All the news is about the demise of The Great Leader, overshadowing the passing of two of the true giants.
Cesaria Evora, one of the world's great singers had died, as has Vaclav Havel, whom events propelled from poet to resistance movement figurehead to president of Czechoslovakia/The Czech Republic.

A word I've come across a few times recently. I'll be down in Brighton sometime soon to photograph the Starlings as they flock to their roosts on the two piers - one of life's great sights.

These two girls got up close and personal and the results are amazing.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

I'm slighlty the worse for wear (free wine - it would have been rude to refuse). I found this funny, and I will probably still find it funny in the morning. Feel free to chortle or chastise.

THE CHAVS PRAYER... Our Father who art in prison, even Mum knows not his name. Thy Chavdom come, you'll read The Sun, in Plymouth which is in Devon. Give us this day, our Welfare bread and forgive us our ASBOs, as we happy slap those that got ASBOs against us. Lead us not into employment but deliver us free housing. For thine is the Chavdom, the Burberry and Barcardi. Forever and ever.... Innit

I've just watched "Annie Nightingale - Bird on the Wireless" She spends an hour talking to camera about the music she has loved and championed over the decades and how, like Peel, she is always waiting for the next musical cycle to happen as popular music reinvents itself. Here is a person who loves music and is so articulate and knowledgable that an hour in her company just flies by. If you havent seen it yet, it's on iPlayer until Monday.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b011mb8d/Annie_Nightingale_Bird_on_...

I have no idea who these guys are, though I found one clip that said they were sports science students.
There are a couple of jaw-dropping moments at around two minutes in. It's almost like an office workers olympics and the crowd is obviously knowledgeable and appreciative.

Richard Thompson is playing a couple of nights at The Stables, near Milton Keynes to raise money for the venue. July 12th & 13th as part of a short European tour.
I'm umm-ing and ahh-ing about getting a ticket as I'm fairly skint at the moment.
http://www.richardthompson-music.com/Tour.asp

Reading the Sunniest Band thread got me thinking about albums that epitomise summer. For me, it's XTC's Skylarking. Has there ever been a more summery album. .
A best of War compilation comes a close second.

The internet and record companies.
I just came across this on fRoots' board, courtesy of Ken Josenhans. Billy is giving his opinion on the changing state of the music biz to an interviewer at Midem. It's dated the end of March so apologies if it's already appeared here.
http://blog.midem.com/2011/03/nancy-baym-billy-bragg-on-the-double-edged...

being hit squarely on the head.
Kieron Tyler on how mp3s are killing music.
http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3319:opi...

I just came across this rather fetching picture of Mr Ellen on photographer Bryan Ledgard's Flickr page - and I now know what Sally Boazman looks like.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ledgard/5427985945/in/set-72157625879456323...

edit: Isn't that Boo Hewerdine lurking in the background?

This guy makes great online mixtapes week in, week out. And he's pretty funny with it.
http://www.personadondada.com/

I post pics on Blipfoto, which is a a bit like here, but photography based (obviously).
I just came across this on the forum and it brought a big grin to my normally scowling face. There's also no reason why it couldn't happen here:

http://www.blipfoto.com/view.php?id=319280&month=6&year=2009

This is amazing!
http://www.artgallery.lu/digitalart/women_in_art.html

Is it just me who thinks that the image of Bryan Ferry on this month's cover is actually Timothy Spall?