Sad news....

Unfortunatley, i have been informed a larger than life character of the rave scene has had his life cut short and is no longer with us.

Lee, aka Geordiniho or the big geordie with the baseball cap was found dead last weekend.

I met Lee a year or so ago when he lost his mobile at Raindance, i picked it up and called his mum at silly o'clock and let her know i had his phone. 

In a couple of days we met up and he and his phone were reunited.

Since that day, at every party i've played that Lee was at, he'd always come and say hello, always smiling having the time of his life and every now and again i'd get a crazy text or joke from Lee, they always made me chuckle !

It makes me sad that when there are so many arseholes in this world, the good guys who bring so much joy and happiness, that enjoy being alive and don't cause any harm to anyone are taken away.

Lee, you'll be missed buddy, this world is a much sadder place without you, wherever you are, i hope your happy and your smiling ear to ear, just like every time i've seen you......

3:12 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Tonight, 05/04.07 live on www.harddance.net

All aboard, all aboard !!

It's time once again to jump on the good ship hard dance for a 3 hour journey of hard dance, hardcore and freeform.

This week we welcome 2 http://www.harddance.net" target="_blank">www.harddance.net virgins, Alex Mac and Zeebra-Kid.

Fresh from their opening set at Chemistry, these boys know just how to shake a room and we know they're gonna rattle and shake your PC speakers till they fall on the floor in a twisted molten mess !

So prepare yourself for an hour and a half ride of hard dance and hard trance brought to you by Alex Mac vs Zeebra Kid

For the last hour and a half, Mark Ashley will be taking you on a Freeform and Hardcore journey with some old favourites and a selection of blistering tracks fresh out of the studio.

As always, you can contact the studio live via the http://harddance.net/chat/chat.php#" target="_blank">online chatroom or using msn, imontheradio@hotmail.com

To tune in:

Broadband users http://212.113.5.90:8624/listen.pls

Dark age modem users http://212.113.5.90:8670/listen.pls

Set times: 20:00 – 21:30 Alex Mac vs Zeebra Kid

21:30 – 23:00 – Mark Ashley 

9:02 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

It's my birthday !!!

Saturday 31st of March is my birthday, i just want to say thankyou to everyone who has dropped by with good wishes...

For those of you that know me, are in the same country and can get to London easily, i will be at Hidden tonight (30th) and then Brighton tomorrow.

If you can get to Hidden b4 midnight it's free, have made no plans to go clubbing in Brighton yet, think i am going to find a pub and get well pissed, gonna stay down there the night so i don't have to drive !

So hopefully, at some point over the weekend i will see some of you, for those that i don't, have a fantastic weekend and i'll see you out there in raveland somewhere !!

Stay safe, and don't take anything your mates haven't tried first !

12:28 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Set times for tonights show - 8th Feb 2007

Set times for tonight as follows:

20:00 - 21:00 - Matt Style - Electro beatz to make ya move ya feet !!!

21:00 - 22.30 - Hoopz vs Daddy Old Skool - Hard Dance Grooves, pay attention fools !

22.30 - 23:00 - Mark Ashley - Freeform Biznizz to Rock Ya Shiznitz !

Maximum effect studio crew inside, make some noise, one more for the ride !!!

This is gonna go off, expect full studio craziness, drinking madness, smoking silliness and lyrical badness...

www.harddance.net - The Only Station For A Harder Generation !!!

10:08 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

First live show of 2007 on www.harddance.net - Thursday 8th Feb !

4:29 AM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

And So the fun begins !

I went for a brief wander around Kristansand, unfortunately it was pouring with rain which made the prospect of a stroll around town not too welcome. What I did see of the town seemed very nice, I'll check it out a bit more when I come back, hopefully very soon….

Myself and Kev left the hotel about 21.30 and headed to that fantastic and well known establishment for shit food, McDonalds. Yet again my food was disgusting and I actually felt physically sick after consuming such rubbish. It seems that eating healthy food, when I eat at all, has had an effect on my body in that I am no longer able to tolerate junk food without some kind of stomach cramp. Therefore, from this moment on I swear never to eat a McJunk Food sandwich again, or anything else from their menu.

I will however still eat a Wimpy as their burgers are cooked fresh and taste very nice !

So after eating said horrible meal, we headed back to the hotel to hook up with the rest of the gang, when we arrived the gang were in reception fired up and ready to party.

After a few vodkas back in my room we all headed to the club which was opposite where we were staying. As I mentioned before I think, the club used to be outdoor so there are trees growing inside, and I have since found out that the roof retracts so that outdoor feel is retained, marvellous…

My earliest memory of the club was downing Sambuca shots with Marie at the very start of the night. Not only was Marie number one smoking buddy, she had now become number 1 drinking buddy too and, yet again, I am pretty sure she drunk me under the table, nice work !!!

I don't remember too much about playing my set as half way through someone gave me a chocolate that was made of magic mushrooms, toward the end of my set everything went a bit west, I couldn't really see or hear shit so I handed my headphones over to Kev and went for a wander around the club.

The rest of my night was spent behaving like a 5 year old child who just opened up an amazing present and was unable to contain their excitement, to say I was a little hyper would be the understatement of the year !

From what I can remember I was dancing on podiums, swinging people around and hanging off one of the trees, another Englishman doing his country proud…

Hopefully I didn't annoy anyone, I don't think i did and am happy that is the memory I have !

After leaving the club it was all back to ours for more drink and chilling which we did, I can safely say, with great enthusiasm !

I woke that morning at about 9 with the worst headache I have ever had, there is no point writing about the journey home, it was hard work, I felt like shit and would much rather of stayed in my bed….

I have never been to Norway and having now been, I would very much like to go back. The people who we stayed with, Freddie, Anita, Tanya, Marie, Helge and the big fella were so friendly and welcoming, they made me feel like we had been friends for years.

So please, if your ever stuck for a DJ and are happy to have a crazy Englishman full of energy bouncing about your town then please, call me, I'll be there in a flash !!!!

Last but by no means least, I have to give a special mention to Marie. You drunk and smoked me under the table and that takes some doing, you are a legend and I hope to see you again soon, I'll start practising now and maybe the next time we meet I might give you a run for your money !!!

6:36 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Norway rocks !

SNOW SNOW ICE AND SNOW...

It's everywhere here !

Bit of  a traumatic journey out here, due to the M25 being a bag of shite around the dartford tunnel area and some wingnut crashing their car, we missed our flights.....

Undeterred we managed to purchase 2 new flights to a place called Torp where our host Freddy and his brother helge, (i hope that's how you spell it) came to pick us up and take us to a litte ski resort used more by fellow Norwegains than horrid tourists much like me !

Upon our arrival we met the rest of the gang, Freddies girlfrined Anita and two othe girls, Tania and Marie and last but by nomeans least the life and soul of the party, a huge guy who's name i'm not going to even try and spell but will refer to as the big fella, and what a lovely bloke too !

Oh yeah, i also forgot to mention Chanel, the 2 month old mutant kitten with 7 toes on each foot, crazy cat !

So, we arrived, we drank, i got stoned and everything went swimmingly ending at five in the morning with me, comatosed on a surprisingly comfortable sofa.

Woke up about half nine to get up and go snowboarding, me, Freddy, Helge and the big fella.. It was absolutely chucking it down with snow, ideal when most of Europe is getting bugger all snow !

Had a great day playing in the white stuff, would have played longer but due to visibility and bad weather, the lift bods shut the best lift, we were quite happy to go up there but the lift people were not so keen.

So we headed home and cracked into some beers, sorted ourselves out and chilled till the girls and Kev came back, Kev has bust his foot so he couldn't board, instead he went swimming with three gorgeous women, what a hard life he has !

Had the most fantastic meal, peppered beef and Potato Gratin with some boiled veg too, i beleive it was Anita and the big fella that cooked it, was soooo nice and i ate bloody loads which is most unlike me !

Spent the rest of the evening drinking and getting stoned, was brilliant being in a nice warm cabin in the mountains getting completely hammered while outside it was about minus 8 snowing like it was going out of fashion !

At this point i would like to give a massive shout to Marie, you properly smoked me under the table good and proper, i salute you !

Woke up this morning on the other sofa, no real hangover which was good though my mouth did taste like sandpaper !

We left fairly early as we had a radio show to appear on (very rock and roll) so packed up our stuff, jumped in the car and off we went, i slept for more or less the entire journey and was woken up about 5 mins before we were due on air, nothing like being fresh and prepared !

At some point the night before, Kev and i decided it would be a great idea to have a game on live on air, we wrote a list of ridiculous words we had to say in the interview, my favorite was goat hugging closely followed by kerfuffle and flunge pummler, almost all got a mention in there somewhere and niether of us laughed till we left, we're such pro's !

So now (17:20) i am sitting in my hotel room listening to my good friend Laith belt out some classic trance on unite radio whilst i write this up. Myself, Freddy and Kevin all went over to check out the club we are playing it, it's called Kick and is in a town called Kristiansand, http://www.kickcafe.no/main.php?page=&id=&sound=&nlid= is a link to the club if you want to take a look...

The club part used to be an outdoor restaurant that opened in the summer only, now they have put a roof on it and it is a club all year round, the thing i liked about it most is the trees that are growing in the middle of the dancefloor, brilliant !

Well, i'm going to take a wander out to the town and see what Kristiansand is all about, then i'll try and find something to smoke, pass out and be ready to party for about ten !

I'll post up pics of my adventures when i get back to blighty.

Take care kids, and don't take anything your friends haven't tried first ...

Uncle Mark.

7:39 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

The adventure to Norway begins !

Woo hoo !!!

It's Thursday which means i'm going to Norway, brilliant !

Snowboarding and playing records, what better way to recover from all the chrimbo craziness !

If any one actually reads this and is interested, i will post up a blow by blow account of the trips events, not just for your entertainment but so as i don't forget !

I'm so excited to be surrounded by snow, it's the craziest thing to see, mountains and mountains covered in snow, breathtaking....

Bon voyage !

1:47 AM - 3 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Ho fucking ho....

Well, another christmas comes and goes, and so does another new year....

What good came out of this christmas ? Pauline Fowler copping it i would say was the highlight of the season, best thing to happen to that show since the miserable east end witches mother Lou died some time ago...

I avoided all chrimbo TV this year in favour of going to work and watching movies at my desk instead, something i can safely say i did very well, i got paid to watch movies and saved 3 days of my annual leave in the process, fantastic.

New years has been an interesting experience, spent in the company of a traditional Cornishman and his wife who heralds from Tooting, quite a difference in culture as you can imagine but much fun i can assure you.

After driving to Liskeard at breakneck speed on Saturday morning we arrived in good time for the christening with about 20 mins to spare. By far the best christening i have ever been to, the whole process was over and done with in 20 mins, 1 child (Flynn) who behaved like an angel, a flock of about 30 who sang nothing like angels and a vicar who wanted to get it all over and done with far quicker than any of us did or expected, a man to be applauded !

After eating some very nice food in the local village hall and leaving somewhat dissapointed as i still do not know who "Amigo" is , who was booked to play the hall that night, we headed back to our hosts for  drink and a mix...

Had a mix and beer, blah blah bah, onto New Years eve...

Woke up particularly late, about mid day, scuffed about that house and then sorted out an outfit for the evenings festivities. Went for a drive to the beach, far too cold to get out of the car so hung out in the car park back getting out, back in and then out again for free because the gate kept breakin,, then headed home for to get ready for the night. About ten in the evening, myself dressed as a surgeon and Lauren, the most stunning fairy i have ever seen jumped in the car with Dave, Caroline and Matt and headed out. First stop was Looe, every new year the village and surrounding area's don fancy dress of all shapes and sizes and drink themselves into oblivion, gather at the sea wall for midnight (some fall off and spend new year in casualty), watch the midnight firework display, drink some more, break some stuff and sleep it off. Having been nominated "driver" for the evening, no such fun for me. I have to say it was a mental expereince and i wouldn't change it for the world, even tho me and my girlfriend were fucking freezing it was a very funny and i'm glad i got to see it with my own eyes.

Left there and headed to plymouth for my ever changing start time DJ set with local Freeform legend, DJ T.E.R.M. Arrived in good time minus my surgeons outfit, just stepping up was Alex Stromtrooper, had he been there on time it would have been me stepping up there but not to worry. Alex played a blinder despite the most ridiculous MC i have ever heard, a cross between Storm with a very bad cold, Livlee and any jungle MC you fancy, jibbering at the top of his voice over every cue point or breakdown, we did fuck about with the mic pitch at the end of Alex's set and turned him into a chipmunk which was quite funny.

Probably wasn't the best idea, he was big and i suspect he owns a pit bull...

So myself and Martin step up to the decks as does jibbering  MC, don't get me wrong, i like MC's but i prefer ones that know when to shut up and ones that realise it's not a batlle between the MC and the volume of the music, turned down said MC a number of times only for him to turn himself back up again, that kind of thing rarely happens in London, most places you can't reach the mixer from the dancefloor handily ! 

Had a fantastic time playing b2b with Martin even tho the MC and his mate felt the urge to screech so much that i couldn't actually hear myself mix, if you are reading this Mr and Mrs  MC's , next time you MC to a set, have a bit of thought for the music and the person trying to mix, it's not just about shouting over the top of the music so everyone can hear your voice, if it was all about the MC there wouldn't be any music....

We left the club and went back to Martins for tea and balloons, massive respect to Martin and his wife Martine for looking after us, your house and friends are the bollocks !

Shortly after arriving, a cup of tea and a very interesting cake i bailed, lightweight....

Woke up and it was time to go so we left and went back to Liskeard for tea, smoke and sleep, woke up the next day and headed home.

Just hit the M3 and bang, blow out on the front drivers side. Pull over (at 21:45) to change the wheel and can't get the locking wheel nut off, called the AA and they couldn't get it off either so headed to a 24 hr workshop where the very nice man proceeded to drill the fucking thing off, got home at four this morning and slept thru my alarm for work, they were cool about it considering the trauma i had been through, and, despite all the fucking about on the way home i kept to my promise and didn't smoke a single ciggarette. I did however smoke 15 crack pipes and am flying as we speak..

Well, i have nothing else much to write other than my new years has been the most memorable in many years. Dave and Caroline, if you are readiing this then thank you so much for looking after us, Martin and Martine, legends, hope to see you soon and Lauren, i love you loads, hope ths is the first of many !

Stay safe kids and don't take anything your friends haven't tried first !

Uncle Mark...  

4:30 PM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

It'sbeen a while

Well, it's been a while since my last blog, so much has happened, recently i have been kidnapped by a pigmy tribe who reside just north of Brixtonia, they kidnapped me as they were under the impression i am some sort of demi god, how dissapointed were they when the truth finally emerged that in fact no, i am not a demi god at all, just a bloke who wears silly hats and plays music to tranced out clubbers at silly o'clock in the morning. 

Got some great gigs coming up, Friday the 13th i will be playing Swamp at 414, aptly named as the club is a bit of a murky affair not that dis-similar to an actual Swamp, then on Sunday the 15th i will be playing at that prestigous venue known as the George IV for the "don't wanna go home yet" crew, some dance, some sleep on the sofa's, the rest just wander about aimlessly taking anything that is thrust into their hands, flashing lights and loud music do that to you....

October the 20th sees the launch of the Elevate album at Hidden in Vauxhall, Freeformation vs Love Muzik, a night of proper carnage,if you fancy coming along and need tickets drop me a line and i can sort something out.

I'm in the studio in the next couple of weeks with Eryk "The BFG" Orpheus, some crazy dark Freeform bizness...

Well, that's all i can be bothered to write, as soon as something funny happens i will be sure to post it up on here.

Have fun, stay safe and don't take anything your mates haven't tried first.

Peace ! 

12:08 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment