UK deep house label Lucky Sun Recordings have just released their ‘Lucky Sun Recordings, Sound of The Sun Vol 2’ compilation. In the latest instalment of our Show & Tell series, we chat with label boss and recording artist Tom Lown about his interests outside of music.
Another Planet by Tracey Thorn
I’ve chosen this because I’ve just read it and really enjoyed it. This personal and funny book is about Tracey revisiting the suburb of Brookmans Park where she grew up. Only 13 miles away from where she now lives in North London but a completely different world. It features her hilariously banal diary entries from 1975 such as: “Went to Welwyn with Liz. Didn’t get anything except a bag of Kentucky chips”. “Liz and I went to Potters Bar in the afternoon to try to get her ears pierced, but she couldn’t”. And “Tried to go to the library but it was shut”!
Hiroshi Nagai
I wanted to include some art by Japanese artist Hiroshi Nagai, I love his style. West coast America, beaches, swimming pools, palm trees and minimalist architecture. He’s well known for album covers in the late 70’s – early 80s. Nagai was part of the ‘City Pop’ movement which was inspired by ‘Sunshine Pop’ music from California.
Banksy
On the subject of art, I had to mention Banksy who is obviously just brilliant. This video shows one of his paintings ‘The Girl with Balloon’ getting sold at Sotheby’s auction house for £1.04 million. As the hammer dropped, the painting automatically got fed through a shredder installed in the frame, shredding half of the work. The first time a piece of art had self-destructed!.
Louis Theroux & Jon Ronson – Grounded
Two of my favourite writers/documentary makers are Louis Theroux and Jon Ronson. Now the two have come together in this new podcast called ‘Grounded with Louis Theroux’ where Louis talks to an interesting selection of high-profile people. The first in the series is Jon Ronson, who is currently in lockdown.
The History Of The Amen Break
I know this is strictly meant to be a non-music section, but this is brilliant and really interesting so I hope it’s allowed! The video is all about the famous ‘Amen Break’, which was sampled from the b-side of a single called ‘Amen Brother’ by The Winstons (1969) and turned out to be the world’s most important 6-second drum loop. We all know what it sounds like and it has been used in thousands of tracks in such genres as early Hip Hop, Jungle/Drum’n’Bass and other breakbeat based dance music. The video will explain much more!
What I also think is really cool about this film, is that its actually made as part of an art installation, where the narration has been recorded onto a dubplate. The listener walks into the room, puts on the record and listens…
Lost At Sea – Jon Ronson
I had to mention his book ‘Lost At Sea’ which really sucked me in. It’s a collection of his various adventures. He spends time backstage on the TV show ‘Deal or No Deal’, revealing the unique, weird and wonderful way it works and the chemistry between the players. Another occasion sees him visiting Stanley Kubrick’s house, or ‘secret lair’ and exploring rooms full of untouched correspondence, films and other secrets. There are loads more brilliant stories included…
Brutalist Architecture
So ugly yet beautiful! These buildings always make me look twice. London’s Trellick Tower used to be a stand-out point on a regular journey I used to make. Culture Whisper has a selection of photos of some of London’s iconic brutalist architecture.
‘Lucky Sun Recordings, Sound of The Sun Vol 2′ is available on Beatport.
Lucky Sun Recordings are on Facebook and Soundcloud.