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The project was developed by Simon Aeppli, a documentary filmmaker and senior lecturer at University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in Farnham and encompasses an app, exhibition and publication. According to Simon, the idea came from, “a place a love: a love for music and a love of walking.”
Simon added: “Aldershot first caught my eye in the early 90s, when a friend studying photography shared stories of wild nights in the town, dancing to rave music until dawn.
“I heard the Beatles played there before becoming legendary, this prompted me to explore further, uncovering a rich history of dance halls, raves, and gigs, including the infamous Buzz Club.
“The idea of a heritage trail as a digital mixtape – so popular in the 80s and 90s – guides the listener to the places where these stories originated. It seemed like a perfect way to capture this history.”
Through working with artists and musicians across Aldershot, eight were commissioned to create their own unique audio response to Aldershot’s musical past, present, or future, which has included gigs by The Stone Roses, Blur, The Manic Street Preachers, Happy Mondays, and Primal Scream.
Tracks on the app range from documentary stories to abstract, atmospheric soundscapes, with locations ranging from the West End Centre (The Buzz Club), Shiva Cultural and Community Centre, The Palace, Aldershot Town F.C, and Union Yard.
You can listen to the tracks on the streets of Aldershot, journeying between locations from start to finish, choosing your own route, or you can listen from the comfort of your own home.
Along the way, Simon collaborated with Karina Fraser, founder of the Forward 4 Wiz Trust, which supports music at a grassroots level, as well as working with UCA’s James R.G Wright, a Technical Tutor in Sound and Jamie Dobson, Professor of Design Education, who came onboard to help with sound design, mixing, and the visual elements of the project.
Speaking about his hopes for the project, Simon said: “We hope the Aldershot Mixtape reveals something new about the town’s heritage and listeners uncover the fascinating history that we have loved bringing to life.”
The app itself was also developed in collaboration with Rushmoor Borough Council and can be found on Google Play or the App Store by searching for ‘Aldershot Heritage Trails’.
An exhibition of the project, a series of storytelling and zine workshops, will run at Aldershot’s West End Centre, starting on 1 October until 19 October.
