Steve Trower
sptroweresq.bsky.social
Steve Trower
@sptroweresq.bsky.social
Author of GameLit and sci-fi that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky

Very loosely ranked

Day 16

Almost any track from Post could have gone here, but if there's anything more '90s than Björk on the Pops in a Ren & Stimpy t-shirt, I want it caught and bottled.

👩‍🎤 Björk
🎵 Army of Me (1995)
💿 Post
Björk - Army of Me (live on Top of the Pops (1995))
YouTube video by Mollylurcher
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Another near miss from my list, love this song. So many great bands and songs from that decade, I'm glad others are including the ones I dropped!
November 15, 2025 at 8:22 AM
#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky

Day 15

Before becoming a giant of 90s prog rock Steve Wilson released the psychedelic insanity of On the Sunday of Life... A long time favourite discovered on Mark Radcliffe's Out on Blue Six.

🧑‍🎤 Porcupine Tree
🎵 Radioactive Toy (1992)
💿 On the Sunday of Life...
Radioactive Toy
YouTube video by Porcupine Tree - Topic
youtu.be
November 15, 2025 at 8:13 AM
#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky

Very loosely ranked

Day 14

Because creating a remix so far off-piste the original artist disowns it, then adding a letter to the title and releasing it anyway is about as rock n roll as ambient techno gets.

🧑‍🎤 The Orb
🎵 Toxygene (1997)
💿 Orblivion
The Orb - Toxygene (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by Babes Papes
youtu.be
November 14, 2025 at 8:19 AM
#WritingLifeMonthly Day 13

8 on shelves, plus a kindle app full, and I'm still finding more to go on my Christmas wish list...

#WritingCommunity #WriteSky #BookSky
📚 #WritingLifeMonthly November Day 13📚
I told my kiddo that collecting books is not my hobby, because I read them all, then I kinda got a delivery of books (second hand), and my TBR pile now feels out of control!

#writingcommunity #BookSky #BookSky💙📚 #bookish #books #tbr #tbrpile #indie #amreading
November 13, 2025 at 8:38 PM
I feel like I've shared this Easter Egg laden piece from The Knight Errors before, but it's a rare occurrence of the verb 'to build'.

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
November 13, 2025 at 1:07 PM
#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky

Day 13

Guilty pleasure time! This ode to the time Ms Boo lost a loved one in a Swedish department store was probably my last dabble in the world of pure 90s pop.

Also there's an accompanying scifi B movie.

👽 Betty Boo
🎵 Where Are You Baby? (1990)
💿 Boomania
Betty Boo - Where Are You Baby? (1990)
YouTube video by Flash Hits
youtu.be
November 13, 2025 at 7:18 AM
In honour of shirt day on #WIPSnips, Sam Cooper gets a long overdue change of clothing in The Dragon Download.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
November 12, 2025 at 7:01 PM
#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky

Very loosely ranked.

Day 12

They're known as one of the big three acts of Bristol trip-hop, but exactly where Portishead are from is a closely guarded secret. Some sources suggest a Swedish department store is involved.

👩🏻‍🎤 Portishead
🎵 Glory Box (1994)
💿 Dummy
Portishead - Glory Box
YouTube video by PortisheadVEVO
youtu.be
November 12, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Sharing one of my near misses. The 90s were my indie rock years so the G Funk got crowded out. Sorry Nate & Mister Warren G.
#90sTop30
Warren G - Regulate ft Nate Dogg

#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky
#HipHopSky
#WarrenG
#MusicBirthday
#NateDogg

Yesterday was Warren G's birthday! This song was a hit in 1994.

youtu.be/1plPyJdXKIY?...
November 11, 2025 at 12:43 PM
I have a whole chapter of burger related chaos in The Dragon Download. Here's a bit from the Pound Saver Menu, with a side of explaining-how-the-multiverse-works.

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
November 11, 2025 at 12:33 PM
#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky

Very loosely ranked.

Day 11

Formed in the bakery section of a Swedish department store, Cake scored their first big hit after it featured in television coverage of the 1996 World Marathon Challenge.

👩🏻‍🎤 Cake
🎵 The Distance (1996)
💿 Fashion Nugget
CAKE - The Distance (Official HD Video)
YouTube video by CakeVEVO
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 7:37 AM
#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky

Very loosely ranked.

Day 10

Formed in the knitwear section of a Swedish department store, the Cardigans scored their first big hit after William Shakespeare featured it in one of the big movies of '96.

👩🏻‍🎤 The Cardigans
🎵 Lovefool (1996)
💿 First Band on the Moon
The Cardigans - Lovefool (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by TheCardigansVEVO
youtu.be
November 10, 2025 at 6:59 AM
#HopePit #HopePunk? #WIP

Survivor Song X Speed of Dark

As a deadly virus sweeps across the world, the few survivors begin to realise they are all neurodivergent. If these remaining Mis-Shapes make it through the Neurotypocalypse, can they build a new world, where they fit in, to benefit everyone?
November 9, 2025 at 11:16 PM
#HopePit #HopePunk? #WIP

After a new pandemic kills off most of the population, a group of geeks and weirdos band together, first to survive the apocalypse, and then to rebuild a better world.

☣️ viral apocalypse
🤓 geeks shall inherit the earth
🐬 save the dolphins
♾️ neurodivergent protags
November 9, 2025 at 9:39 PM
#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky

Very loosely ranked.

Day 9

Don't you ever wonder?
Don't you ever think?
Don't you even care?
Is your brain on the blink?

Also the orangest single in my modest 12" collection.

👩🏻‍🎤 Back To The Planet
🎵 Teenage Turtles (1993)
💿 Mind + Soul Collaborators
BACK TO THE PLANET - TEENAGE TURTLES (1993)
YouTube video by indiedancepop
youtu.be
November 9, 2025 at 8:13 AM
#WritingLifeMonthly Day 8

The Constant Rabbit Biscuits were an industrial eco-punk band formed in post-COVID Milton Keynes.

After a change in management the band restyled themselves Constant Rabbit Bizkit and wrote the soundtrack to the 2027 movie Neurotypocalypse.

#BookSky #WritingCommunity
📚 #WritingLifeMonthly November Day 08📚

Something a little silly this month. What would your band name be? Mine is "Heartless Thai Curry"

#writingcommunity #BookSky #BookSky💙📚 #bookskyclub #bookish #books #tbr #tbrpile #indie #amreading
November 8, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Another #NaNoWriMo #notnano #WIPSnips today: Georgia's work day is interrupted by her daughter having a meltdown at school.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
November 8, 2025 at 4:35 PM
#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky

Very loosely ranked.

Day 8

Sure they made some of the anthems of Britpop, but for me Blur peaked with Tender and this song, written and sung by Graham Coxon.

Also there's a cute milk carton having a bad day.

🧑‍🎤 Blur
🎵 Coffee and TV (1999)
💿 13
Blur - Coffee And TV (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by Blur
youtu.be
November 8, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Today's #WIPSnips is even less polished than usual because it comes from my November #notnano #NaNoWriMo story.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
November 7, 2025 at 8:27 PM
It looks like my accidental #NaNoWriMo #notnano #sidequest has become to try all the flavours of Monster. Slowly and in moderation obviously, anything else would be very unhealthy. Also I don't want to explode before Christmas.
November 7, 2025 at 8:05 PM
#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge

Day 7

OK, technically the single was first released in the dying weeks of '89, so I'm including the (probably identical) LP version in my list. Only a psychopath doesn't consider it a 90s banger anyway.

🧑‍🎤 They Might Be Giants
🎵 Birdhouse in Your Soul (1990)
💿 Flood
They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse In Your Soul (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by RHINO
youtu.be
November 7, 2025 at 7:28 AM
#WritingLifeMonthly Day 6

Maybe not a traditional heartbreak, but The Sparrow by @mdoriarussell.bsky.social broke me. Probably the most depressing novel I've ever read - and any novel that can evoke the level of emotion that did has to be worth a read.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #BookSky
📚 #WritingLifeMonthly November Day 06 📚

Who doesn't love an author who can send you into a blubbering fit? Share your ugly-cry reads.

#writingcommunity #BookSky #BookSky💙📚 #bookskyclub #bookish #books #tbr #tbrpile #indie #amreading
November 6, 2025 at 12:59 PM
#90sTop30
#MusicChallenge

Very loosely ranked.

Day 6

If I'd had the hair for it I'd have gone full grebo in the early 90s. But I didn't, and I would have looked ridiclous. Still a fan of the Stourbridge sound though, then and now.

🧑‍🎤 Ned's Atomic Dustbin
🎵 Kill Your Television (1990)
💿 God Fodder
Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Kill Your Television (Video)
YouTube video by nedsatomicVEVO
youtu.be
November 6, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Hello #HopePit!

I'm Steve from the wild north east of England, and I'm putting myself in the 'Not sure if your work fits in the genre? Join us anyway' category. Usually a writer of sci-fi and retro GameLit, at the moment I'm imagining a more hopeful world for the neurodivergent among us.
Day 1: #Hopepit meet & greet!

Let's get to know each other a little!
Introduce yourself, drop a photo or video if you like

Maybe share what brings you hope 🌞 🌱
November 5, 2025 at 10:17 PM