Surely it has to be at least a thread if not a mini column . What do you say/do if Prince turns up with the witnesses on your door ? I would especially love to know the answers from Andrew Collins,
Mark Ellen and Jim White .

For reasons too tedious to go into here, I drove to work this morning instead of cycling. I was listening to the podcast while stuck in a long traffic jam. As PFM and their association with Emerson, Lake and Palmer came up for discussion, I got to the front of the queue to find that hold up was caused by a broken down Italian-made car whose registration plate ended with the letters ELP.

I do realise that this is one of the more dull posts seen on the Word website so here's a video of some traffic.

What happens if Jehovah's Witness Hank Marvin turns up at your door and he's hungry? Hello, I'm Hank Marvin. Got any stew on the go? I'm absolutely Hank. Yes, you said that already. Etc.

Living as I do near both Potters Bar and Enfield, I had no idea, listening to the last two podcasts, that I lived in such a happening area. Are you seriously telling me that we invented ATMs, and not the Americans?

The Enid's albums were prog; their singles were whatever took their fancy.
Here's the most over-the-top song of all time, the Enid's version of "Golden Earrings":

http://www.divshare.com/download/5876920-ef7

Regarding Reg Varney, it's traditional to test new technology on comedians - fact fans will remember that Ernie Wise made the first mobile phone call in the UK.

God ... now you are really going "just around the corner of my mind" as Jimmy Saville would say.

Saw them at Reading '81, same year Greg Lake played and the Kinks headlined. RJ Godfrey struck me as painfully sincere and painfully vulnerable.

http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/reading-81.html

I remmember receiving a promotional tape from them once-can't even now remember how or why they had my address-introduced by the man himself. Suited a baking summer afternoon at reading very well but not one for the long haul I fear.

Esther married Desmond WIllcox, Desmond Morris wrote Manwatching. Actually I guess it would be a little disturbing were the Speedo clad Heppers to realise he was being scrutinised by Mr Willcox.

is a very funny man. You should get him on the podcast more often.

For me, this week and last week's podcasts have been the best in a long time...

We really do appreciate you doing them, you know...

Regarding the comment on the podcast about Len introducing the band at the end of each set, think yourselves lucky he only introduced the band twice on the 13th, when he played the O2 in July he introduced each musician every time they played anything approaching a solo - that's a hell of a lot of introductions and it became tiresome very quickly. The latest show got rid of this unnecessary affectation and was very much improved by it, it was also improved by not having a drunken woman who had been larging it up on the free booze in hospitality standing up and dancing in front of me the whole of the first set like July.

My 4th row seat, centre stage, was the best birthday present I've ever had, the concert among the best I've ever seen - long live laughing Len!

Archie's post reminds me of the classic chapter on texting in New Yorker scribe Adam Gopnik's brilliant memoir, Through The Children's Gate (follow-up to his equally fab Paris To The Moon). Spends six months getting up to speed on texting back in the day, mainly so he can talk to his son, and is convinced that LOL is coolspeak for Lots Of Love. Perseveres with this, right through his sister's miscarriage ("so sorry to hear the news. LOL"), until the awful day when his son breaks it to him. Textbook Dad material.

.....The last two podcasts have been really good, keep up the good work. LOL at the ATM with Barry Mac.

Indeed, the very best podcasts are those with the absence of 'special guests', and those that appear to have wandered away from Mr Hepworth's legendary bullet points.

It is with a sigh of relief, in the certain knowledge of a top forty five minutes, when I hear the regulars are on board.

Mark & David are, verily, the Esther & Abi Ofarim of podcasting. The Peter & Gordon of mirth, and the Butch & Kipper of the rock anecdote.

It's all free. Let's not carp, eh?

Can't argue with that.

[ though expressing a view is not necessarily carping ]

...Damn - I think I DID just argue...

It might be okay to spill the beans on the cartwheels because "he's left Britain now anyway" but Len is touring worldwide and so is your podcast.

...what an unexpected pleasure it was to get the podcast a day earlier than usual? I loved it when we got it on a Tuesday. That's not a complaint - just nostalgia.

If Prince was on my doorstep, I'd do what I do to all door-knockers and that is: tell him it wasn't a good time. (In that it hasn't been a good time for Prince since about 1983.)

...Mr Collins.

If Prince was on the doorstep, we would have to hope it was a giant step, otherwise we may not see him.

{apologies for size-ist remark}

I had this sorted about five years ago. I never, never answered the door without picking up my baby son first. That way I could always say "it's not a good time" with conviction and proof. Tea time, bath time, nappy time...the options were endless.

..they left, looking most offended when I invited them in for a coffee. It may have been other members of the Church of Latter day Saints.
Emboldened by this, i now ask Jehovahs Witnesses in for a blood transfusion

Because if you don't, then it will include records that a lot of its critics have in their collection. And that's way too embarrassing for your average year zeroist. Hence Zappa/Sgt Pepper/any album with even a hint of a string section fans being rampantly keen to dissociate themselves from the term.

Are the musicals of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber prog? Specifically Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and his Amazing Coat? I always lump them in with that movement. It's of course the mix of classical and hippy rock, the public schoolness and alongside Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman, they're both bloody Tories.

...that Pink Floyd's The Wall bridges prog and punk?

Stylistically, not chronologically.