If this is your sort of thing and I know there are one or two of us here with a passing interest in the HJHs – it seems the long awaited Rubber Soul box set will soon be with us. Looking forward to this very much.

The cabinet is not as radical a break with the past as some (well, Owen Jones in the Graun today) had hoped for. But is he going to be the most consequential Lab leader since Blair?

I wasn’t expecting this to be more than a 10 minute PR sell for the new album, but this is one of the best Stones interviews I’ve seen. Kudos to the NME chap.

I met a young musician the other day, Anastasia (Stars) the daughter of a friend and heard her music for the first time. I think her voice is a wonderful, wondrous thing and although she’s very shy, she’s very keen to grow her career and broaden out her sound. One thing she said that surprised me was that despite having recruited a double bass, drums and keys for a new gigging band, she’s struggling to find a good guitarist. She’s looking for a London based guitarist, to jam and compose with as well as gig with. Prefers a jazz background. She’s mid 20s so probably would prefer someone around that age.

In case anyone knows of anyone… drop me a line! And hope you enjoy her tracks. I know she needs to grow her spotify presence so if you do like it, do give her a like or follow.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7FUnKdnkvLJQJbV9LsQovQ?si=w745orf9S0q_7TWKeojQ7A

Mendelson gets nicked. I wonder if he will do time.

It doesn’t look good for Kentish Town Keir.

Had things been rattling along splendidly for a strong, stable and successful Starmer government since winning the election, then Mandelson would have been nerve-wracking but probably survivable.

But given the malaise at No 10, the successive policy balls-ups over the last year or so, the constant comms cock-ups, the ongoing lack of a strong, central message, McSweeney gone, Sarwar openly calling for him to go – looks bleak. Even if he hangs on this week, it could become rapidly terminal should the parliamentary enquiry around Mandelson find something even slightly iffy there.

So is he toast? And if so, who would be the likeliest successor?

I recently organised an event at the British Library to mark a decade since DB’s death. During the day we had panel discussions from ‘Bowie In Time’ Francis Whately + Paul Morley and Samira Ahmed The V+A East Bowie Archive curators ‘Blackstar’ Leah Kardos, Jonathan Barnbrook, Donny McCaslin and Nemone ‘Bowie in Berlin’ Blixa Bargeld, Gudrun Gut Mark Reeder (and self) Nicholas Pegg and Tony Visconti

For any AW pals who fancy watching some or all of it, here’s a free link to the talks in the comments, which should be live til the beginning of Feb. Fill your heart/boots!

Gone suddenly at 79. Annie Hall RIP

We haven’t heard anything of Beatles band and its members for oh, ages now, so the prospect of a four part reissue of Anthology, the book and a nine-part rebooted version of the TV series by Peter Jackson coming this autumn might be of interest to some of us here.

The Beatles – Anthology Collection (2025 Edition): 12LP Boxset

The Anthology Collection 12LP set includes the 3 groundbreaking Anthology albums from the mid-90s, remastered in 2025 by Giles Martin, plus a new compilation, Anthology 4. Containing 191 tracks, the collection’s studio outtakes, live performances, broadcasts and demos reveal the development of The Beatles from 1958 to 2023’s final single, “Now And Then.” Anthology 4 features 13 unreleased tracks and 17 songs selected from Super Deluxe versions of 5 classic albums. In addition to fascinating outtakes from 1963-1969, the album includes new 2025 mixes by Jeff Lynne of “Free As A Bird,” and “Real Love.” Furthermore, Anthology 4 presents 26 tracks previously unavailable on vinyl. Pressed on 180g vinyl, each 3LP set is housed in a triple-gatefold sleeve featuring original art, sleeve notes by Mark Lewisohn, and restored photos for Anthology 1-3. Anthology 4 has new sleeve notes by Kevin » Continue Reading.

In case there is any curiosity here about Tin Machine II, unsaintly follow up to 1989’s TM1, my latest episode of Albumtoalbum begins a new series of conversations with Bowie buff extraordinaire Leah Kardos on the joys and woes (both in abundance) of the final Tin Machine studio album.

Trigger warning: Includes a bit of me trying to emulate Ferry’s warble on “If There Is Something”

With all the doom and horror going on at the moment, it’s important to celebrate one of the biggest purveyors of happiness from the past 60-odd years

Is anyone else feeling like it’s all about to go nuclear in a MAD sort of way? What with your mullahs on this side, your Netanyahus and your Trumps on the other side, I am resigned to the fact that it might not matter now that I didn’t save enough for my tax return.

A clunky headline apologies, but reading Freddy Steady’s lovely journey towards his new Ruark, I remembered those happy occasions when a long-anticipated bit of kit enters the home, cables, polystyrene packing, multilingual instruction booklets navigated, anxious searches for tiny, yet essential components completed, the shock and pleasure of seeing shiny new thing sitting there, awaiting further instruction.

In that moment, what do you reach for? What’s that ceremonious first track with which you christen the new addition to the family?

For me, when I upgrade from an old, cheap deck to a Technics turntable, I wanted to put on this outtake, rich, serpentine and warm.

A new Leak amp joined the gang shortly afterwards. That much-vaunted warmth and smoothness invited me to whack the side with a bottle of cheap pomagne and declare this amp open with this:

Recently, and in no small part to the encouragement of » Continue Reading.

Got fooled again

Tap are back

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/arts/article/spinal-tap-ii-elton-john-and-paul-mccartney-turn-it-up-to-11-h2pxslqkp

Hello all. I’ve revived my David Bowie; Albumtoalbum podcast and for the first episode in ages, have author of The Complete David Bowie, Nicholas Pegg join me for a poke around the innards of 1984’s ‘Tonight’. Not an album I went into this conversation with any high regard for, but as ever Pegg is balanced, reasonable and of course, possessed of an almost frightening level of knowledge and insights. Hope you enjoy

The last of The Band leaves us.

Set fuzztones to max. What a legend.

He had written a note on his FB page for this very eventuality

“Hi to all, and many thanks to all of you who have been reading my rock stories for all this time, it has been greatly appreciated! Please note, that if you’re reading this now, this is my final vignette, as I am no longer residing on this plane of existence, and have “moved on”, to wherever that may be. I’d like to think there is something beyond where I was to where I am now, assuming that the millions of suppositions as to what is next, are accurate. I’d like to think that I’m thoroughly enjoying my new “residence”, and that the countless rumors that there is a big working “studio in the sky” are true, and that we are, dare I say, making heavenly music! I am also hoping that I am currently engaged in renewing relationships with a ton of friends and acquaintances, many of which go back for decades. I’ve had a good run, and I am delighted it lasted as long as it did. I’m also delighted that I am told I have a » Continue Reading.

I often have Radio 4 on in the background when I am working, and Michael Mosley’s cosy ‘Just One Thing’ series became a regular part of the morning routine. It was on just the other day, I think, I had it on in the background and he was excitedly extolling the virtues of flax seeds, in that artlessly enthusiastic manner, a bit reminiscent of Richard Briers.

The jolly music, cheery tone – all very soothing. And so was the reassurance that adding some flax seeds to your diet or popping a couple of cherries into your granola every now and then would do you a power of good.

It was only when his death was confirmed today I remembered how much his work actually really helped me in the past. Years back, when he was banging on about the 5:2 diet, I bought the book and shed a good amount of avoirdupois when nothing else had worked.

I soon slid out of intermittent fasting, and back into eating crap and not moving around much. Then, some years later, I got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I didn’t get far with the NHS supplied info, no real problem » Continue Reading.

I just can’t see the point of these brands. I’ve tried, in each case, but can’t get along with them.

Sanyo Gola shoes Crosse & Blackwell

What brands just make no sense to you?

New episode of albumtoalbum (finally) out now! With yer man on the uranium ukulele Reeves Gabrels

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/davidbowie-albumtoalbum/id1355073030

Saw this on Twitter courtesy of beatlepodstar @stevenc

Garth Hudson is in an assisted living and not doing too well. A friend of his is asking fans to send him a postcard to cheer him up. Details in the tweet

https://twitter.com/levonthehawk/status/1497728746886885378?s=21

If you want them, DM me cheers