Taiwan

My recent trip to Taiwan was amazing. So much great food and plenty of smiles, albiet some charred brown and red from the betelnut. Taiwan was the Asia you might expect, the strange foods, exotic markets, the bustling scooter-filled streets, balmy nights. But in a constant state of flux due to it's relationships with Japan and China, there's a unique sense of self to Taiwan, a determined independence... Hell, Axl just needed to take a trip to this little island and he coulda saved the rumoured 15 mill he's spent on his Chinese Democracy.

This here video!

Yes, this here video is a little example of what this website is all about and what's been keeping us busy at TNT.

We've gone all Web 2.0, a catchphrase I don't quite understand. But it means that we don't have to waste our work hours scrolling through Youtube and minimising the screen whenever the boss comes by. We went and made a video component to our own completely revamped site which means we can look like we're doing TNT related stuff while still wasting time... Genius really.

We'll be producing travel videos of all the adventures we go on as well as city and bar guides for all around Australia and New Zealand, so you know all the right places to go to when you land Down Under.

The other great thing is you'll be able to throw your videos onto BPTV (that's what we've called it Backpacker Travel Videos) for your family to see. Just send us the video or upload it to Youtube or Veoh and we can link it through. Ca'an, Broadcast your travels!

Anyway, have a look here... We hope it's some inspiration for your travels.

Online Videos by Veoh.com

Tai five four three two Wan

The countdown begins...
Working for TNT isn't always glamorous. Our office is in downtown Sydney. Most of my travel is spent walking to work, past the derelicts on Oxford Street, the suits on George St and the foreign students that line the pavement of York St getting their last smoke before heading into class. But occasionally we get a treat that comes in the form of proper travel... Like Bondi, sometimes even further, but not often the likes of Taiwan. TNT has been offered a trip with other travel writers to this interesting nation and your humble web-editor scored the gig...

So if anyone knows anything about Taiwan, places to go, people to see, things not to mention, food to try, outlet stores to shop at, please leave me a comment on at myTNT Journal.

Until then I'll just assume Missy plays at all the clubs and girls make out with each other!

LDN's Plan B in Sydney Basement

With much anticipation possibly too many beers were consumed in the lead up to rapper Plan B out of Forest Gate, LDN taking the stage at Sydney's Basement – a venue not very wallet-friendly. We were truly primed for Mr Ben Drew (as his passport reads) while Aussie MC Anecdote warmed the crowd. While tight in an Eminem way Anecdote lost points for poaching that "Damon Wayans, Major Payne" Biggie line right at the end and not acknowledging it – bad form. Before he took the stage someone spotted the young scamp spewing in the bathroom and siting nerves. I'm surprised he didn't rap something about "vomit already, mom's spaghetti" like Eminem's Rabbit. But kudos nonetheless cos TNT couldn't get up on stage.

Plan B, however showed nerves of steal. With his acoustic guitar he opened with the favourite "Kidz" and made it clear for those who may not know his material, Plan B is about no messing, he's gritty and intense. After moving to the very RnB "Charmaine", getting his Timberlake-melodies on, the intensity built. His guitar strings weren't so much strummed as beaten through a couple more tracks. But there is only so much intensity one can capture with a guitar, even with his spitfire lyrics.

So DJ Benny came out and from there took it to the next level. A clangy metal hip-hop beat and Prodigy sample made "No Good" a singalong. By the end of the night it was a massive Rage Against The Machine/Drum n Bass party in the Basement, the low ceiling well and truly raised. With no more songs in his repertoire, and his encore complete the small crowd wanted more. A cover was PLan B's plan B. Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones" had the crowd bouncing and rather than ripping off the line to be his own like Anecdote, let it be known where his roots lie, to quote Mobb Deep themselves "He ain't a crook son, He's just a shook one."

TNT left drunk and merry to have seen yet another London MC (Jamie T a couple of weeks back) in a small venue, as opposed to with a bigger crowd back in the UK.

Music, Travel and Stuff

I'm surprised that such a title had not been taken. I'm way behind in the world of blogs. But between Music, Travel and Stuff I've covered about the three best things ever.

Music – I review music that's good, sometimes that's bad. I do this for TNT Magazine, weekly for the Australian one, but also monthly for UK mag. I also write about Art and music for Empty magazine and have been known to get my by-line in Rolling Stone Australia occasionally (and while I'm at it... Bono I don't care for your opinion).

Travel - Working for TNT Magazine (Australia's #1 independent travel magazine) I've been privileged to have travelled plenty of Australia and New Zealand, so you might find the odd rambing here about travel too... infact it's a given. I am the web-editor for www.tntdownunder.com, I'm like Tom, just with less friends and spamming complaints.

The "stuff" covers stuff like The Simpsons, sweet bikes, celebrity jeenyus-ness and general fuckery.

Blogs are kinda like Show n Tell, "Any Questions or comments?"

Right.
Onwards with Music, Travel and Stuff then... wish me lick... I mean luck... shitballs.