I have one of the other four copies then and yes, it’s also my favourite AAE album. “Freeze” is incredible; was very lucky to see them play this at Manchester SU during their brief reunion period.

Julianne Regan’s solo Mice project deserved more notice:

Oh Mr Porter? You’re wasting your time.

If we’re talking about ye olde classics then add two great Cary Grant ones:

Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House

Father Goose

I want the New (there’s only so much you can take from the 1000th play of even a hoary old classic like “Dark Side Of The Moon”), the problem is there’s such an unceasing stream of it and my attention span is now […]

I don’t think you have to assume she must “have something” on him. The one driver of recent Conservative regimes in Downing Street is to assume that if the people who are “against” you want you to do something – […]

I know we all love Gillian Anderson but I’m finding her impression of Thatcher somewhat even more caricatured than Janet Brown’s. Similarly, some of the other scenes feel like they’re merely covering off the most […]

Onanistic pervs everywhere: “Challenge accepted!”

Have quite a soft spot for Fate Of Nations and the earlier Manic Nirvana, while the more recent work has never quite clicked the same way. This, a bonus track from the MN period, is splendidly bonkers:

The problem with your Sisters theory is that “Temple Of Love (1992)” is peak distilled Sisters but also their penultimate release. (I’ll grant you that the “Screw Shareholder Value” bootleg was dreadful, but that […]

What IS it about stodgy Tories and “Start Me Up”? I read in the Tim Shipman book that Theresa May psyched herself up for campaigning with it, at which point that song was immediately Ruined Forever.

Borrowed once from the library in my formative years and never forgotten – the joys of swimming in the sea at Aberdeen:

It’s not _as_ good but still a compelling read. I went straight on from that to read “Eve In Hollywood”, the companion set of short stories about one of the side characters.

Will second all you say about the A Gentleman In Moscow. I read it last year and was enthralled. Rules Of Civility is also worth the time.

My experience in the supermarket is that the folks wearing masks are the worst ones for failing to observe proper distancing. Like they think they’re now invulnerable.

Listening now, much better than I expected at this point in their career. The “woah-oah-oh” backing vocals help a lot.

The live version of “Mind Drive” on their 35th anniversary tour was very powerful. Probably their last great outing. Agree about KTA & Magnification, although I have no quibble with 90125 and Big Generator either. […]

Does he dish much dirt on the interpersonals? Yes have always been fastidiously diplomatic in what they’ve said about each other, despite the fact that they must fight like cats in a sack to cause so many line-up […]

Anyone who’s watched the footage of his recent tours on Youtube really ought to be having second thoughts about tickets by this stage. The closing section of “In The Air Tonight” is painful to observe.

I saw him on the Growing Up and So 25th Anniversary tours and, while the contrast with the Arquette-boffing gay divorcee of the Secret World years was stark, his mojo was most certainly still present. The problem […]

Remember when it was Tom Baker, Sarah-Jane/Leela, a white console room with roundels and you were (well, I was) 7 years old? Once you accept it’s never going to be as good as that again, it’s easier to let go.