...written and compiled by spank.

Hard Hands and sister record label Offshoot records are to collaborate on a club venture under the moniker ‘Shifting Gears’. Based at Brixton’s Mass, where David Holmes recently set up his Sunday sessions, it will be held every third Friday of the month. With a capacity of 1200 split over 2 rooms the opening night on February 19th looks set to be a blinder. Room 1 focuses on house and techno and features the talents of Billy Nasty, Pure Science and Atlas Records. Meanwhile Room 2 takes beats into a new dimension with Pressure Drop and Paul Daley (Leftfield/Hard Hands owner) at the helm. Best of all is the fact that Daley will be previewing exclusive dub plates from the new and much awaited Leftfield album. Get yer booty down on the dance floor...

Raping and pillaging tracks from the past seems to be all the rage. After receiving the remix treatment from Tall Paul a while back, Grooverider is stealing Stone Roses ‘Fool’s Gold’ back with his own re-rub. Taken from the ‘Old School Versus New School’ compilation on Jive, DJ Icey redresses Whodini, Norman Cook polishes A Tribe Called Quest’s shoes and Aphrodite brushes down Doc Marten...

After several outings on Italian label El Chocolates, the legendary Jeep Grrrlz get a release on Island with a house reworking of U2’s ‘Wire’. Sounds a bit dodgy but it is bound to be a stormer...

So the smaller DJs amongst us don’t feel so inadequate with all these 12”s doing the rounds, Talkin’ Loud are releasing a series of 7”s. Phew!

Pull a party popper as Wrekked Train (vocalist - supposedly) has left the Lo Fidelity Allstarz. Now we can listen to the Lo-Fi’s without having to put up with his incessant whingeing...