Dalston Oxfam Shop

http://www.dalstonoxfamshop.blogspot.com/

Type: Music blog Age: 1 Nationality: American (based in London) From Kuduro to Bulgarian wedding music to gabba show tunes, this blog has it all. Based around the idea of giving a new lease of life to music that would otherwise practically cease to exist, founder Todd Hart has developed a passion for finding the most bizarrely amazing cassette tapes east London's Dalston Oxfam shop has to offer, and then digitising them to share with the rest of the MP3 blog geekerati. "Great ideas and creativity should not be difficult to access," says DJ/fashion rebel/corporate lawyer (seriously) Hart. "My blog is about focusing on the merits of the music, being accepting of stuff that’s different and odd whether or not it's considered cool, and just generally about fun. Easier, quicker access to more media is flattening the bourgeoisie in musical taste." Rock on.

More from Dalston Oxfam Shop

You've been doing the blog for over a year - sure the Oxfam shop stock is getting depleted?
Surprisingly, they always seem to have more interesting stuff. Sometimes I wonder if people aren't deliberately dropping them off in hopes that I will record something for them that they will never get around to. But it's also a massive shop and they are moving to a new location down the street shortly. Plus, I have a collection of fantastic tapes I have bought there which I have not used which I can always record if I don't find anything good.

What are your five favourite ever charity shop finds?
That is very difficult, but I'm drawn quite a bit to fashion as well. Here are 5 things I've found which are good.
1. African taxi music compilation (I have another one too).
2.,3. these curtain pulls and Joan Collins ski sweater which I found at different charity shops.
4. a bunch of Disconet vinyl compilations which bought in New York in 1997 (I have a bunch of these, including the "Bobby DJ Spotlights Diana Ross")
5. a fantastic wooden vintage handbag for my girlfriend found in Miami - like this

Have you ever found another charity shop as good as Dalston Oxfam Shop?
There used to be some pretty good ones in New York - and it's still good to catch the charity shops in small town on the continent.

What's your favourite era for dance music, and why?
That's a very tough one - I think it has more to do with the influences apparent in the music than with a particular dance style. I started going out to hardcore like LA Style in Germany in 1991-92. Then I spent a lot of time at the Body & Soul party in New York in the mid-90s with their early disco/soul stuff and more soulful house. But I've loved all the electroclash stuff and think that London now is one of the most fantastic mixes for music. I'm leaning now towards indie rock with African rhythms in them, like Vampire Weekend, and other fast hard punky stuff like Kap Bambino and some early German new wave. I still think a lot of 80's groove is the most fun to dance to though.

Why have you started this African night?
My dad worked as a doctor in Kenya and Tanzania and I grew up there so I have a soft spot for lots of the sounds I heard when I was a kid. But I also think that there are some amazing rhythms in African music and have an idea that a crossover party with indie kids who are into old school African music would be a great idea. There are a few new African parties starting and I am djing for a lot of them, so watch the blog. This blog probably covers best the kind of stuff I heard when I was young.

Are you sad that the cassette tape has died off?
Not really. I like them because they are beautiful in some ways, but I'm not particularly tied to a format. I just like experiences.I like the feeling of pulling a record out of a sleeve when I've just picked up off the street on Brick Lane to see what the vinyl looks like. But in the end, I want to hear good quality sound.