Richard Raftery (letter writer) must know he's amongst friends? He must know that the chances of anybody picking up The Word from the news stand is familiar with jazz? Then why the open brackets, closed brackets telling us who, among others, Ben Webster and Stan Getz are? Are these luminaries unable to stand without the crutch of defining bracketry? Where will it end? John Lennon (co-writer of a number of popular tunes in the 1960s...see McCartney P).

On the Podcast before last it came out that one of The Word's scribes had a photo of himself taken with The Polyphonic Spree; to which, I think, Hepworth saw his Spree and raised a Springsteen: ouch! Well that got me to thinking about my 'hand'...all I can come up with is Rodney Bewes, Wreckless Eric, Phill Jupitus and Gerry Laffy. (I think I'd have to fold). But what if I'd been in a room with Elvis Presley and The Beatles? If the legend is correct, Elvis invited the lads to his drum on 27 August '65. If they did meet why is there no photographic evidence of this momentous occasion? Surely someone thought to bring the instamatic? Was EP really there that night? The Colonel was, that much we do know. Discuss.