I know it shouldn`t worry me, but i`ve been hearing the new Leona Lewis single on the radio rather a lot and I can`t understand a bleeding word of the chorus! Joe Strummer, Shane Mcgowan, Wattie of The Exploited I expect to be unintelligable but the fragrant Leona? Surely Mr Cowell can afford a voice coach! Gobbledigook after 45 seconds in.

I`m surprised that no one has brought up the subject of record company reps, a now obsolete life form. Anyone who hung around record shops, especially chart return shops, would eagerly await their arrival.
They were glamourous figures, with cars full of shiny new records, posters, t shirts and other promotional devices. Sometimes they would even bring round an act to plug their wares ( With apologies to Clive Griffin for mistaking him for the new North West area rep)
These people must have a fund of great stories from the coalface of the music business and so should be found and their stories recorded for prosterity.
One of my favourites was related by a rep known as "Reg". At a Polydor conference "Reg" was sat next to Lloyd Cole who was going through his barren solo years. He leaned over and queried why his records wer`nt selling so well. With charming honesty "Reg" replied "Well Lloyd, there not very good"