Khayem

Surely that's Kope with a K?

The lineup for #BlogCon25 is shaping up nicely. For our next delegate this will be their first convention: although Khayem has yet to break bread with his fellow bloggers he's been religiously and forensically chronicling indie music and bands of the 80s & 90s (as well as a host of other music related tangents) under the Dubhed masthead since 2020. Despite his slightly sinister profile pic above I've actually found K to be both very approachable and very agreeable (he's got a cat, he must be OK). See what you think...

* What was the first 45 you bought with your own money? And yer first album?

In typically contrary fashion, the first vinyl I bought with my own money was a 33 not 45, the Kings Of The Wild Frontier album by Adam & The Ants, age 10, £3.99 from my local record shop, Sound Seekers. When I bought Prince Charming the following year, my parents banned me from playing the last song because it was called S.E.X. They obviously hadn’t been paying attention to the lyrics of Kings… otherwise that would have been banned too! My first 45 was probably the 12” single of See You by Depeche Mode, on a school geography trip to Cwmbran, circa 1985. We were supposed to stopping people in the streets to complete a questionnaire. I did a bunk and found a record shop instead.

* To what extent were your record buying habits dictating the mixtapes you were compiling so prolifically? 

That’s a good question! I guess it largely came about because at first I tended to buy lots of singles (mostly 12”) and not so many albums, so it was a way of putting together compilations of my favourite songs. I used to do lots of tapes for my friends, as a way of sharing my excitement about new music that I heard. And of course, what better declaration of love as a teen than a mixtape for a girlfriend with an obscure Talk Talk 12” mix? Although I passed my driving test at 17, throughout my teens and twenties, I still used to walk a lot and I always had headphones and a cassette player. I had to listen to music pretty much all of the time, every day. 

*Apropos of that, bad news I'm afraid: I've just read that Keir Starmer is bringing in a retrospective cassette tax on all C90s bought in the 70s, 80s & 90s. Let's not beat about the bush here, this is gonna wipe you out isn't it? 

I might just scrape through, but if it applies to CD-Rs as well, then I’m done for. Damn you, Keir! 

* We all know you as Khayem from the Kotswolds. Have you ever konsidered living in Kumbria, Kambridge or even Kolchester? 

No, but I quite like the idea of Kork! And I did spend a memorable few days with a friend in Kalgoorlie, a mining town in Western Australia, does that count? 

* Family aside (and blogging) what gets you out of bed in the morning? What are you passionate about? 

What gets me out of bed in the morning is the darned family cat, who has a strict regime of harassment and wailing starting at 4.30am, regardless of daylight saving. It sounds glib, but I am passionate about trying to do something every day that is selfless and/or makes a difference to someone. This offsets the majority of the time, when I’m a grumpy, selfish git! 

* Where's your natural habitat - pub/coffee shop/gig?

I feel simultaneously relaxed and painfully awkward in all three. I drive a lot for work and live miles from any decent pubs, so they are a rarity these days. Coffee shops more often, but frequently as an ad-hoc workspace or a rushed stop with Mrs K whilst running around town on chores. So it has to be gigs, as that’s the only time that I’m there doing exactly what I should be doing, that is, relaxing and enjoying myself! 

* Echo & the Bunnymen or the Teardrop Explodes?

Do you really need to ask?! I love the Bunnymen, but it’s the Teardrop Explodes every single time. (I should've known as soon as I saw K's Swedey McSwedeface - JM)

Julian Cope - World Shut Your Mouth (live) (1987)

   

 * Indian or Chinese? Beer or Wine?

 Japanese. Whisky. 

* Are we allowed to ask where your blogging moniker comes from? 

I’d love to say that it was inspired by the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, a 19th century translation by Edward Fitzgerald of works by 'the Astronomer-Poet of Persia' dating from the 11th-12th century. But I discovered this some time later. Those who know my secret identity will realise that the real reason is far more mundane! (I'm still none the wiser! - JM)

* A blogging staple - You've just acquired a time machine. Where and when are you going? 

In my personal timeline, possibly back to my 10th birthday in December 1980, with the following words of wisdom: Say “yes” more, what have you got to lose? You think it’s bad that Ronald Reagan is going into the White House? Believe me, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Keep a diary and write something down every day. One day, it will come in handy, I promise you. Outside of that, I’d like to sneak a peek in about 30 years time, to see that Lady K’s okay. And it should be just in time for Matt Johnson to come out of cryogenic suspension to release a new The The album! 

* Tell us something about yourself you've never told another living soul.

I signed up for the recorder class at primary school as I thought I’d get to play around with tapes and sound recording. You can imagine my disappointment when the teacher handed me a stick with some holes in and told me to blow into one end. I didn’t last long in that class.

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Thank you, K. Really looking forward to meeting you in Bristol.