Got a nice e-mail from Diego. He blogs in Spanish, but has a few more comments concerning Sheffield and that curious 'Northern Electronic' CD I was going on about recently:
"Since I did extensive research about the names involved, I can tell you there are more familiar
people involved in the record. Prinz Bambi, who covers Vega's "Goodbye Darling", is in fact the very Steve Claydon from Add N To (X) -who has reportedly split. Dean Honer is the man behind Dog Ruff as well as I Monster. In fact, the same names are involved in most of the tracks, certainly in the Sheffield-tracks -remember All Seeing I?... all its members appear in "Northern Electronic" under one guise or another."
So this isn't truly the new wave of Sheffield youth reclaiming it's late '70s' heritage? Damn, it's all a big skam! Diego continues:
"Now, I think right now the future is Sheffield 1979-1982. Those bands around Sheffield by then created a time-bomb genre that's just as fresh now than it was then. "
Strong words, sir. I can only hope that you're right. If I might also add that I would hope such a revival will also find room in it's heart for those two perennially marginalised figures of Scottish futurism, Thomas Leer & Robert Rental. These guys used the possibilities of cheap electronics not necessarily for futuristic, alienating or even ironic aims , rather as a suitable environment to explore some dark inner feelings. Check Rental's "Paralysis" for some face-meltingly raw self-expression....the Skip Spence of futurism if I may be so bold.

"But then again, most people in Spain who are into British music would take Manchester as THE PLACE..."
I'm not saying anything, merely ensuring that this statement is made available to the general English-speaking world...