Frost & X-Factor perfume (!)

Probably, sorry, undoubtedly the best programme on TV right now and actually for quite a while, is "Screenwipe", Charlie Brooker's offering of uber-intelligent insight into the machinations of television in his mighty motor-mouthed manic style, packing so much into each half-hour - he's the TV equivalent of the 'Airplane' films. Alas, I can't begin to list the number of gags in each entertaining episode. I just finished watching Charlie tackle 'Reality TV' which was predictably genius. One timely music-geek detail which gets 1000 bonus points was slipping in John Carpenter's 'Halloween' theme for boardroom tension when, dressed regally, 'King Charlie' was firing his apprentices in the climax of this particular episode's theme of 'How to make a reality TV' show.

There's one very disappointing thing about "Screenwipe"; I doubt it will ever come out on DVD due to what would possibly be an expensive and logistical legal nightmare clearing all the clips of other programmes and music rights; maybe make do with hunting clips down on YouTube or get taping/torrenting.

Big up Charlie Brooker's c*ck!