“I imagine if we were having a discussion about Northern Italian vs Southern Italian racism, you (or someone less certain) might feel a similar lack of confidence and perhaps humbly, apologetically admit as much. […]

The Buddy Holly museum in Lubbock has genuine items. Including the guitar that Holly gave to Des O’Connor.

Perhaps being in Italy has eroded your language skills. That’s not what is being said.

Can endorse Brooks.

If you can’t spell it, how can you look it up?

It’s been a month. Heard: The new Kris Drever, the few releases from the new Teddy Thompson, and Broken Chanter. They’re all the same: if you like the artist, you’ll like the releases; if you’re not already a […]

I went to Townsville to watch South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina play a rugby union double header. Tom Banks, the under rated Australia full back, never stopped working. He was constantly on […]

Ah, not great. Off to Britain for 17 days to see and look after my parents for a bit, and then I suspect surgery. Appreciate the kind thought

Yes. There’s a great sequence in The West Wing – it’s what’s next. It’s taken us too long to do this. And it’s the staging post for Mars. Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, the Space Station – it’s about what we can do, […]

There’s only one thing for it. Deduct more points from Everton.

I saw them supporting the Buzzcocks at Farnham Maltings in what, 2000? 1999? Added to the “will buy and not stream” list

I don’t know. I was born in Edinburgh and lived in small places outside – Currie, and Kirkliston. We moved to England – Surrey – when I was 6, I think. To Norwich in 1985, then Hampshire – and back to my […]

My wife and I are now both retired – I’ll be 55 in September. We are eyeing volunteer opportunities, but not committing quite yet until we know where we’ll be living. Right now the leading contenders would be […]

Nope. But that’s been because I’ve moved to different continents. Would I? Probably not. I wasn’t a member of any particular friendship groups, and went to two different schools from the age of 11, which […]

A fine writer, whose works I have frequently revisited.

They’re really good. My favourite Melbourne band are the Underground Lovers. I saw them supporting OMD in Adelaide, and they’re one of the few supporting acts for whom I would have happily spent (most of) the […]

Culturally, not a lot. I kept reading Diarmaid McCulloch’s biography of Cromwell, and a book about Jim Bowie/William Travis/David Crockett and their path to the Alamo. Some insightful writing, even if the Kindle […]

You utter bastard. You can’t land this on me just before I go on a road trip. Right in my sweet spot right now. One of those bands that will eventually go under, with a small but fanatical following. I have a […]

Added. You might like Kid Canaveral. Every time I play this, I think of this site