"Lets see what you could have won!": The gameshow as a tool for social self-esteem.

The jokes are usually about the speedboats. And, granted, it is funny when two people who live somewhere in the Midlands or here in Newcastle are shown a speedboat that they have just failed to hitch onto the tow bar of their Ford Granada Estate. But there is something revealing about the comedic response we have to old TV game shows like Bullseye. As they are recalled in nostalgic laments of memory or through the repeats made available on digital TV these days, the old game shows evoke the distance of time and an ironic sense of whimsy for the way we were 30 years ago.
There is something quaint and strange about these shows. This was a time, if we believe what we are seeing, when people could win a metal tankard or handmade key fob without a crushing sense of awkward self-awareness or the need to look knowingly, David Brent style, into the camera lens to share the joke. These shows act as a portal on the passage of cultural-time, they present to us a society that seems quite distant, alien and maybe even odd. This is despite them actually showing us an earlier version of our own cultural selves. The palette of beige and grey, the neon lights, the captions – 'jackpot', 'holiday of a lifetime', 'TVs biggest..' – the posing models, the multipurpose, modular sets, the applause, the shady innuendo, the grinning hosts, the catchphrases. I’ve often thought that you could use TV game shows as documents of social change as they seem to capture something very much of their time the way that other media fail to.
Over the last few years, the Challenge TV channel (Sky 145, Freeview 46, folks!) has provided plenty opportunity to reflect on this. This channel predominantly shows old episodes of TV game shows from the 1980s and early 1990s. This was something of a golden era for this format. Challenge TV has been showing old episodes of a wide variety of shows for years now, everything from Bullseye, Family Fortunes, Take Your Pick, Big Break, The Price Is Right, Strike it Lucky, Celebrity Squares, 321 and Wheel of Fortune have been thrust back onto our TV's. If we look carefully, these repeats potentially reveal more than a taste for nostalgia, they actually document some interesting social characteristics of the time – especially when compared to the few equivalent programmes of today.
Game shows today if we can still call them that, are often centred on large cash prizes, a million pounds is often the landmark but it is nearly always in the tens-of-thousands at least. Although in some cases the prizes are knowingly small and are delivered with an unmissable sense of irony and a calculated wink (Pointless deploys this type of approach). Back in the 1980s shows like Bullseye were built around prizes, these prizes might be seen to reveal something of the aspirations of the time. There is an overwhelming sameness to the desired lifestyles that are put on display and narrated by these prizes. From pine plant stands and canteens of cutlery to trouser presses and hand-held video cameras. And then there are the infrequently won star prizes, a trailer tent, a caravan, a fitted kitchen, a dining room suite, a hatchback, a speedboat. These prizes all reveal something of the aspirations of the time, they may even say something about lifestyle choices and perhaps even social mobility. On Wheel of Fortune, we see something similar, with a pint-size bottle of French perfume contained in a large glass flower, leather trouser suits and ‘his and hers’ watches. These are prizes that seem to be woven with powerful social norms – embodied by those ‘his and hers’ watches.
If we look at the TV games shows I mentioned, we begin to get a vision of what might have been an ideal or a desired utopian lifestyle. Waking up to a cup of tea prepared by an automatic Teasmade, preparing a fondue in a fitted kitchen, entertaining a laughing family around a barbeque whilst sitting on pristine plastic garden furniture and sipping from a magnum of champagne poured into crystal champagne flutes, or perhaps gathered around a dining room table serving from a hostess trolley to a table decked in gold knives and forks whilst discussing our latest holiday of a lifetime to Torremolinos – then our guests, dressed in Italian leather jackets, drive their saloon cars home for a nightcap poured from a cut-glass decanter. These are the types of dream lifestyles that were woven into the prizes and into the way that these objects were presented to the contestants and viewers. They have norms bound up within them, norms that now might appear somewhat stifling in their depiction of the lifestyles that they are scripted to be a part of. These shows, many of which were watched by huge audiences in the 14 million + category, seem to say something about the types of 'want' that were dominant at the time, and may even be a precursor to the vision of consumerism we see today. Where the prizes in 80's and 90's game shows were about scripted lifestyles, today’s are about the consumer freedoms of money. That is to say that instead of pre-determined objects with narratives and norms attached to them, instead now the focus is upon the limitless possibilities of large sums of hard, dirty, cash.
Looking back at these shows though, what is perhaps most immediately obvious is how the protagonists or as they were then 'contestants' have become much more media savvy. We now appear to innately understand how to behave when on television. Contestants of the 1980s and 1990s appear unsure and uncomfortable. They are uncertain in their movements and often mumble their way through anecdotes, furtively looking at their shoes. They ALL appear to be wearing 1 of 3sets of clothing options: the clothes they would either wear to work, wear when at home or the ones they'd wear to get buried in – this is the standard colour palette of greys and light browns that contrast with the brightly coloured sets. They appear to be ill-prepared for the experience. The knowledge of how to be media savvy is long yet to be developed. Somewhere along the line we became more media aware, with the confidence to speak, dress and move in the way expected and required by Ant and Dec! The contestants may no longer be dressing themselves but, if this is indeed the case, they look comfortable in the retrofit clothes provided by the stylists. People appearing on TV no longer appear out of place or like they are participating in a disconcerting or traumatic adventure to the unknown. They appear to know what they are doing. It is like we are now media trained as a routine part of our normal social process. In the 1980s game shows in particular and a little in the game shows of the 90s, there is still something of the wonderment in what is described as the presence of ordinary people in the media. It is as if both the contestants and the viewers are surprised that they are a part of what is happening. They respond accordingly. This is no longer the case, the wonderment has passed, contestants today look increasingly like they belong – and the viewers are not surprised to see them there.
These old TV game shows are not the type of documents or artefacts that might usually be used by those interested in understanding social change, but there is definitely something of a rich vein of cultural heritage as far as being an audio and visual account of these times can be. I remember once visiting an art installation by a chap I went to college with that simply included a TV showing a short loop of an old game show based around a variety of pub games. I didn't think anything much of it at the time but now I wonder if by its lack narrative or text, was he inviting the visitor to reflect back on this historical artefact? Knowing him, I'd say the good money is on the fact that he was just pissing about and I'm reading far too much into it. But it does go to show that these old TV game shows tell surprising stories and reveal something of the time. These are audio and visual documents that depict a real and clear social change. There is definitely more to be said, but for the moment they certainly seem to say something about aspiration and how we have become increasingly media savvy.

Till next time.
Big love. Mark. X

The best DJ you've (probably) never heard of #10: Armin Schmelz.

With one thing and another, I've been TERRIBLY lax with posting on the blog over the last few months. What with life, and my crippling lethargy, seemingly constantly getting in the way of things it's been an absolute 'mare getting something, ANYTHING cobbled together for it!
Well, I've had my hand somewhat serendipitously forced on this one. I had been planning to write something about this guy for a while now but seeing as he's only recently recorded the latest installment in the ever wonderful 'Krossfingers' podcast series I figured I may as well put this out now. I've posted a couple of Armin's mixes and radio shows over the last couple of years across on the Thoughts on Love And Smoking Facebook group but as I say, had been intending on doing a small focus piece on him for some time.
Armin Schmelz is something of a musical enigma. A long time, and equally important name on the Vienna scene co-organizing events and parties like Erdbahnkreuzer and Tingel Tangel, alongside previous TOLAS podcast contributor Bernhard Tobola.
From the first recording I'd heard of him, it was clear that he had little concern about sticking to one style of music or a certain genre. In a scene where it's becoming increasingly rare these days to find individuals who have a bold approach towards dance music, those pushing genuinely genre-defying DJ-ing are worth they're weight in black plastic.
He sometimes forays into the psychedelic, sometimes into the electronic. Percussion drifts from remote islands and rises up to touch tender discosoul in a cinematic exploration of the slower heart rates of danceable music. Each stage and its environs carefully define a new tone and set to his voyages into the mysterious.
Moving deftly from angular disco cuts and frantic techno to NY post punk-funk and coldwave in wild selections of un-chained melodies while also rounding up elements of continental pop and electronics.
Listen, then seek him out. Armin Schmelz is MOST DEFINITELY the real deal.







Till next time.
Big love. Mark. X

Feynman at 100.

This weekend marks what would be the 100th birthday of legendary American physicist Richard P. Feynman. In a world in which many people think of the socially awkward Sheldon Cooper in the television show The Big Bang Theory as being a typical scientist, Feynman was the quite the opposite. And he should be remembered as one of the most brilliant and impactful physicists of the 20th century.
The public met him in his 1985 book Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman, in which he regaled the reader with anecdotes of a colorful and well-enjoyed life. Feynman was a bon vivant, with an affinity for samba music, art, strip clubs and playing the bongos. He was also a successful ladies' man.
There are those who have claimed that he was sexist, but the truth is subtler. He encouraged his sister to study physics, he advocated for both male and female students, and in the 1970s he supported a fellow female faculty member who he felt had been discriminated against due to gender. (She won her lawsuit in part due to his backing.) He certainly was a product of his time, but his attitudes towards women were not unusual for the era.
Feynman was certainly one of the most brilliant scientific minds of the 20th century, with an impact eclipsed perhaps only by Einstein. He was born in Queens, New York, to immigrant parents. His advanced academic life began when he attended college at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, followed by graduate study at Princeton University, where he achieved a perfect score on the physics entrance exams. The bulk of his career was spent at Cornell University and California Institute of Technology.
His incredibly fertile mind generated many innovative ideas in physics, but his most renowned work was in helping to craft the theory of Quantum Electro Dynamics, or QED. QED is an advanced theory of electromagnetism and it incorporates quantum mechanics and Einstein's theory of special relativity. This esoteric theory explains the behavior of subatomic particles under extreme conditions and is the fundamental underpinning of all modern physics theories. It was originally formulated in 1948 by a coterie of theoretical physicists.
Feynman made many important technical additions to the theory, but probably his most impactful contribution was what are now called Feynman diagrams. Feynman diagrams are just little cartoons that show how subatomic particles interact. Basically, they are little stick figures, the simplest of which show two particles approaching one another, then one of them shoots a third particle at the other, and then both particles recoil and move off in a different direction.
The brilliance behind Feynman diagrams is that each line in the stick figure comes with an associated mathematical equation. And now that means that anybody can draw a series of these cartoons for any imagined subatomic interaction and then a sufficiently trained scientist could convert the diagrams to equations and then solve them. Certainly, Feynman diagrams made it much easier to learn this very advanced physics for me and others of my generation.
Feynman's contribution to the development of QED led to the 1965 Nobel Prize in physics, shared with Julian Schwinger and Shinichiro Tomonaga.
Feynman's ability to simplify and clarify ideas are exemplified in what are now called the Feynman Lectures. These lectures were given in 1961 -- 1963 at Caltech and are perhaps the most famous set of pedagogical physics presentations ever given. The intended audience is physics students and not casual scholars, but they are fascinating reading and well worth your time if you want to learn physics from the master.
He also served on the Rogers Commission, which investigated the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. The Challenger exploded shortly after it launched on a cold January day. Although seriously ill with cancer, Feynman wanted to get to the bottom of the tragedy. It was suggested to him by people with technical knowledge of the engineering of the space shuttle that O-ring gaskets used to seal joints between shuttle components were not tested at low temperatures. During a televised hearing, Feynman -- who always had a flair for the dramatic -- dipped a sample O-ring in ice water and then showed that it lost its ability to seal cracks. It was eventually concluded that O-ring failure was the root cause of the loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger, along with the entire crew.
Reading of Feynman's free-wheeling life can be fun, but that's not what he was really about. Instead, his true legacy can be found in his writings, both technical and those aimed at the community of non-scientists. It might be said that his guiding principle was to seek the truth, whatever it might be, and to be open to the idea that you might be wrong. Perhaps he said it most succinctly in his essay, Cargo Cult Science. He wrote that "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." It's a good, timely reminder for all of us.

Till next time.
Big love. Mark X

We hate it when our friends become successful. (And if they're Northern, that makes it even worse!)

Forriner is the new handle for Newcastle's very own Lee Forster and Oli Warriner. The pair, perhaps better known for their individual projects, Last Waltz and Traela, have now joined forces and are working under this brand new, box fresh moniker. Lee was responsible for the now infamous 'Dada' parties he ran alongside Geoff “Man Power” Kirkwood and Mick Rolfe (also of Last Waltz) which brought a spectacularly diverse guest DJ’s to the city during its lifetime. The likes of Chida, Kento, Felix Dickinson and I-F to name a handful, all touched down at some point at the raucous, and now legendary parties. The three of them have since gone on to play clubs, festivals and parties far and wide, home and abroad, from Tel Aviv, Berlin, Lithuania, and Croatia. Lee has also held down a longstanding residency at Tokyo in Newcastle for over 15 years and been pivotal to the scene in the north east from way, way back with involvement in pretty much every other club in the area that was worth its salt, with his name attached to the likes of Reverb, Method Lounge, Hipcheck and Hold It Down.
Back in 2014, Oli, finding himself increasingly tired of the run of the mill club nights in the city, began the running and organising of a series of secret parties which would later develop into the record label he owns today. Tunnyl Records is an amalgamation of the many different avenues Oli takes his influence from, not being bound by specific genres or confined to one style. This bold outlook gave him freedom to contact artists and release music brought to his attention through word of mouth and hard work as opposed to those riding current trends and hype.
Which brings us slap bang up to date! After meeting each other through their contributions to the Newcastle music scene and having successfully put out solo material on heavyweights such as ESP Institute, Mule Musiq, Let’s Play House, Tusk Wax and Hhatri, the duo decided to recently combine as Forriner. Their first releases for Futureboogie Recordings and Man Power’s MeMeMe have seen them off to a strong start picking up airplay on BBC Radio 1. Now, the pair have decided to start their own record label - Forriner Music. The ethos of the label being to always move forward, always releasing music that they like, outside of conventional genre boundaries. And that's enough to get us here at TOLAS excited!

The Condor EP is the first release from their brand new imprint, 'Forriner Music' The release features two Forriner originals and collects remixes from underground heavyweights, Perseus Traxx and Frank Butters which you can stream below.




You can follow Forriner on Facebook, here.
You can follow Forriner on Soundcloud, here.

Till next time.
Big love. Mark. X

Man(kind) Power.

Good news, people! As humanity slips further down the universal U-bend it's always thoroughly bloody brilliant when there's even the tiniest speck of hope that not everyone you know is an utter shithouse. My mate, Fat Geoff who has made a career from being a middlingly talented record producer and aggressively average DJ is releasing a compilation album made up of tracks by infinity more talented, and better looking, people than him (I've heard the whole record so I can vouch for that!)
Now that alone is good news for music lovers but to make it double lovely, the whole thing has been a long-gestating project to help refugee charities, so you should DEFINITELY ruch out and buy it as soon as it's out. As a bonus I’m assured that he gets nowt from it as he’s an awful, awful bastard. X

The album will be available from the 4th of May on Man Power's most excellent 'MeMeMe' label

Till next time.
Big love. Mark. X

Thoughts On Love And Smoking Podcast #19: Bernhard Tobola.

Bernhard Tobola is something of a legend in certain circles. He's long been a fixture of the Vienna scene, co-organizing events and parties like Erdbahnkreuzer, Tingel Tangel, Cosmic Serpent, Walden and Parken. His DJ sets surf a hedonistic wave on the edge of Italo Disco, Cosmic Disco and Acid House. Regularly playing on the likes of Amsterdam's Red Light Radio and guesting at Sameheads and the Comp Cosmic festival in Germany. I came across a handful of mixes of his a few years back while trawling through Soundcloud and he's been a firm favourite of mine since.
Now, after much haranguing and persuasion he's kindly taken the time out to put a selection together for the TOLAS podcast series and it certainly doesn't disappoint!

"What can we expect from a Bernhard Tobola set?" The DJ draws us a picture.

"An Italian night at the end of a summer day in the eighties. People arrive at the lake Garda in their Citroen DS's. The trees are decorated with syringes and the DJs playing some weird electronica mix from a booth, shaped like a space ship."

Well, this is it. Tune in and let them take you to a starlit beach where the cocktails are always cold and the Milky Way shines brightly overhead. This ones a killer!



Follow Bernhard on Soundcloud HERE.
Follow Bernhard on Mixcloud HERE.

Till next time.
Big love. Mark. X

Thoughts On Love And Smoking Podcast #18: Kirsty P.

We've been a little remiss here at TOLAS for the last couple of months as far as our podcasts have been concerned, but now that Christmas, and January,,,, and a good chunk of February is out of the way we've given ourselves a good old boot up the rump and the gears are once again beginning to turn at the HQ. As such we thought we'd lay something extra special out for you this time round and we're pretty sure this mix fits the bill perfectly. 75 minutes of immaculately curated sonic goodness from a lady who's rapidly becoming one of our very favourite selectors, Kirsty P.
Kirsty has been making all the right noises of late with a handful of excellent podcasts for the likes of Something Spaceial, Serial Experiments, Esters as well as a stellar take for the NSA mix series which featured in our best of 2017 list. As a result Kirsty has been collecting an increasingly busy gig schedule as a result playing around the country as well as further afield. You can catch Kirsty on the 28th of April up in Edinburgh for Finitribe Presents, then at the mighty Alfresco Festival at the end of May.
But first things first! Dig into this beauty and lose yourself to the world of wild rhythms. X



Till next time.
Big love. Mark. X