No let-up at all, as I remember. I spent most of my time at the bar, mainly because it was furthest away from the stage and the noise. I had a business trip to France the very next day. Hungover, with my ears […]

That’s probably why I enjoyed it! And, yes, it was loud, as I now remember. I must see him again.

First Concert Supertramp, Brighton Dome, 1975, the “Crime of the Century” / A&M package tour, supported by Gallagher and Lyle and Chris de Burgh. Last Concert Steven Wilson at the Palladium in May. Sup […]

I doubt it. Surely it refers to the demise of punk and of the Sex Pistols in particular (the Beatles of punk). Given the self-mythologising that The Clash went in for, it sounds to me like a rejection of their […]

Mine too! (terrible K reg Fiat 128). I’ve had this pen since around 1980. A few years later it escaped from my pocket when I was running to get on a plane and the barrel cracked. I think Dunhill handled MB in […]

Definitely Rhodia for me too. They are substantial enough for fountain pens @moselymoles, but I mainly use a (Mont Blanc) ballpoint for my work.

Ha ha! I found a half-used bottle of turquoise Quink while at school and used it until it ran out. Its rebellious qualities went unremarked by my various teachers. These days I use Midnight Blue Mont Blanc ink for […]

“A relentless, dense screed of noise” is a good description of the Brixton gig. I think they were touring “Frances The Mute” at the time. I agree with Leffe. “Octahedron” can be approached without too much […]

Good review. Thanks. I have all of the TMV albums and one or two of Omar’s solo exercises (the early ones, after which I lost interest). For a time I regularly played “De-loused in the Comatorium” and tried to […]

The Tubes’ live album, which I think was called “What do you want from live”, recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1977. Not only was I there (according to the dates on the album), I met the then ubiquitous “Jesus”!

I hated Anora so much that I gave up on it long before the end. Sleazy and stupid, for me the only outstanding element was the editing. I have no idea what people are seeing in it. A Real Pain also tried my […]

“Art is born of constraint and dies of freedom”. Andre Gide

There was a Mitsubishi Zero car. It was a limited edition (only 50 produced) of the late 90s Evo VI rally car. Maybe Billy Bragg is a car obsessive because it was a very niche product. Or he was desperate for a […]

I think you mean “jamais, jamais, jamais”. French for “never, never, never”. But it is one of his greatest songs.

Excellent thread, but maybe she heard “U2” as “you too”…

I’m not sure I’d recommend The Painted Bird. The novel was pretty hard to take and the film depiction even harder. I’ll nominate Lamerica (1995) by Gianni Amelio – so impressive that I saw it twice during its […]

Thanks. I’m not sure I could switch to his diet. Could make for a very dull 150!

In an idle and curious moment I once completed a questionnaire about the number of different foods that you’ve eaten or would at least taste (or something). I’ll try anything, reasoning that if other people eat […]

I’m sorry to hear that he is unwell. I still remember a storming LA gig of his in 1991 (!). Given his fondness for literary references I suggest that the Magic Mountain is a nod to the Thomas Mann novel, set in a […]

This may not be the opening paragraph, but as an opening sentence it’s pretty good: “It was the afternoon of my eighty-first birthday, and I was in bed with my catamite when Ali announced that the archbishop had […]