DARRENPOP PROFILE: Name: Darren Beach Nickname(s): Daz, Dazza, Dazzy, Darenori, Babe, Darrebi Born: London When ? January 9th Family: Mum, dad, brother Richy & sister-in-law Karen. A job ?: Editor of a sports web site in Central London. That sounds interesting…: Alright, it's not Paul Morley at The Face or NME, but it'll do for a start. Any other writing?: JUICE - a Japanese music/fashion magazine. Tangents - a cool web site for music/art/books/films. Some other bits n pieces besides. Did you always do that? No - I just left my previous job, at a property newspaper. What about before that? Well actually, I only returned to the UK a year or so ago, after almost three years living in Japan. Mmm.. tell me more: It's like this - I went to Chiba as a teacher for a private school, then got a job in Tokyo for the British Council. Anything else?: I had a bloody great time, full of the intense highs and lows of living somewhere so abroad. Opportunities came to be a DJ, play in a band, write, perform poetry, climb Mt Fuji …a great 3 years. And there may yet be more. Really ?: Don't bet against it.
Where have you been then? Let me see … Japan of course, South Korea, Thailand, Italy, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland, Israel, Spain, France, Germany, er..Saipan (in Micronesia !), Lanzarote,… What - not the USA? Not yet. But I really want to - it's my next target. In fact I've never even been to another country where English is L1. (unless you count Scotland !) Maybe I never thought it was exotic enough. I hear you like music…: Mmm....let's see...well, how about Saint Etienne, Stereolab, David Bowie, Beck, Marvin Gaye, the Style Council, Baxendale, Scott Walker, MBV, Jamiroquai, New Order, Prince, Cornelius, Mantronix, Blur, Charlatans, Serge Gainsbourg, the Go-Betweens, Mahler, Primal Scream, The Smiths, Spearmint, the Blue Nile, Swing Out Sister, Orange Juice, Momus, the Pale Fountains, Pulp, the Jam, Brand New Heavies, Swedish Pop, Wendy and Lisa, Kraftwerk, Pizzicato Five, the Beach Boys, T Rex, Dexy's, Massive Attack & many, many more … Films?: amongst others: The Graduate, The Breakfast Club, Alfie, Trainspotting, North By Northwest, Pretty In Pink, sex lies & videotape, Reservoir Dogs, Violent Cop, The Last Seduction, The Producers, Shakespeare In Love, Belle du Jour, more but I can't think right now...... Authors: Amis, Mishima, Kureishi, Milligan, Chekhov, Shakespeare, and others...
Sports you like: Football. The best sport in the world. Sumo and baseball, the Japan effect. F1, as it's my job. that And cricket, for old times sake. And I could easily get into ice hockey if I could be arsed. Sports you loathe: Golf. Bloody hate it. And Rugby Union (but league's good), and American football, and most other sports that England's not good at, or doesn't play. Your team is: Tottenham Hotspur FC, the pride of North London and the Kings of White Hart Lane, the (lily-livered)Lillywhites and the only true keepers of the flame - at least in our minds. Oh dear... I have other favourites: In Japan: Urawa Reds (just back up !) . In Netherlands it's Ajax (my favourite non-English team), in Czech Rep Slavia, in France Saint Etienne (of course), in Spain Real Madrid (the original Lillywhites), in Scotland Hibernian, and in Italy Fiorentina. -------------------------------- Do you have any philosophy ? You bet I do. It's this - I have faith in people, that people will behave to me as I behave to them. At least that's how I see it. -------------------------------- Back to main page