Alt-UK is my personal web portal for music. It features the latest music news, CD reviews, and band interviews. The idea to start the site was formulated in the Summer of 2002. I was bored with nothing to do and started the website as a way of blagging free albums. It fast became much more than this though and before long I was doing it out of my love for music, the free CDs were just an added bonus and the site was run out of the satisfaction that could be gained through increasing exposure for the unsigned bands of the UK.

It was a long time coming before I first featured a band on the site from outside of the UK, I wanted it to be exclusively for British artists and yet I eventually changed my mind and branched out in order to include all music of the world. It was a satisfying transition for me to do this, the site now had heightened direction and the world was literally my oyster.

I'm coming up to my 500th review for the site and since June 2004 have had a total of 1.6 million page views. It's not a massive amount but I'm more than happy with this figure. The site has continued throughout these years and been maintained by myself and only myself out of my love for music and I intend to continue with the website for many years to come. Music is one of my main passions in life and Alt-UK gives me a strong basis to share my passion with others and to make my opinions heard. There are some bands I love and others that I detest, you'll just have to take a look at the site if you're wishing to find out what bands I approve and disprove of.

Through running Alt-UK I have gone on to formulate new ideas and concepts. Few of my ideas have been put into work at current, however one such plan I have put forward in motion is to start up an online radio show. Hypersound Radio is the chosen name, and whilst I'm yet to record my first show at current, it shan't be long before it appears and the tyres start turning. I have also started writing a book about Alt-UK and my years of running the website. I have many stories to tell and thought that the best way to put all my tales across would be to get writing a book. I could of course have put them down online, but for me this way is a lot more fun and vastly more satisfying.

I currently reside in Brighton, UK having spent many of my years in the town of Maidstone in Kent. I was born in Oxford and as such have a great love for the football team Oxford United. They're not a very good football team, but they're my side nonetheless and I therefore stick with them through the good times and the bad.

My tastes in music may not appeal to all, however you'll find that I actually cover a vast array of genres at Alt-UK. As it's my own website I can write what I like when I like, something that I take full advantage of doing in using the website in order to put across my opinions which may at times not be greatly appreciated elsewhere. I'm a professional music journalist by trade, and Alt-UK is my personal chunk of the internet that I use to showcase my talents and put forward my musical taste. Feel free to get in contact with me if you feel you have something you wish to contribute. I'm always willing to accept news posts from outside sources and will of course credit you for the work.

I am a fan of all music and in Alt-UK the proof is in the pudding. I'm opinionated and I'm proud of that fact. I'm not afraid to say exactly what I think, and if that goes against the grain then so be it. I'm not fussed about ruffling peoples feathers, I say what I feel and stand up for what I believe in. Complain about what I say all you like; it shan't change my opinion and always with Alt-UK I will be honest and truthful.

Thanks for reading and I hope to see you some time soon at Alt-UK.

If you're in a band and would like to be featured on Alt-UK then feel free to get in touch with me at rich@alt-uk.com. I shall seek to get back to you as soon as possible and if I don't answer straight away then feel free to message me once more. I get so much junk mail at times that I no doubt delete some e-mails that I don't intend to.




The Last 10 Reviews I've Written

· The Maccabees - Colour It In
· Hydrogyn - Deadly Passions
· Look See Proof - Between Here and There
· Torche - In Return
· Jack McManus - You Think I Don't Care
· 4ft Fingers - New Beginnings Of Old Stories
· Dragons - Here are the Roses
· Path Of No Return - The Absinthe Dreams
· The Automatic - Steve McQueen
· H2O - Nothing to Prove