S2 EP5: Putting Pirate Radio in a gallery, Ley lines and Jungle in video games

In this episode, I reflect on last week’s 0860 Exhibition, ‘Somewhere About Town,’ held at the incredible Hackney Gallery in East London. The exhibition was a collaboration between my brother Harry and me, celebrating pirate radio culture through a collection of photography, artworks, and artefacts. The event opened on Friday, November 15th, with a live performance by me and DJ sets from Warlock, Brockie, and MC Det. The show ran throughout the weekend, attracting an eclectic mix of visitors. Some came after hearing about it, while others stumbled across it by chance and were intrigued. It was an amazing experience that has sparked so many ideas about where to take this project next. The Hackney Gallery was the perfect venue for this show. It’s a very DIY, grassroots, and unofficial space—much like pirate radio itself. It’s run by a group of passionate young people who are building a community and making things happen out of necessity, again mirroring the spirit of pirate radio. The gallery is located just around the corner from the Nightingale Estate in Clapton, where many stations, including Kool FM, Weekend Rush, and Defection, broadcast during the 1990s. Having two Kool legends, Brockie and Det, perform in a grassroots space so close to where they first started out was truly special. I delve into all of this in detail during the episode. Putting the exhibition together was an intense process, so this week’s episode doesn’t feature a guest. Instead, it’s just me. First, I share a debrief of the exhibition, and then I dive into listener questions on topics such as the era of internet radio, approaching music and culture as an outsider, Jungle and Video Games, and incredible stories of how pirate radio recordings have traveled far and wide to bring people together. Join the Discord HERE to discuss, feedback and suggest anything for the podcast Check out the Hackney Gallery HERE and their ‘Under The Hatch’ DJ sessions HERE My new album SLOW860 is out now HERE John Higgs - The KLF book HERE Check out ‘Jack Move’, the video game I scored HERE