Oops- too late!

Are any members of the Massive rich enough to give me money? Only I fancy going out on a bender tonight but I'm skint. Ta.

For anyone who hasn't seen it, the "total eclipse of the heart literal video version" on youtube is pretty funny. I'd put it up here if I was cleverer, but go check it out.

As an ex-pat I've often wondered why it is that the little old British Isles continue to produce the best rock and pop on the planet, with only the USA as (2nd place) rivals and no other country coming close. Italy, where I've lived these past 30 years, is rubbish at it. Why are Britain and Ireland so damn good at it? Any thoughts?

I've always had a soft spot for reggae, but recently I've got more and more into it as I get a bit bored of hearing the same old rock (or rehashes thereof). It's a mid-life thingy.
Anyway, a lot of the good stuff gets regularly mentioned in mag articles and lists etc. (see list below*). But my favourite reggae album I've come across (and now one of my fave albums ever) is The Wailing Souls "Classic Cuts". A compilation of 12" mixes, each track starting off roots and ending up dub. It's such superb summer listening. Anyone else into it? Or would suggest summat else?

*All these I reckon are really good:

Bob Marley "Exodus" (natch)
The Mighty Diamonds "The Right Time"
Israel Vibration "The Same Song"
The Wailing Souls "Wild Suspense"
Culture "Two Sevens Clash"
The Abyssinians "Satta Massagana"
The Gladiators "Trenchtown Mix Up"
The Heptones "Party Time"
Burning Spear "Marcus Garvey"
The Congos "The Heart Of The Congos"
Bunny Wailer "Blackheart Man"
Max Romeo "War Ina Babylon"
Black Uhuru "The Dub Factor"
Lee Scratch Perry "Super Ape"

Unlike everyone else I can't stand Neil Young. The only song of his I love is "Little Wing" (from Hawks and Doves). None of my Neil Young worshiping friends seem to know it. Similar story with one of my fave Paul Simon songs, "Soft Parachutes". As a big Floyd fan I was glad to see David Gimour playing my fave Floyd track, "Wot's...Uh, The Deal" on a recent DVD, and "Fantastic Voyage" is the Bowie song I most often find myself singing. What lesser known tracks do you rave about, my dears?

Dearest gentlemen and ladies of the massive,
can you do me a favour and suggest a read I might pick up while over here in UK on hols? I tend to like contemporary fiction (written in English rather than translated).
Examples of books I've enjoyed a lot recently are:

The Kite Runner -Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns -Khaled Hosseini
The Book Thief -Markus Zusak
Never Let Me Down -Kazuo Ishiguro
Small Island -Andrea Levy
Star Of The Sea -Joseph O'Conner
English Passengers -Matthew Kneale
The Savage Garden -Mark Mills
Middlesex -Jeffrey Eugenides

If you're into books like the above, have you got any suggestions that I simply must read?
I thank you for your time and trouble.

I've always thought it most unjust, indeed absurd, that the devil conceded defeat to Johnny when he went down to Georgia. The devil's fiddle solo (albeit perhaps unfairly backed by a band of demons) was far superior to Johnny's attempt. At least in Charlie Daniels' account of the event.

Like most Word readers, I've got loads of CDs. But there are only a few that are "perfect" (EVERY SINGLE TRACK, cover, sound, timing etc). These are mostly well known massive sellers and/or regular list toppers and critics' faves -Dark Side Of The Moon; Rumours; Nevermind; Kind Of Blue; Pink Moon; Astral Weeks; Stone Roses; Screamadelica; Blue Lines; Steve McQueen; High Land, Hard Rain; Exodus; Damn The Torpedoes; Is A Woman?; Peter Gabriel 3; Rickie Lee Jones debut; Norah Jones debut; Waits; Springsteen; Dylan; Beatles; Elton, Bowie; etc. etc. etc.

All the usual suspects we all know and love.

However there are a few "perfect" albums that I never EVER hear about. From my collection: The Games Up by Sniff 'N' The Tears; Creuza De Ma by Fabrizio De Andre; The Dub Factor by Black Uhuru; The Right Time by The Mighty Diamonds; Taureg by Agricantus. All perfect, they are.

tom waits while roger waters but bill withers...

can anyone continue?

1. M-m-m-my Generation - The Who
2. Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes - David Bowie
3. (B-b-b-b-b-b-b-Baby) You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet - B.T.O.
4. B-b-b-Benny And The Jets - Elton John
5. M-m-m-My Sharona - The Knack

Any others?