Carl Loben

After gravitating from Leicester University with a degree in Philosophy in the late 80s, Carl set up an independent entertainment guide for the East Midlands – INTO magazine. Following a brief spell on East Anglia what’s on guide Preview, he moved back to his home city of London to become a freelance journalist.

Landing a role at Melody Maker, he wrote about the Britpop, riot grrrl and agit-rock band scenes as well as emerging electronic music styles such as drum & bass.

Moving to DJ magazine just before the Millennium, he covered all the diverse electronic music styles and finished up as deputy editor before moving to Brighton and reverting back to freelance journalism once again. He wrote the electronic music section for the Billboard Music Encyclopaedia, and wrote for MOJO magazine for most of the noughties too.

As well as writing, Carl also produces music, runs a record label – Westway – and DJs in clubs and at festivals. He's interviewed many notable figures within music, and recently has started doing some lecturing too.