• Galaxy’s Greatest Comic: The Story of 2000AD

    October 4, 2016 - By 

    The story goes that the editors of 2000AD – British sci-fi institution and self-styled ‘The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic’ – chose its title thinking it would never see the millennia. Nigh on 40 years later it’s still in print, with this week seeing the release of its landmark 2000th issue, giving a perfect chance to reflect on its almost incalculable influence on the comics world and pop culture as a whole. When editor/writer Pat Mills was commissioned with creating a Star Wars cash-in in 1977, he saw it as a vehicle for his own brand of anti-authoritarian anarchy, enlisting fellow scribe John…

  • Shooting From The Hip: Meet Dublin’s Hipdrop Records

    September 1, 2016 - By 

    Hipdrop Records is a new Dublin label championing the often overlooked but always exciting sounds of Ireland’s funk, afrobeat and world music artists. With an obscenely talented opening camp of musicians and years hustling in event organisation we talked to co-founder Keith Fennell about changing the record, fun and family. Words by Eoghain Meakin. Photos by Lucy Foster. So what is Hipdrop records? How did it come about? Hipdrop Records is an independent label for Funk, Soul and World music setup by me and my long term business realist, Dan Whelan. The ethos of the label is in the name…

  • New Beginnings for the Innovative Block T

    February 3, 2016 - By 

    As recession turns into a gloomy memory of Dublin’s past, development designs once shelved are being retrieved across the city, including former visions of grandeur for Dublin 7’s Smithfield. Development brothers Joe and Patrick Linders stand poised to helm the projects along the storied streets, having bought up properties throughout the area since before the crash years ago. In 2011, Dublin City Council denied them their plans to demolish the old Irish Distillers HQ and turn it into a corporate high rise. Now five years later, with reformed plans in hand as well as debt relief from a 2014 refinancing…

  • The Chancer’s Guide To… Sebadoh

    August 14, 2013 - By 

    Are you constantly in need all powerful knowledge yet can’t be arsed with the little detail of actually putting in any effort? Do you always have to have an opinion during the latest online/pub/party based music debate but don’t have the time to do the homework? Maybe, you’re the bass player with a third division landfill indie band who, following an old school, major label hype, managed to get a poxy novelty cover version to number 37 in the real charts then, with your renowned comic manner and hilarious monkey face, you’ve found yourself invited on Never Mind the Buzzcocks…