"There’s no doubt in my mind that I’m a great songwriter. Pop songwriting is a real craft and I’ve always known I was good at it. Even when I started, in my teens, I was surprised by how easy it was for me to come up with a melodic hook that will stick in your head. I don’t think I’m being big-headed. I mostly play piano, but I’m a rubbish pianist. I’m so utterly crap on guitar, I probably shouldn’t go near one. As a front man, I’d rate myself as okay, but as a songwriter I naturally have that magic required to write hits.”

As quoted in an interview this weekend. If there aren't any right answers by lunchtime I'll drop in a couple of lyrics to help you along...

No spoilers please - if you did read the original, please let others enjoy the anticipation.

I was interested in this piece in The Times today, wherein we explore whether the important thing is the band or whether it is the brand, through the prism of Sugababes. The hon. professor of brand marketing at Birmingham business school, no less, says "A band name isn’t just a band name — it’s a brand. And a brand is nothing more than a cluster of functional and emotional values”. The article also references Pink Floyd, The Temptations, Gorillaz, The Four Tops and Abba. So, The Massive, what is it that keeps you going back to Amazon to download their latest individual, not-at-all-part-of-an-album songs - band or brand?

Also, it lets you know the name of the guy responsible not only for Sugababes, but All Saints.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/...

I have just heard Madness's "It Must Be Love". That sax solo... Maybe it was time constraints what done 'im in, maybe he just didn't like the song, or maybe he actually thought that was the best the song deserved? But it isn't (IMHO) very good. I have oft read folk tales of 'God' (aka Eric Clapton) thinking that "For Your Love" didn't deserve playing on, but what (and here's the question) do The Massive think are the solos that, rather than going through with it, people should have just in a Steely Dan-esque fashion) just got a man in.
Here's mine - rather than get Slash to take a day off from industrial capacity drug intake to solo on Wiggle Wiggle, Bob Dylan should have got one of The Wiggles. And then left it on the final mix.

...is from The Guardian website and reads;

NHS 'spurs obese to put on weight'

The answer to the White Hart Lane pie shortage solved at a stroke.

Exciting news reaches Kirk Central to the effect that Ian Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain has opened a restaurant in Florida! On the menu are such delights as the House Band Salad ($3.95), Security Staff Stuffed Potato ($8.95) and the fruitily titled Backstage Chix Sandwich ($8.95). Which leads me to wonder what other back up plans rock stars have for when their appeal becomes more selective - it can't all be trout farms, surely? Whither "Paul Di'Anno's Pianos", or "Dave Murray's Curries"?
I wonder if The Massive have any suggestions as to alternate trades that could be undertaken by rock's glitterati?

ps I understand that the bass player from The Love Trousers has already opened a niche speciality greengrocers called "Mark Ellen's Melons".

I saw Shaun of the Dead the other night, and what dated it immediately was that folk were, like, smoking - *in* the pub! Robbie Williams' oh-so-arch Strong features the line "The pause button's broke on my video". Video, Daddio? Get hip with the groove, man! What else in recent popular culture is now suddenly as relevant as yesterday's papers?

My chums from the tribute circuit tell me that From The Jam have a new drummer - one Mick Avory - and are "writing new material". Seriously, what's the point?

"Elvis Costello literally builds a band in front of the audience's eyes and ears. Joining him for this once-in-a-lifetime jam session are his former record producer, Nick Lowe, on bass; legendary New Orleans producer/pianist Allen Toussaint; U.K. guitar giant/songwriter Richard Thompson; and, from The Band, drummer Levon Helm."

http://www.sundancechannel.com/spectacle/all-new-season/

There may be some quibbles with use of the word 'literally' there. That's the trouble with quibbles.

Springsteen in "High Fidelity"? Mick n' Paul in "All You Need Is Cash"? Nope, this week's vote is for Ronnie James Dio in "Tenacious D - The Pick of Destiny" (Meatloaf a close second). The thing is - did he even realise it was a spoof. Actually...is it a spoof!? These guys might be serious...

First one to mention "Word Up" in the context of the phrase 'best cameo' loses points, by the way.

Don't expect Dave in too early on Monday...

I have the honour and privelige to host a small radio programme and during the course of our discussions this evening we wondered if we could do a whole show based around music from albums which have people smoking on the covers of them. So far we're down with Rickie Lee Jones, Bowie's Young Americans and Marianne Faithful and Broken English. Any more?
Minus points for anyone who flags up that 'Smoke, Smoke, Smoke' country album that regularly crops up in weird LP cover threads.

Imagine my joy when listening to Radio 2's re-broadcast of a fabulous Bonnie Raitt live gig/session from Maida Vale to hear the band introduced and find that "...at the back there on drums..." was Rikki Fataar. "The one and only Stig O'Hara!" I thought to myself. Anyone else found folks gratifyilngly cropping up in unexpected places? The last time it happened before then was when the guitarist in our covers band turned up on Mr. Fish's Misplaced Childhood retread album, or whatever it is we've decided to call that thing where you play an album start to finish. The most recent time was when I was reminded that I have a Lonnie Donegan album which features the guitarist from Queen.

Hang on - if Carlos Santana's guitar was out of tune and "bled onto the other tracks" then how would re-recording it help?
Grand feature by the way, especially the interesting comments on the malign influence wrought by the introduction of the 'undo' button. Always a pleasure to see Lord Hepworth of Islington heping out on the shop floor.

Having just finished Ian McNabb's self-aggrandizing tome "Merseybeast" and being keen to remind myself of some of his works I turned to YouTube and found this ten minute BBC documentary on the rise of the living room concert. Boots seems quite happy with his lot, I was wondering if anyone else had hosted such an event, would consider it, or thinks it might just be a bit tragic and demeaning and break the fourth wall betwixt artist and audience?

"Just read what's on the card and you can have your children back..."

I enjoyed this tremendously. I hope you will too.