POP LIVES:NIALL BYRNE, aka blogger Nialler 9, on his current cultural favourites
What are you reading?
I read a lot of music books. I’m dipping into the 2011 edition in the Best Music Writing series, David Byrne’s How Music Works and Simon Reynolds’s Bring The Noise book which collates a lot of his early music writing work.
Also, lots of long-form articles from the web via Readability on the iPad.
What are your most clocked bookmarks?
Feedly for a fancy- looking RSS reader and a gateway to so many other websites and blogs, Soundcloud for music listening, Buzzfeed.comand Lememe.comfor silly laughs.
Do you have a favourite podcast or radio programme?
Benji B on BBC Radio One, the best selection of electronic and rap music around.
It’s broadcast on Thursday at 2am but I generally start the weekend with his show on a Friday afternoon.
My favourite podcast (other than our own, of course) is All Back No Front, Jon Hillcock's weekly show of new music. allbacknofront.tumblr.com
What song should we listen to right now?
Chad Valley’s Fall 4 U. It’s such a perfect mushy synth ballad and one of my favourite singers, Glasser, provides the female vocal part.
Last gig/concert you went to and your verdict?
The Knoxville Morning album launch in the Cobblestone.
The singer Ciaran Dwyer is a long-time pal so I had all sorts of feelings of pride for him and the 17 (yes, 17) musicians and friends who played with him.
It was inspiring to see as there was a very distinct buzz coming from the musicians, a clear passion, which you don’t always get. I wrote about the gig afterwards on the blog.
And finally, if you read one blog or Tumblr this month, make it . . .
Bitzlr.com. Alan Reilly's taste is impeccable and he always has stuff I've never heard of.
Which to many people might be saying something.
