I heard Rick Wakeman on the radio recently, and it reminded me that although I listened to and enjoyed his 70s albums at the time– I had a friend who was a big Wakeman fan – I had never bought any. I was mildly curious to see if there was a Best of album available, and so I looked up his website. I discovered that compilations do exist, but what amazed me was that there are about 100 original albums listed as well. I’d assumed that he hadn’t recorded much since stuff like The Six Wives of Henry VIII, and had mainly been involved with various Yes reformations, droll TV appearances and the odd low key tour.

I’m not sure what this proves, except that he has managed to construct a career which most of us aren’t aware of, but which has lasted about ten times longer that his years of fame and big-selling albums. There’s probably a lot of this going on, which outside of the hard-core fan base, gets no publicity.

But it does seem to be getting earlier, if this sign in my local in North London is anything to go by.

Radio 2 broadcast a documentary the other night about the making of Blonde on Blonde called Nashville Cats (still available on iPlayer). It featured a lot of the musicians from Nashville as well as the producer, Tom Johnston, and Al Kooper. I found it very interesting - I didn't realise that all of the Nashville session musicians were in their twenties at the time. I'd always had the impression that Dylan had gone to Nashville to work with an earlier generation of musicians, not people who were his contemporaries.

It also made me think about a point that was made in a different documentary about lead guitar playing last week. It suggested that the best lead guitarists were the ones who came up with licks and fills which became part of the song - and so on that basis, they said George Harrison held the title.

It's only one definition, but using it, the musicians on Blonde on Blonde, whichever instrument they played, must have been some of the best ever in one studio.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01130ty

Rufus Wainwright has just had a daughter with Lorca Cohen, Leonard's daughter. The mother and her mother are both artists, I believe, but apart from that the baby has a father, three grandparents, a great-aunt, an uncle and an aunt who are singer songwriters.

Good luck to the parents, and I'm sure the growing child will receive support in whatever she wants to do. But are there any other children with as many musical connections in the family?

(This is the announcement on the Rufus Wainwright website:

http://www.rufuswainwright.com/)

Mark Ellen presented a programme called Imelda Marcos - Dictator of Taste this morning on Radio 4. To quote the BBC's website:

"Mark Ellen explores the emergence of Imelda Marcos as an unlikely modern icon as David Byrne, Norman Cook and other artists and musicians inspired by her life consider why Imelda has mutated into a modern muse and whether she deserves such broadly sympathetic treatment."

As Mark acknowledges upfront the programme was the idea of the late Robert Sandall and he was asked to complete it. Well worth a listen, and it's still on the BBC's iPlayer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00x9yd5

Joan Bakewell has been give a peerage. Inevitably, The Guardian story says that she was once referred to as "the thinking man's crumpet".

Does anybody else have an epithet which is always used by journalists when their name comes up?

Comb and paper, suitcase and brushes, and a couple of mandolins. The PA consisted of a megaphone. The band just scamper on stage and get straight to the point.

The Mound City Blue Blowers play St Louis Blues

They were no mere novelty act either - I came across them the other day when Radio 2's Jazz Junctions played a record of them working with Coleman Hawkins and Glenn Miller.

David Cameron quotes the song in his conference speech and leaves to the sound of the record.

Very upbeat and modern I thought, then realised the record is one year older than him.

Tea and toasted, buttered currant buns can’t compensate for lack of sun - but this might help.

Headline in the Daily Mail today

"Who Wants to be a Millionaire Cheat slices off three toes in freak gardening accident"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1312559/Who-Wants-To-Be-A-Millio...

is the name of a documentary on Radio 4 at 11.30 tomorrow (19 August) about Vince Taylor, the minor sixties star and major loon who was a large part of the inspiration for Bowie's alter ego. I've just hear the trailer for it, and it includes the Dame himself as a contributor. Why the BBC puts out this kind of thing somewhere between Woman's Hour and You and Yours, I've no idea, but I'm glad they do.

I've never been to a festival, but in all of the coverage I've seen, there are always girls sitting on someone's shoulders. For some reason, this attracts the attention of TV cameras. But what are the mechanics? If you're the prop, the initial loading and standing upright must require some assistance, and how long can you stand with an eight or nine stone weight on you, especially when she is making your balance even more perilous by waving her arms about. And then there's the dismounting. (I think double entendre may have crept in here somewhere, but I can't think of any better phrasing.)

Anyone ever done this as load or bearer?

such as Hair Razors. I had a flyer through the door today offering gardening services from Rake's Progress. And I saw a waste disposal lorry go past recently with the slogan "Ring us and we'll talk rubbish," and an ironing shop (yes, they exist) called Pressed for Time.

It all adds a little something to the day. Any other business names or slogans which have mildly amused you (even if they haven't won your custom)?

and there is a disconnect. These seem to have become two of the most popular phrases used by politicians and journalists during the election.

i don't know where they come from, but I do know one thing - they certainly have traction.