You know that summer is here when One Step Beyond blasts out from the flats opposite.

At the beginning of 2009, in the depths of recessionary gloom (part one), Pete Gooding and I started DJing every Thursday at The Player in Soho. That very first night, in the depths of a particularly unfriendly January, we decided we should make a record to go with the club night; a collaboration that reflected our mutual interests and shared backgrounds; something we would both like to play at bars and parties. Now, in May 2010, at the beginning of more promising summer, Pete is off to Ibiza to live, the night at the bar is turning into something else with me and special guests and, to complete the circle, the test pressing for that record that we were talking about all that time ago has finally arrived. OK, it took a while. Well, actually, it’s taken ages. But we have managed to make it. In fact there are two songs on there – The Player and Night Dance and it is, by all accounts, in it’s own small way, a rather good thing.

Championes!

today, today, it’s all about the boy… …and the burning youthful energy, and the looking forward, and the poetry… “Remember – if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”

We went East to Chance Street to see Anthony’s giant ball of elastic bands. By the time we arrived the beer had run out so everyone was leaving. But at least we got to play with the hand-cranked drum machine.