Charity Shop DJ has teamed up with Dr Matt Connell of Nottingham Trent University to help bridge the generation gap through a shared love of music

Talking about My Generation: the Creation of an Intergenerational Sound System

Celebrating the launch of the Cultural Olympiad and the beginning of the new Derby Record Holders project

Talking About Old Records at the One8 Festival, Nottingham Castle

Teaming up once again, Charity Shop DJ and DJ Dr Matt Connell presented the region’s first intergenerational sound system at the One8 Festival at Nottingham Castle in September 2008.

The sound system brought together people from across the generations, mixing music, stories and ideas.

During the run-up to the ONE8 event, students from the Bemrose Community School in Derby were trained in basic DJ skills by Charity Shop DJ and DJ Dr Matt.

They then helped to train a small group of elders from the Churchside Walk Coffee Club, Derby, using records from charity shops as the musical catalyst for DJ performances, ingenious album cover re-enactments, and conversations about old records.

A series of workshops - and tea parties - at the Bemrose Community School brought the sound system together. The BBC East Midlands Today crew were welcomed to one of the workshops.  

Click here to see Talking About Old Records on BBC East Midlands Today

These newest members of the EasyAction Sound System then jumped in the tour bus (well, minibus) took the Brian Clough Way from Derby to Nottingham, and did the gig of their lives, playing the choicest charity shop cuts (and a few requests, of course). Choose your Cheese!

What Happened Next: an Update

Bemrose School have gone head to head with The Churchside Walk Coffee Club on several occasions since their first public appearance at One8.

They took part in several of the Derby Record Holders workshops held in Derby between January and May 2009 - as well as playing a storming set in Bar One, Derby on 4 June 2009

We look forward to their next gig together

Big shout out to :

Renaissance East Midlands

Mike and Tray at Derby City Council Youth Services

Richard at Derby City Council Older Peoples Services

The kids of Bemrose Community School

Churchside Walk Coffee Club

The Golden Age Club, Derby

And all the wonderful people who dropped by and chose their records

This page was updated on 8 June 2009

Matt Connell: Tel: 0115 848 6663 Email: matt.connell@ntu.ac.uk

Andy Jupp: Tel: 07803 164394 Email: andy@charityshopdj.com

Photo credits: Rows 1-2 and 5-6 © Sarah Gadd/ NTU; rows 3-4 © Charity Shop DJ