The Twelve Inch Returns (Now With an Accent)

The Twelve Inch 195,5 : The Twelve Inch (Pé Dupre)

Let me start properly, before I disappear down one of my usual rabbit holes.

Best wishes to each and every one of you. And let’s zoom out even further: to you, your families, your loved ones, your pets who listen to disco or eighties/nineties dance whether they like it or not, a very happy New Year. Let’s try to make 2026 a warm, healthy, kind, and (why not) slightly successful year. Together.

Now… and we’re back.

You know that moment in podcasts when the host returns from a commercial break and says it like nothing monumental happened? That’s more or less where we are. It’s been a few weeks since I wrapped up what is now officially Season One of The Twelve Inch. A season that quietly began in February 2024 and then marched on, uninterrupted, all the way to December 2025. No reruns. No filler episodes. No “sorry folks, life got in the way” notes.

Somewhere last autumn, it became obvious I needed to schedule a break. Not because I was exhausted or bored, quite the opposite, but because I needed breathing room to think about where this thing was going. Stopping? Never really on the table. That decision was made long before the break arrived.

When I started The Twelve Inch, I gave myself 18 months. That seemed to be the statistical life expectancy of projects like this. And once I set that rule, I was going to see it through. Even if it turned into a slog. Even if it became a chore. I’m slightly nerdy and mildly compulsive. Nothing dangerous, just enough to force me to finish what I start. 😁

That 18-month mark came and went last summer, and by then I already knew: I wasn’t going anywhere. This newsletter has become a huge part of my life, and a cherished one. It combines almost everything I love: digging through records, researching forgotten details, making a weekly mixtape, and writing stories that connect dots most people forgot were ever connected.

But there’s something else that matters just as much. I don’t really want to “write a newsletter.” What I want is a community, a group of people who, like me, are curious about what actually happened between 1975 and 1995. Not just what the songs were, but why they existed, how they were made, how they travelled, and how they fit into the much bigger story of dance music, culture, and industry.

Alongside the weekly episodes, I also started a parallel research track, the deep-dive stuff that would eventually become paywalled content (like the Casablanca series), rebuilding the world in which disco and early dance music actually lived. I promised more of that last fall. And I failed to deliver on time.

Not for lack of interest, but for lack of hours in the day. I do, inconveniently, have a job. 😁😁😁

The good news: the time I carved out over the festive season got me where I needed to be. The foundations are there now. So yes: expect more on that front soon.

I also hinted that changes were coming to the weekly episodes themselves. Because building a community isn’t just about content, it’s about the road you take together. And somewhere along the way, I’d painted myself into a corner.

The pieces kept getting longer. Way longer. We blew past the mythical “10-minute reading time” and waved cheerfully at every best-practice guideline on the way. I didn’t want to dilute the content. Splitting episodes in two didn’t feel right either. So there I was: stubborn on one side, realistic on the other.

Yes, Substack is one of the last places where long-form still thrives. And many of you do read everything, thoughtfully, and even leave comments that make my day. I love that, and I hope you’ll stick with me into Season Two.

But I also know something is holding others back. You’ve subscribed in numbers that genuinely surprised me (and humbled me, thank you), yet many of you rarely jump in. And I suspect the length is part of the issue. So how do you square that circle?

Enter Andres .

Andy (Andres) is not only a fantastic writer and a deeply thoughtful guide through the world of vinyl, he also makes brilliant video content about it. Go check his work if you haven’t already. Seriously. It was watching him that gave me the nudge I needed.

Which brings us to the next chapter of The Twelve Inch: audio (and video).

Starting with the next episode, you’ll have two ways in:

1. Make a coffee, sit down, and read the weekly piece.

2. Put on your headphones… and listen.

Yes. I’m reading it out loud.

Not with an AI voice. That was never the plan. Not because AI voices are bad, but because they’re not me. And this is about building something human. So it’ll be me, myself, and I.

Now, full disclosure: I’m not a native speaker. I have an accent. It won’t be perfect. It definitely won’t sound like a polished audiobook on day one. But as, another brilliant writer, Mark Nash so beautifully put it: (the) joy (is) in the journey.

I’m pretty sure I’ll enjoy making these. And at best, you might enjoy listening, maybe even laugh once or twice while learning something new about a song you love (or love to hate).

Eventually, this will probably turn into its own feed or podcast. But for now, it’s simply another doorway into the same world.

I’m making an effort here. It might be awkward before it gets good. 😁

So I’ll ask one small effort from you in return: join the conversation. Leave a thought. A reaction. A critique, if you feel brave. I can take it, I’m a big boy.

(“Too big” for underwear videos at the moment, though, so those will remain Andy-exclusive. 😁😁😁)

If nothing else, I’m certain we’ll have some fun along the way.

The Joy Is In The Journey

See you next Friday for the premiere

Love

Pé

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👋 Welcome, I’m Pe Dupre, thanks for stopping by.

This is The Twelve Inch, my newsletter about the history of dance music from 1975 to 1995, told one twelve-inch record at a time.

If this landed in your inbox because a friend forwarded it, I’d love for you to subscribe so you don’t miss the weekly episodes. Each one dives into a track, its story, and the culture around it.

And if you’re already enjoying the free posts, would you consider becoming a paid subscriber? Your support helps me keep researching, writing, and unearthing the stories behind the music.

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So You Wanna Hear More ?

I thought you would !

It’s fun to write about music but let’s be honest. Music is made to listen to.

Every week, together with this newsletter, I release a 1 hour beatmix on Mixcloud and Soundcloud. I start with the discussed twelve inch and follow up with 10/15 songs from the same timeframe/genre. The ideal soundtrack for…. Well whatever you like to do when you listen to dance music.

Listen to the Soundtrack of this week’s post on MIXCLOUD

So what’s in this week’s mix ?

This one isn’t a soundtrack for me, but the latest episode in a second series I love putting out on Mixcloud: Let The Beat Be Your Guide.

Think of the series as my personal free-for-all. I jump genres the way you change your underwear (which I sincerely hope is often 😁): classical, soundtracks, jazz, exotica, pop, rock, dance — and yes… even disco 😁

Early January lives in that strange in-between space. The pause before the year properly kicks in. A moment to reset, clear the mental clutter, and imagine what 2026 might still become. The good news? Most of it is still in your hands. If you want 2026 to be a great year, it absolutely can be.

This is a moment for reflection.

And this… is the soundtrack.

The beat is everywhere: pounding, pulsing, pushing us forward. In your heartbeat, your steps, your daily rhythm. This mix captures that energy and is inspired by one of my favourite films. It opens with the film itself. Can you guess which one? If not, the answer reveals itself later in the mix.

Enjoy! 🎶

Get your dancing shoes ready, because the track I’ll be diving into in Episode 196 will make it impossible to stay seated.