To the 100 Club last night for "the first Television Personalities headline show since 1997" (even though they played one in 2004). That return to the stage last year was pretty bad; actually, I had to leave the room it was such an unlistenable mess. But hey! that one actually *was* their first show for eight years, and Dan Treacy's first public ( Read more... )

My parents have been visiting London for a few days, so they've been showing me what to do in this marvellous city. Whenever they come to town, they make me seem like a part-timer. Thus, in the past four days, they've seen three plays, one Prom concert and lord knows how many exhibitions. It's great that they're still enthusiastic about London & ( Read more... )

Is everyone OK?

I'm going for a walk in Acton Park.

Ooh, it's hot, innit?

At the request of tekno_aliceList 5 songs that you are currently digging. It doesn't matter what genre they are from, whether they have words or even if they're any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying right now. Post these instructions, along with your 5 songs ( Read more... )

And then on Thursday Sarah & I went to the Mojo Awards ceremony. A couple of months back we won tickets for the bash at an HMV instore featuring Teenage Fanclub & The Magic Numbers; a thrilling enough evening without the bonus of being prizewinners. But here we were a few weeks later hanging round a bar in Bayswater waiting for some media types to ( Read more... )

Wish I'd had the time to update this week, but it's been an odd one & no mistake ( Read more... )

Anyone out there want to see The La's at Shepherds Bush Empire next week? I appear to have a spare ticket...

Just back from a lightning trip to New York City for Keith & Maggie's wedding. Keith is so passionate about pop music he makes me look like a part-timer. Somehow he's channelled that passion to a practical end, so he now appears to be VP of Sony Music Licensing, the jammy so-and-so. Thus we spent most of the weekend hanging out in swank rooftop ( Read more... )

Yet more bits & bobs I'm trying to get rid of. People: the single by the Full Treatment on offer here is the best record *ever*; you should at least download the sample I've directed you towards (oh alright it's here).

To Ronnie Scott's last night, for the first of a four-sunday residency by Roddy Frame. There's a definite resurgence of interest in the Postcard scene, and Roddy was recently interviewed for a genuinely *wonderful* retrospective in Uncut, in which he talks about the aesthetic of their early 45s ( Read more... )