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Carl Loben

Carl Loben has been a music journalist for 20 years. He wrote for the weekly music paper Melody Maker for most of the 1990s, and was on the staff at DJ magazine for most of the noughties. He’s currently a freelance journalist, based in Brighton.

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.

17 articles

List of articles in the library

By date | By artist | Most recently added

Huggy Bear: The Powerhaus, Islington, London

Live Review by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 8 January 1994

SHOULDN'T HUGGY Bear have split up by now? ...

Bark Psychosis, The Levellers, Loop Guru, My Bloody Valentine, Transglobal Underground: Your Culture Under Siege: Criminal Injustice

Report and Interview by Carl Loben, Simon Reynolds, Ngaire Ruth, Melody Maker, 30 April 1994

For decades, squatting, free festivals and illegal parties have played a vital role in alternative pop culture. The Criminal Justice Bill — which has been ...

Plaid, Squarepusher: Squarepusher, Plaid: The Blue Note, London

Live Review by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 17 May 1997

APHEX TWIN is blocking the bloody stairs. Paul Hartnoll out of Orbital is getting crushed and Björk is lost in her own little world down ...

Gravediggaz: The Pick, The Sickle & The Shovel (Gee Street 15tks/63mins)

Review by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 13 September 1997

GRAVEDIGGERS, morbid souls who don't usually have much to say. Gravediggaz, however... ...

Alabama 3: The Garage, London

Live Review by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 10 January 1998

SOUTHERN MUTHAS DO HAVE EM! ...

BT (Brian Transeau), Laurent Garnier, Green Velvet, Kitachi, Les Rythmes Digitales, Money Mark, Primal Scream, Slacker, Slam: Primal Scream, Laurent Garnier, Les Rythmes Digitales: Creamfields, Winchester, Hampshire

Live Review by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 9 May 1998

TEN YEARS on, and the Acid House Gods are smiley-ing on Winchester like the trippy Teletubbies sun-baby. Dance music's cream — and plenty of cheese, ...

Carl Cox: Ambassador Of Dance

Interview by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 18 July 1998

"IT WAS either this, or scaffolding." Carl Cox, perhaps the biggest DJ on earth, in more ways than one, is relaxing in the Italian morning ...

Depeche Mode: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, October 1998

CITED BY MANY electronica artists as an early influence, Depeche Mode began life as chirpy synth-poppers in the early '80s before moving into superb clangers ...

Ed Rush & Optical: Quantum Drum'n'Bass

Interview by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 30 January 1999

IN CONTACT, Jodie Foster climbs into the capsule, straps herself in, and mentally prepares for the impending voyage. The aliens have kindly given Earth/the US ...

Dot Allison, One Dove: Dot Allison: Experimental Breakbeat Diva

Interview by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 20 March 1999

THERE HAVEN'T been many Dots in pop — Dot Cotton from EastEnders has yet to commit to vinyl — so when you hear the name ...

Roots Manuva: Brand New Second Hand (Big Dada) ****½

Review by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 1 May 1999

UK HIP HOP is only ever any good when it doesn't try to copy Americans all the time. A prodigious talent like Roots Manuva has ...

Melky Sedeck, The Roots: The Roots, Melky Sedeck: Astoria, London

Live Review by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 15 May 1999

R&B. WE HATE that schmaltzy shit, don't we? Well, no, not when it's as sassy and spiritually uplifting as Melky Sedeck. ...

Moby: Killer Wail

Interview by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 22 May 1999

Rave/punk crossover genius MOBY is known as the most clean-living and politically correct pop star an the planet. The Maker met him in a karaoke ...

Basement Jaxx, Ed Rush & Optical, Norman Jay, Danny Rampling, Underworld: Homelands

Report by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 5 June 1999

Orbit's minute-by-minute descent into delirium ...

Spring Heel Jack: Treader (Tugboat)

Review by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 5 June 1999

NOW UP to their fourth d'n'b album, Spring Heel Jack's John Coxon and Ashley Wales are nothing if not prolific. The orchestral artcore of There ...

Cay, Muse: Muse/Cay: Make Mine A Double…

Report and Interview by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 31 July 1999

There's nothing we like better than brilliant new bands. So what could beat joining a booze-fuelled double-bill of MUSE and CAY on the road? ...

Brits Are Still in Love with Rave Culture

Comment by Carl Loben, Huffington Post, 12 August 2015

"HALF OF UK nightclubs close as Brits abandon rave culture," reported the Daily Telegraph yesterday morning (Tuesday 11th August). Other titles led with "Clubs close as dancing ...

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