Here’s a handful of tunes playing on our on site iPod at the moment.

What’s playing on yours???

Chalk it down in the scribble box…

1. Don’t forget your shovel if you want to go to work – Christy Moore (just make sure its long handled)

2. JCB Song – Nizlopi (holding up the bypass)

3. The hole in the ground – Bernard Cribbins (Clients. God love ‘em!)

4. Sixteen tonnes – Louis Neefs (not forgetting our handsome remuneration package)

5. No Diggity – Blackstreet (a recessionary anthem)

6. Erikah Badu – Back in the Day (Word!)

7. Car Wash – Rose Royce (its better than digging a ditch)

8. Troglodyte (Cave Man) – The Jimmy Castor Bunch (we’re going back, way back, back into time)

9. Hurt – Jonny Cash (and to finish off, a sad tale of archaeological substance abuse)

PS. Aqua (Dr. Jones) and Mock Turtles (Can you dig it?) have been ruled out on a technicality. They’re shite.

Boom Box image from HERE – Blast from the past by Edwordup.

In no particular order, scroll through to whatever takes your fancy – or alternatively click play and dig in for the day (we’ve cued up over 24 hours of music…)

It might not get you rich, but its better than digging a ditch…

Enjoy!

Dear:

Thanks for your letter. Sounds like you’re living the way you wanted, and that makes me smile. No I hadn’t heard Bjorn Borg retired – thank God one of us has a finger on an sporting pulse! No records left to collect you complain? Well… Borg, Brolin and an unknown tennis trainer released something recently. No doubt your contacts in the Stockholm underworld can source that gem!

Got back the other day to find the pub on the corner had been burnt down (a dark London street story that I won’t burden you with now – determined as I am to write you some life affirming shit and not drag you an a regular trawl through the night seas to find what crawls). And Yet, I know they’re casting their lots to see who can get the old pubs lease and turn it into more luxury flats. Brick by brick the infiltration has begun. I feel moved enough to take a spray can to the boarding – but can’t think of anything witty or on point enough to be up there…

And yet the drunkards still own the park. D’s still there in your old flat making beats and still owns the night. While this street can still shape shift and make you quicken your pace on a late night return so…  I suppose we still have time.

But make no mistake my friend I’m sure some barricade somewhere has started calling.

I’m so sorry we missed each other when you last came to town. I heard from Ndeye you sat with her telling stories for three hours as she put some extensions in a client’s hair. She told me about Cuba, cigars and sacred drums; of arguments in bars, Dante, the color of christ and the only true poet. The south China seas; we remembered Fa Yung the Buddhist master – ‘how can we obtain truth through words?’ When she quoted your – ‘immature writer’s plagiarise, mature writers steal’ – I was back in a bar in New York lower east side when you shouted that at… maybe it was yourself, maybe I wasn’t there, maybe it’s slipped down between the years. My memory isn’t exactly all that now. But my friend, you definitely have a convert there, and if you ever need your hair braiding (and I know that’s a long shot) then she’s your girl. As my man Scratch or maybe Rakim or maybe Monk… more probably all of them at some stage said: You gotta check the new style! I’m assuming you are still running an Old Testament blades to hair ratio, and it hasn’t fallen rudely out on you. If that’s the scenario ‘ then my sincerest apologies.

Saw Mr. Brennan in the Holloway road yesterday. Walked past with a bag of potatoes on his shoulders. I didn’t stop him – he wouldn’t have a clue who I was. He didn’t back then, even when we’d spent month’s sleeping on his sofa explaining which one of his son’s friends we were. Well that’s the price you pay for any more than six children in the Holloway road area!

I think of you often, and hope we see each other again as soon as is possible. Until such time: may the winds be at your back, the dice be kind, and the Gods turn the occasional blind eye.

Sincerely yours,
beyond the clouds,
beyond the sun.
The rebel without a cause.

Out tonight?

One to slap on, when you’re slapping your slap on.

Rancho Relaxo Volume 2 by diggingthedirt

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1. Eddie Izzard – A Series of Small Walls

Surreal, rambling, eccentric monologues a specialty. Eddie Izzard turns his attention to Time Team…

2. Mary Wells – Satisfaction

Mary Wells – The First Lady of Motown – kicks us off in flying form, with a cover the Stones classic: Satisfaction.

3. Ananda Shanker – Jumping Jack Flash

Ananda Shanker takes up the baton with this number from his self-titled 1970 Album. Jumpin’ Jack Flash – a cult classic.

4. Mohammed Rafi – Jaan Pehchaan Ho

Mohammed Rafi takes us to Bollywood, with this rock infused monster of a tune.

5. No Diggin Ere

A classic scene from the eerie vintage short-film adaptation of the M.R James Story, ‘A warning to the Curious’.

6. Noveltones – Left Bank

This tune originally composed by Wayne Hill in 1963, and performed by a group of session musicians called ‘The Noveltones.’ Think Tony Hart – The Gallery. Soporific doesn’t do justice…

7. Sexteto Electronico Moderno – The Look of Love

1967 – A nightclub in Montevideo and the groovy sounds of Sexteto Electronico Moderno...

8. Milt Buckner – The Beast

From 1956 – Milt Buckner, keyboard player in Lionel Hampton’s Big band, rises to the occasion with this from his own short lived band.

9. Martin Freeman – Time Team Spoof

What’s wrong with Coventry anyway?

10. The Special A.K.A (What I like most about you) Is your girlfriend

By late 1981, constant touring and ‘musical differences’ saw The Specials original lineup split. Terry Hall’s side went ‘Fun Boy Three’ whilst Jerry Dammers, founder of the Two Tone label became ‘The Special AKA.’ ‘What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend’ became Dammers’ last record on the label he set up. Epic.

11. Jona Lewie – You’ll always find me in the kitchen at a party

This one recently got an airing on well-known furniture retailers advert, but was originally released on Stiff Records – a 1980 synthpop hit for Jona Lewie. Also playing in the background during The Young Ones episode ‘party’ …

12. The Young Ones – do you dig graves?

Certainly do.

13. Alif Tree – Enough

Alif Tree – A French DJ known for eclectic samples and deep grooves. This one from the Album ‘French Cuisine’.

14. Nicola Conte – Arabesque

Nicola Conte, a classically-trained musician and DJ, is best known for his innovative production drawing on Italian film scores melodies of the 1960’s, easy listening, and ethnic Indian music.

15. Eddie Kendricks – He’s a friend

Lead singer with The Temptations, this solo offering from the 70s hits the spot big time. we’re going disco!

16. El Coco – Let’s get together

El Coco was a disco group for producers W. Michael Lewis and Laurin Rinder – former 60s and 70s hard rockers, caught up in the Disco scene, this one goes forever….

17. Armstrong and Miller – Time Team Spoof

Bang on the money.

18. Grimethorpe Colliery Band – Indiana Jones

This one from the brass band originally formed by coal miners, as featured in the now film Brassed Off. Now that’s a good bit o brass!

19. Williams Fairey Brass band – Pacific 202

The Williams Fairey Brass Band was involved in Jeremy Deller’s Acid Brass project, based on fusing the music of a traditional brass band with acid house and Detroit techno. Amongst other projects, this earned him a Turner prize. here they play the 808 State Classic.

20. Donna Summer – I Feel Love

What else is there to say? She’s so hot right now.

21. Cerrone – Supernature

Cerrone – a French European disco drummer, singer and music producer born in Paris. Based in Paris, Cerrone recorded, composed and performed his solo debut “Love In C Minor”, immediately shocking audiences with its erotic flavour and controversial cover, which was soon to be a Cerrone trademark. That, is a look!

22. Lil’ Louis – French Kiss

Lil Louis is the stage name used by Chicago-born house music producer and DJ Louis Burns. His best known song, “French Kiss,” featured vocals by Shawn Christopher and spent two weeks at #1 on the dance chart in 1989.

23. Dschinghis Khan – Mouskau

Dschinghis Khan (Pronounced “Jingis” Khan) was a German pop band, created in 1979 to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest. This to finish us off…

Mi Casa Tu Casa…

RanchoRelaxo1 by diggingthedirt

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1. The Day Today – Chris Morris
2. Peter Gunn – Henry Mancini
3. El Bimbo – Santo & Jonny
4. Ramblin – Sexteto Electronico Moderno
5. Vespucci – BBC Radiophonic Workshop
6. Has Been – William Shatner
7. Fuoco Fauto – Nicola Conte (Koop Remix)
8. The Walkin Blues – Jesse Powell Orchestra & Fluffy Hunter
9. (Oh Baby) I Believe I’m Losing You – Billy Hawkes
10. So Grown Up – Dirty Diggers feat Nostalgia 77
11. Go away Little Boy – Marlena Shaw
12. Prayer – Lizzy Parks
13. Quiet Dawn – Nostalgia 77
14. Airport – Dzihan & Kamien
15. I feel fine – Moodymann
16. That Night – Jazzanova (Wahoo Remix)
17. One track lover – Matt Berry

2004: THE beach party.
2005: Casino Monte Carlo.
2006: Viva Las Vegas.
2007: Defied classification.
2008: Roller Disco.
2009: …Metal!

We’re talking hot funk, cold punk and old junk. It’s the party that put’s the ‘n’ into Metal. Think Mad Max meets Come Dancing. On Ice. With ear muffs.

Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.

PS. Did I mention the Air guitar competition?

Thanks to Jonski for the photos.

For one star-spangled night of dance-floor chaos, we’re transforming our gaff into a roller disco. Yes, you heard that right. It’s a Goddam Godzilla showdown of epic proportions, and you, my esteemed archaeological colleagues, are all invited to check out the spandex. There’s a flyer attached, with a phone number and details. Our wheels will be well oiled from about 8ish. Come later and they’ll be very well oiled.

Yeah!

Thanks to Krystof for the photos.

The occasion? Several hundred European archaeologists landing in town as Cork played host to the EAA conference. The idea? Viva Las Vegas! We transformed the hostel for one night into a glitzy casino, seedy Vegas motel and soul food kitchen, all sound-tracked by three rooms of music playing the best of soul, funk, groove, hip-hop, disco, breaks, electro and whatever else is cool but unclassifiable. An army of Djs too numerous to mention, and how many parties have you been to recently who can boast their own resident chef?

It’s a fact. Archaeologists have always had a passion for fassion and the dress code is unequivacal: dress to excess or come in character. Gangster chic, Elvis impersonator or washed-up divorcee blowing her alimony on one dollar slot machines…