Don't know about you southern types, but the last few days have - at last - had the feel of the beginning of spring. Some clear blue skys at this time of year really lift the heart. I reckon this is one of the best Spring songs, it has a timeless, primitive mysticism:

And I know it is a cliche now, but this next one still produces the required effect doesn't it?

I am feeling a mite more optimistic now.

Anymore spring songs?

Okay, taking the part of the Devil's Advocate.

So, the BBC is tasked with providing a product that is distinctly different to commercial providers. Now, when I tune in to it, I can clearly hear that Radio 6 is doing that already. Would a commercial broadcaster do anything like, say, The Freak Zone?

Radio 2 is also fairly distinctive, given that its target demographic is quite similar to stuff like the taxi drivers fav, Magic FM. I can immediately tell that I am listening to Radio 2 when I randomly spin the dial of my old analogue radio. I think it goes without saying that Radios 3 and 4 are also supplying something different.

This leaves Radios 1 and 5. Are these REALLY so different from what is provided by other commercial sources? Certainly, if I do my random dialing experiment, it is often initially difficult to decide whether I have Radio 1 or Galaxy, Radio 5 or Talksport; that is until the incessant BBC idents/trailers start up - which occupy just about as much time as commercial ads.

Conclusion: surely, if you were going to cut back the BBC commitment to radio broadcasting, the first place to look would be these two stations.

A follow on from Dave Amitri post. These sound surprisingly contemporary:

Am I the only person in this site who remembers the chaotic genius of Patrik Fitzgerald? I hope I'm not. If not I guess the first point of call is to Google A safety pin Stuck in my Heart.

Can't get it out of my head. It helps it has great lyrics: "loneliness it's got your name and your new address."

Over to you.

Sorry, nothing to do with music, or any form of Culture, but hey it IS Friday.

I knew someone who assured me they used to baby sit for Mr and Mrs Janus, who had a kid called Hugh - not sure if I believe her. However, I genuinely met a French women with the christian name Coumes. Her first name? Fanny. Never mind James Bond, she should have been a Carry On character.

Any more?

Just listening to Song of a Baker by the Small Faces and realized despite Stevie Marriott's quite brilliant proto-heavy metal guitar heroics, it really is Kenny Jones's drumming on this track that make it something special:

I also feel the same way about Ringo's performance on HJH's Magical Mystery Tour:

Anyone else got examples where the drums MAKE the track? I am not talking about solos here - can't stand them myself.

One other question: who IS that girl sitting next to Paul on the bus? swoooon

I know there a few footie fans on here. What do you think is happening to our national game?

In the last few days, Gold and Sullivan have let out hints of a coming Armageddon for West Ham: the books are bad, everyone has to take a pay cut and they made it very plain that "its gonna be bad" if they are relegated. Meanwhile, Pompey staggers from one stay of execution to another, being swapped between shady overseas owners like a unwanted Panini trading card.

These are not isolated happenings. The last transfer window was a damp squib with hardly any cash changing hands. Need I mention the MacBeth level scheming going on at Man U and Liverpool? In the current circumstances it is interesting to see that clubs like Arsenal and Aston Villa, who were berated by fan for their "unambitious spending" in the transfer market, seem to be weathering the storm okay. I bet those agents - who all seem to be from central casting's stock of Eastenders Minor Villains - are beginning to get worried.

Meanwhile outside the Premiership things look even worse, Crystal Palace are walking towards the precipice, Notts County have sacked Svenners and and have been sold on again, and even a well supported club like Cardiff have 28 days to avoid a winding up order.

Myself, I suspect that salaries may have peaked now and there are going to be a a lot of belt tightening. Are we all going to enjoy the schadenfreude as the recession finally bites the football industry or will we be mourning the end for footie as we know it?

Quite an amusing chat between Jim Naughty, Pete Paphides and Peter York on Dinner Party Music on R4 Today this morning. Apparently Massive Attack were a bit put out that Blue Lines is a popular choice for background ambiance.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8505000/8505658.stm

Notice that York traces the devaluing of music from the point when CDs were given away free with newspapers and magazines, mmm.

I guess my choice would be the same as Paphides.

Can't recommend Four Tet's latest album enough:

It really sounds like BoC techno doesn't it?

This kind of follows on from Dave C.' s thread on dead legends. I have just walked passed a flyer for an "ironic" PA at a local club night. Woo woo, Roy Walker of Catch-Phrase fame will be in the house. When I walked passed the poster, I literally did a double take: I was absolutely sure our Roy had been dead for some time and joined Mike Reid, Larry Grayson, Bob Monkhouse and the Northern bloke from Bulls's Eye in the great quiz show-host holding pen in the sky. But no, it wasn't a lookee likee, but the real silver hair fox himself gazing from the poster. Anyone else been pulled up short when they have found that "that guy, you know" was still living and breathing?

A quick check on the newsfeeds and Have Your Say genre sites, shows that the hot button issue is NOT Andrew Murray's win in Oz, or the Iraq inquiry, but whether Tesco should ban shoppers in pyjamas:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8484116.stm

the accompanying audio clip is comedy gold.

some entries worthy of Private Eye here:

http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?sortBy=1&forumID=7451&start=...

Is it another sign of the nascent police state or just a sensible move to keep the chavs out?

At 18.00 GMT the mystery will finally be over. You have to admire Steve Jobs's chutzpa; he's turned a product launch into a huge event. The interweb and the media as slavering as they eat out of his hand. Anyone got any predictions as to what it will do? Are you going to get one? Or are you singing to yourself "Don't, Don't, Don't Believe the Hype"

Anyone read Changing Places by David Lodge? If you haven't, I thoroughly recommend it. Anyway, a key device in the plot - which involves English professors on a exchange programme - is the Humiliation Game, wherein the Profs have to confess what is the greatest piece of literature they haven't read.

I was thinking about this when I thought of those lists of the Greatest Albums Ever Made that regularly come out. At my estimation, the top of the heap of the greatest albums I have never listened to is probably Exile of Main Street. Does this mean I will now be sent to Siberia by the Massive? Anyone willing to risk the potential opprobrium of others and confess what they haven't heard too? I would be quite interested in seeing what is the most unheard acknowledged classic.

Me, I am off to Spotify to right this terrible hole in my rockucation.

I don't really get Lady Gaga, but on the other hand, I have to say that I am developing a soft spot for Ke$ha. Heard a few bars of a song and it was enough to wet my appetite. A quick consultation of the online Bluffer's Guide to the Galaxy (aka Wikipedia), reveals she seems to be a punk version of Britney. Not only do I like her songs, which - to borrow a Super Hans simile - are as moreish as crack, I like her whole attitude/image. I admit, it does help that she hasn't been bashed by the ugly stick and I know it is all manufactured, but how entertaining is this?

Maybe I should shut up, I fit the age-profile she is addressing in the song. Anyone got any opinions on her? I reckon, by the end of the year, she is going to be the pop-star of 2010.

as predicted by this massive. SC will be on tonight's R4 PM programme discussing his latest charity release. Does the good cause justify the blatant bandwagoning? Or does the fact that singles sell sod all nowerdays mean that this is just more grist for the Cowell publicity mill?