Very sad to hear of the recent passing of Peter “Woosh” Birch from Nottingham’s DIY collective. Gutted I never got to hear him and his partner Digs play out, although I got to see one other from the collective Simon DK play the Crescent in the mid nineties and it was proper hypnotic deepness all night long. I’m very aware of how important all these guys are in terms of breaking new ground, shaping of things in the North of England and upholding a certain set of values with everything they did, most importantly in their attitudes towards what makes a good party, DJ, label, vibe and person, a far cry from the antics of most DJs today. It does feel a lot like the old gaurd are slipping away atm and the attitudes of alot of the new stink to be perfectly honest!

Five DIY essentials below…