Personal info:
I’m 35, married and an OK person.
Your Twitter/Blog url:
http://twitter.com/sheq /Â http://asheq.co.uk/
Which music website(s) are you writing for?
Clash Magazine, The Line of Best Fit, Drowned in Sound, Subba Cultcha, musicOMH, God is in the TV, Rivmixx, Brainer Magazine
What was your biggest motivation to become a music journalist?
I adore good music: it’s been with me for many years. I use journalism as a creative outlet. I never expected to make any money out of it, and I’m glad I had those realistic views. With so many fine writers, music journalism – particularly on the ‘net – teaches you new ways to apply your skills and fine tune your hearing.
What’s your opinion on the future role of music journalism?
I don’t believe music journalism will ever disappear as I still believe it is valued by music fans. With Bauer’s attempted clamp down on its writer’s content, there was a real tacit surge of outrage. There has to be a level of quality control, and I believe good writers cover the records that don’t receive the attention many mainstream records do. With the internet increasingly becoming the main source to harvest information and mobile technology creating accessible services like Spotify, good writing must serve to bind these outlets together.
What was the first record you bought?
Break Machine : Street Dance (7?).
Of which album you have reviewed is your opinion completely changed over time?
Probably Speech Debelle’s ‘Speech Therapy’. I gave it 10 / 10. It went on to win the Mercury Music Prize and Speech went on to drop her label. I can’t really believe I was ever so enthusiastic about it: with hindsight, it’s truly cringeworthy stuff.
http://www.subba-cultcha.com/album-reviews/speech-debelle_speech-therapy/article/contentID/7721/
Which are your favorite three bands of all-time?
The Beatles, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Public Enemy.
Which are your favorite three albums of 2010 so far?
Elephant9 – Walk The Nile, Cappo – Genghis, Rene Hell – Porcelain Opera.
What is your favorite new act everyone should listen to?
Child Abuse.
http://blog.cloudspeakers.com/2010/07/interview-with-ash-akhtar-clash-tlobf-dis-a-o/