So, what was your vedict on the Killing 2? Personally I found it far more satisfying overall than the first series, which was probably two episodes too long and had far too many plot inconsistencies/loose ends. This new series, whilst it lacked the emotional aspect of the parents dealing with their grief in the face of a murder enquiry, was much faster paced and far more exciting.

What did you think?

Hi - I'm off to Paris for a short break in a few weeks, I've already been to Pere Lachaise and also seen Serge Gainsbourg's apartment and was wondering if The Massive could recommend any other music related landmarks please? Any info on decent record stores would be appreciated too.

Also I'm interested in any other quirky and unusual shops, restaurants and sightseeing places you might have enjoyed that are not on the usual tourist trail.

Many thanks!

My old turntable/stereo has kicked the bucket and if I am going to replace it I'm keen to get something that can not only play my old vinyl but also convert to MP3.

I've seen software where you can plug wires from a stereo to a PC and fiddle about like that but I don't know if that is for me.

I saw a TEAC LPR500 in Richer Sounds, and that looked right up my street - stick on the vinyl, stick in a recordable CD put the needle down, press record and hey presto! You can use the set as a stereo to play everything too, however it is a hideously ugly brute and a little on the pricey side.

Do any of the Massive have or know this machine, otherwise, any other recommendations on a simple idiot proof system?

Thanks!

I'm currently obsessed by The Kinks - I've always liked them but generally been satisified with the "Ultimate Collection" greatest hits compilation. But over the years I've found myself listening to them more and more and on the weekend I even did a little Muswell Hill/Highgate DIY excursion to take in some of the landmarks inspired by the recent showing of Ray Davies' "Imaginary Man" documentary.

However, the two Julien Temple documentaries were extremely unsatisfactory as they both missed out huge chunks of important back story. For example Dave's stroke and rehabilitation was not even mentioned in "Kinkdom Come" and Ray's shooting in New Orleans not even touched on in "Imaginary Man", very strange! Also, both were very reticent on the legendary punch-ups and tensions between them.

Both movies also totally glossed over any contribution from later band members who took over from Mick Avory and Pete Quaife.

I've had a quick flick through Amazon but there is not much info there at all - can anyone recommend a decent biography on The Kinks please?

Thanks!

On reading David Hepworth's piece about Clarence Clemons and Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band in the new issue at lunchtime, I was struck by the sentence "all great bands have an inner drama".

It got me thinking (painful...) that I can't really think of any bands at the moment that have any characters or inner drama that Mr Hepworth was talking about.

I mean I'd be hard pushed even to recognise the bassist of Elbow, the drummer of Coldplay or even the guitarist in Kings Of Leon, if they were to rush up to me in the street and hit me with a wet blanket.

Now this in spite of either having seen them live on stage, on TV countless of times, on YouTube, in the music press, and all being mega selling bands some even headlining events and Festivals such as Glastonbury...

You'd think that with today's multi-media saturation that bands would surely become more recogniseable, but I find it completely the opposite. so, what has happened to the Joey, Johnny, Marky, Dee Dee or E-Street Band characters and dynamics?

Julien Temple's Dave Davies/Kinks documentary is on BBC4 Friday July 15th.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012ht1t

Hi - I've got the chance to help put on and promote a gig for three bands I really like and I want to make a success of it for them.

I was wondering if I could Ask The Massive for some advice on the best way to promote a gig, any tricks of the trade, and what pit-falls to avoid.

I'd also like to read any interesting, funny or disastrous experiences from other budding Harvey Goldsmiths among the Massive.

Many thanks!

I was browsing in HMV at lunchtime, fighting my way through racks of DVD box-sets, Ramones T-Shirts, crap books, Hollyoaks calendars and iPod accessories to reach the musty old broom cupboard right at the back of the store where they keep their *whisper it* CDs.

Don't know why really, HMV is rubbish but there's always the vain hope of finding something new and I sort of did in a strange way.
They were playing a decent sounding song, a bit of a shimmery shoegazing Shangri-La's shong...shorry about that. I went up to the counter and asked the spotty youth behind the counter "who's this you're playing now?" Actually, one of the simple pleasures of getting old is that you no longer feel any sense of shame in approaching a record store's sales person and asking outright what they're playing.
"That's The Cults grandad duuuhh..." he replied, well maybe not quite. Now, I do try and keep up with modern music and what's going on but I can honestly say I have never knowingly heard of The Cults. I checked their CD, they are on a major label and getting played at an HMV store - so where the hell did they come from?

So I thought, they sound pretty good - any Massive members heard of them and are they worth investing in?

Second question, have you ever discovered a band from hearing them first time played in a record store where you've had to go up and ask "what's this your playing?"

anyone coming along..??

http://www.firestationartscentre.com/

I like new band shock! Ok, they sound "old" but these are just damn great...

Not only did I discover from watching the Runaways movie the other night that Cherie Currie is now "Chainsaw Chick" (see here for that http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/chainsaw-chick-rock-stars-and-thei...) but it also reminded me that Joan Jett is responsible for my all time favourite "It's sooo unfair, toys out the pram" song of Teenage rebellion.

What's yours?

Help! I don't understand Twitter...

As some of you Word Twittering types know already I have managed to set up an account, I've got that far. I'm even following some of the Massive and being followed by others (thank you kindly!). I can see the page with all the updates from my chosen Celebs and sites and I have even worked out how to post comments from my Blog directly to Twitter, yep the words Tricks, Dog and Old spring to mind...fine so far!

BUT, I can't work out how to actually contribute to any conversation or send a comment to someone in particular. I can see what people are talking about...some comments are obviously bits of conversations but where are the other bits?

None of my friends, colleagues or family are on Twitter - so can someone give me some tips please?

Many thanks as usual!

I watched the movie about The Runaways last night, it was OK, great music and a couple of good performances from the actor who played Kim Fowley (it took me while to realise it was the same actor who played the god-fearing, puritanical prohibition Agent in "Boardwalk Empire") and the girl who played Joan Jett, who was excellent.

I know that Joan Jett went on to have a solo career after The Runaways, but I always wondered what happened to lead singer Cherie Currie. I have now discovered, thanks to the "where are they now?" blurbs during the movie's end credits, that the gorgeous Cherry Bomb herself is now a "Chainsaw Artist"...!

http://www.chainsawchick.com/

If there's a more bizarre career switch or hobby from a rock star I'd really like to know about it.

Does the Massive have any other examples to beat this?

Any Fulham fans on here have any comments on the ridiculous idea to erect a statue of Michael Jackson outside Craven Cottage? Surely the fans could have acted to have stopped this embarrasment (for you), hilarity for the rest of us.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12950708

I didn't think the mad world of football/celebrity could get any more pathetic, but it just has...

P.S. if this was, as I first suspected, an April Fool and I've fallen for it, then beers are on me at the next Massive get-together!

P.P.S. as a little addition - have you ever seen any other examples of terrible music/football/celebrity statues?

I just heard a track by Elliott Smith, "Son of Sam", it was bloody good. He's one of those artists I've never knowingly heard, always imagined him to be a depressing, doomy folkie type with an acoustic guitar (not usually my thing) but this was an uptempo corking little number and I want to investigate further.

Anyone here got any recommendations on where I should start?

Thanks