As Manchester’s gentrification onslaught continues the city loses another vital space for artists, bands DJs, and musicians. Can anything be done about this or is it too late?

This was our last mix recorded at the studio. All wax no worries, big up the mill!

Humans' have always shared stories.

They're a fundamental way in which we communicate.

Whether it's regaling friends with an anecdote in the pub or using a story to convey a serious message our oratory has the power to move people, start movements and bring communities together.

Simone Kirkup knows this better than anyone. That's why she started Long Story Short during the first coronavirus lockdown in 2020 (remember that!).

Long Story Short is a community-focused event that has the aim of bringing people together to share their lived experiences through stories.

She has come on the podcast to talk about the power of stories and shares why she thinks they still hold such a powerful place in our collective psyche.

You can download the audio version of the podcast over on our website as well as find links to the book recommendation from the episode and a link to get tickets to the latest Long Story Short event.

Link to AMF website: https://allmyfriendsmcr.com/podcast/long-story-short/

Being a parent is the time you’re supposed to “Grow up” right, no more time for running club nights you’ve got proper adult shit to sort out.

That’s probably the opinion of a lot of the UK public. But AMF is going to be unpicking that mentality in this podcast with our guest Marco Giannini. We’ll be chatting about juggling the demands of organising DJ riders and hotels with nappies, the school run and the bedtime routine.

Marco runs the Manchester based club night Sticky Heat and is one half of the DJ duo Son of Bangers. He’s a regular at The Carlton Club and The Refuge and has played alongside Lindstrom, Sprechen and Supernature Disco.

As well as doing all that he’s also a proud parent and he came on the podcast to share his experiences of juggling running a club night and completing the school run. He give us his tips for the best ways to burn the candle at both ends and also shares his thoughts on what clubbing will look like post-pandemic.

Watch the video version of the podcast here: https://allmyfriendsmcr.com/podcast/promoting-and-parenting/

Pride is a protest. A party with a purpose.

But many people feel the initial goal and mission of Pride is getting lost in ever-increasing commercialisation. What was once a display of resistance is now being used by big brands to help sell their products.

Is this something we should be worried about? And are queer communities in Manchester and around the world under threat from the commoditisation of gay culture?

In this podcast, we spoke with Manchester DJ Jase Jeffery about the issues facing Pride and how we can all work together to keep queer spaces safe and open for those that need them most.

You can find links for everything we mentioned in the show over on the website: https://allmyfriendsmcr.com/podcast/commercialising-pride/

Food and music are the two inescapable joys of life.

No matter what you do, they'll be there to comfort you, help you through bad times and give real life to the great times.

In this podcast, we'll be talking with wax aficionado and chef extraordinaire Paul Dolton aka Dolly.

We're going to be chatting about what makes food and music so great, what skills both chefs and DJs share, and the power both have to stir the emotions and take us back to happy times.

The episode is also packed with some amazing cookery tips, books to buy, and record labels to check out.

You can head over to the episodes page on our website to find all those links: https://allmyfriendsmcr.com/2021/08/17/food-and-music/

Happy mixing

What is a meme? Where did they come from? Can we define them? Should we even attempt too?

We discuss all these questions on this episode of the AMF podcast with Instagram meme slinger VomCruise.

VomCruise has built up a formidable reputation for putting out “no-fucks given” content that isn’t for the faint hearted. The ArchBishop of Banterbury can do one, Vom’s account is for people who like their humour bleak, Royals dead and Hasbullas by the bucket load.

Blog founder Liam caught up with Vom to chat about how the account got started, why it’s important to keep platforms like Instagram free of censorship and why memes have become so pervasive in the 21st century.

They also cover important issues like: why all Royals need to fuck off, What Vom would do with ten million pounds (it involves a lot of cocaine); and who’d win in a fight, Captain Tom or Hasbulla.

They also talk about the current things Vom is working on and he shares his thoughts for the future of memes and the world in general.

FYI it’s all pretty bleak, but also a laugh so tune in yeah!

Links from the show

It’s your funeral pod

https://shows.acast.com/its-your-funeral

MemeTides

https://www.instagram.com/memetides/?hl=en

Swiss Lips

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/nov/21/new-band-swiss-lips?CMP=twt_gu

Becoming a music journalist isn’t for the faint-hearted. And running your own online magazine is 100 times the effort.

Starting your own magazine is a rewarding way to get into dance culture, especially if DJing isn’t your bag. But there’s a myriad of things that could go wrong when starting your own online magazine.

That’s even if you can get the thing started in the first place.

Web design, writing, graphics, newsletters…

The list goes on. These are all things you need to think about if you want to run a successful online magazine.

Our guest on this show is Mike Tomlinson, the founder and head of Zone Focus. An online magazine that aims to shine a light on underground music in the North West and beyond.

Mike shares the Zone Focus journey, offers some tips for others looking to start their own magazine, and he shares the reasons why he’s adding a record label into the mix.

Are you thinking about building an online brand but don’t know where to start? This show is for you.

Maybe you’d like to get into music journalism and want to hear some stories from someone who’s seen it all, check out the podcast.

Or, maybe you’d just like some insights into the club scene in the North West. We got you covered.

There was a time when the album was king.

HMV was flying high and everyone bought CDs. As a medium for presenting music, the album offered something very unique. Not exactly a mix and definitely not an EP. A collection of tracks, meticulously arranged by an artist or band that told a specific story.

The rise of the internet has changed buying habits and how people consume music. Streaming and digital downloads are pulling buyers towards subscriptions and singles. No one got time to listen to an album anymore, right?

Has the album had its day? Is it profitable, or even necessary for artists to spend a year in the studio banging on out? That’s what we'll be covering in this AMF podcast.

Check out Guys podcast over on Buzzsprout: https://thisisnothappening.buzzsprout.com

Why start a record label? How do you even get one off the ground? Is your day filled with sexy A&R meetings, scouting out live gigs, and shaking hands with big wigs in boardrooms?

Or is it frantically searching for artists to sign, shelling your latest releases on bandcamp, and marketing until your eyes bleed.

Well, it's all of the above and at the same time more often than not. Chris Massey, label owner at Sprechen lifts the lid on the life of a label owner.

He talked to us about founding the label, striving for diversity in his releases, and working at the cutting edge of some of Manchester’s biggest brands.

He shares some lovely stories from playing at Kiss Me Again, Beat Herder Festival, and The Refuge and speaks about his own musical journey starting in Bolton and ending in with this podcast!.

Chris also dishes out advice for anymore looking to start their own label. If lockdown has left you with a surplus of resources you want to pile into a new project and label management takes your fancy check this show out.

Radio is so last century, right? Well, for a lot of people digital radio is still their main way to find and consume new music.

There’s a plethora of stations across the UK and around the world. All working tirelessly to program forward thinking shows and bring new music and sounds to listeners everywhere. These stations also provide amazing platforms for new and emerging artists and DJs.

When Capital FM just won’t cut it for the commute you can always rely on a team of local people in a basement or attic somewhere sharing their music with you simply for the pleasure of doing it.

But how do you start your own station? Is it easy? Do you need a studio? Is there even any point?

In this podcast blog founder Liam spoke with Charlie Fleig, co-founder of Ripe Radio. Manchester’s newest digital station.

They spoke about the highs and lows of running a station and how digital radio is re-shaping the underground music scene in Manchester and beyond.

Check out Ripe here: https://riperadio.co.uk