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According to the Mayan Calendar the world (or at least civilisation) is due to end cataclysmically on December 21^st 2012.  With economists and futurologists also almost all predicting a year of upheaval, Skrufff asked a bunch of our favourite DJs and personalities for their predictions for 2012; both musically and apocalypse-wise . . .

Judge Jules’ Cloudy Crystal Ball (interview)

Though he started studying for professional law qualifications over 5 years before announcing his Radio 1 departure several weeks back, Judge Jules insists he’s far from confident about predicting the future; at least musically.

“I really struggle with musical predictions, since dance music has a slow evolutionary path which doesn’t comfortably lend itself to changes that are definable by calendar years,” he says.

“As regards to what I think will happen to club-land: at least in the UK, I can be more specific,” he qualifies.

“Right now the independent clubbing sector of owner-operated venues with low overheads seems to be prospering, whereas the monolithic leisure-chainowned multiple venues business model seem to be struggling,” he notes.

“In my view, this is a good thing,” says Jules, “because McDonalds-style clubbing is a long way from what I’m about.”

Skrufff (Jonty Skrufff): What do you forsee is the future for dubstep and for David Guetta-style dance-pop?

Judge Jules: “It can only be a matter of time before band-orientated music makes a big return, as a backlash against the formulaic dance pop that’s dominating the charts.  On the other hand, the recent prominence of the Guetta sound has probably opened ears to less commercial-sounding producers, which can only be a good thing.”

Skrufff: How concerned are you (if at all) by the Mayan Prophecy and their end-time prediction of December 21^st?

Judge Jules: “In my lifetime there have been numerous predictions of the world’s demise, which have all passed without incident, so I’m not losing any sleep.”

Skrufff: What about the financial crisis; what do you expect for next year?

Judge Jules: “In the UK there is huge youth unemployment, which inevitably takes its toll on clubland, but I guess we’ve just got to muddle through this together.”

Skrufff: How much do you believe in destiny/ fate generally?

Judge Jules: “At the risk of spurting cliches, in life you make your own luck.  Put yourself in the right places and luck will shine on you.”

http://judgejules.net

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

A Lancashire man who sent Tim Westwood over 100 threatening texts including messages telling him would soon ‘be in a wheelchair’ or ‘a dead man’ was given a lifetime restraining order this week after being found guilty of sending ‘menacing messages’.

Mark Bulcock, 43, claimed his texts were sent ‘in context’ of Westwood’s hugely popular ‘gangsta rap themed’ Radio 1 Show and told the court it was a ‘misunderstanding’.

“I’m getting stitched up by the police for just speaking the truth. I have just done what I thought was perfectly natural and was doing my bit for society,” he said, “I don’t wish Tim Westwood any harm whatsoever. I admire the man,” he claimed. (Lancashire Telegraph; http://bit.ly/oDKQkP )

The incident occurred 12 years after Westwood was shot in a drive-by shooting as he left a gig in Brockwell Park in Brixton.

Writing about the incident in 2004, Guardian reporter Simon Garfield said the shooting was a result of extortion after the Radio 1 star refused to pay a gang’s demands. He also reported that before the shooting both Westwood and his girlfriend had been beaten and said ‘five years later he is still wary of talking about it, and the threat may not have disappeared.’

Westwood himself, however, remained impressively cool, pointing out that the shooting increased his celebrity- and notoriety- overnight.

‘To be honest, my attitude towards it is, I got shot, and that’s that. Like having a car accident,” he explained, “When you’re in this game, these things are out there; never far from you.’ (Guardian; http://bit.ly/cUVst9 )

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff