Is there a suggestion that my glockenspiel would look better if played by Cindy Blackman , rather than the James Robertson Justice lookalike I see in the mirror ?

Mr Ellen: Gaye Advert?
Mr Harrison: Ooh, a bit before my time, I'm afraid.

For Sonja Kristina or Hawkwind's Stacia to be a bit before the time of someone I've always thought of as being roughly my contemporary would have been just about livable-with (only just, mind). But Gaye Advert? Punk was last week, for crying out loud!

(Longing & Lust? Yeah, what happened to them? They had a couple of Broadway smashes and then. . .nothing.)

Integrity intact.....

another retiree from the topsy-turvy world of rock n' roll.

Fred Neil The cheques for this song must have helped:

I seriously doubt that Doris from WGCs finest the Subways, looks the business.
Reminds me of women and pints, just like classic little britain dennis waterman sketch.

All I can see on the podcast message above is an annoying blank square, not the widget that usually plays the podcast to me What can I do?
I was planning to while away the afternoon with a listen, but at the moment it looks like I may have to work instead....

I agree the guy is gawky but here's where I can't agree with you guys in podcast. Is it really the job of the interview to twist the words of the interviewee? You guys all agreed this was OK but I don't. Why is this the job of the interviewer? By all means ask tough questions (I certainly don't want fawning and deferential stuff) and by all means try to dig below the surface. But why is the job of an interviewer to twist someone's words? That's not interviewing, that's just trying to drum up a scandal or a controversy out of what be mundane. But if it's mundane, leave it and move on. I find myself supporting the Gawky One on this.

I listened to the previous week's and today's back to back. So, I was bombarded with Mr Hepworth's justification for subscribing, followed by Mr Ellen praising my letter in the current Magazine regarding Howard Devoto's literary influences.

That's it, then. You've got me. I'll subscribe (after payday).

Here is the actual moment when George and Andrew went their separate ways, prompted by a meeting with Elton John:

This is from the brilliant "Star Stories" George Michael episode, which I highly recommend, especially for the Band Aid scene. It's all on YouTube:
Part 1: http://tinyurl.com/5t9obu
Part 2: http://tinyurl.com/6ypkf9
Part 3: http://tinyurl.com/68nyx6
It's very silly.

I read an engrossing brick of a book about Stalin by some chap called Montefiore while soaking up the rays in Goa. He didn't trust any of his ministers and had most of them killed one after another over the years - very brutal stuff. A good beach read I thought.

Apologies for not having chapter and verse on the podcast, but the book I was talking about (apparently '"Quite simply, the greatest music book ever written." - Mick Mercer, Melody Maker, and "A remarkable biography. Books like this are few and far between." - Charles Shaar Murray, NME) is available on US Amazon here;

http://www.amazon.com/Elvis-Novel-Robert-Graham/dp/1899344195

And imho well worth a punt. Be interested to hear what you think of it...

D'arcy Wretzky was replaced by the thoroughly magnificent Melissa Auf Der Maur, of Hole and solo fame, after the completion of Machina through to the break up, and Ginger Reyes has had the position since the reformation in 2007.

from Talk Talk seems to be very committed to a life outside music, sadly.

A provocative 'cast, with some excellent use of the word "lady". Some spod-like details I can't hold back: the sax player referred to in connection with Van was, I believe, Kate St John, late with the ethereal Virginia Astley, Dream Academy and erstwhile Jools Holland R&B Orchestra member. She has stepped out with both BIlly Bragg and Sid Griffin of Long Ryders/Coal Porters, but I don't think her relationship with Van was ever more than professional. The trombonist was Annie Whitehead, who seemed to be in everything for a period in the 80s. And in Rock School, it was the guitarist (Deirdre Cartwright) who was a Lady, while bass chores were held down by Henry Thomas, who wore a Sgt Pepper's jacket and was wont to refer to "heavy, heavy bass" regardless of the style being taught. Oh and, much as it pains me, I have to disagree with Ms Mossman on all instruments looking good on a woman: the otherwise wonderful DeVotchKa have a female bassist who also plays what I think is a tuba and she looks as daft as any man could. And finally, how would Fraser's theory work with pregnant bassists: I've definitely seen one (Sara Lee, who played with The B52s and the Indigo Girls)? Is that cute?

A week late I know, following the Small Faces/Gastric Band discussion.

I had a band a college called Eddie & The Bikeracks. A trio playing Django Reinhardt tunes with two guitars and clarinet. The clarinet player, may oldest mate Phil, was also know as the bikerack, due to his extraordinarily large arse. (At one point we decided they were 'beer buttocks.')

Andy, the other guitarist, was an honourary bikerack. We were big in the City Arms in Canterbury in 1986.

Phil the bikerack is now renowned as (and I quote) "Britain's finest Jake Thackray interpreter." That'll do for me.

For those of you who don't know the inspiration/would like to see it again, enjoy:

funnily enough Mike the lead guitars from the Mighty CUD has retired from music, steadfastly avoiding their recent comeback and farewell tours. This is probably because he's now a deputy headteacher which probably pays better than being a member of as even the biggest fans (in both senses of word in my case) would admit are 1st division indie band!

Last time I looked he was selling jukeboxes and Americana (OK, a junk shop) off Upper Street at the center (yes, center) of The Sound of Young Islington. Called, inevitably, Out Of Time.

Not sure that Howard Devoto is actually a librarian, though former Buzzcocks manger Richard Boon is the head honcho at at Stoke Newington library. And Mr D has played at least one show, a few years back in N16 to celebrate his birthday.

Saw Thea Gilmore in Sheffield last night, talked to her after the show and mentioned the thread about bassists which included Jo, and she said that Jo has now retired from the music biz and is doing something in horticulture.

Another retired rock star. Brian Cox former keyboard player with Dare and D:ream, whose "Things Can Only Get Better" became the anthem for the Labour Party, is now an experimental physicist at CERN.

Oh and the comment about 'there's nothing sexy about tromboning' did make me smirk, in a naughty school boyish way...

I saw 'Son of Albert', The Ridge's sole solo album, in my local record shop - on the day of release - for 50p. This is the early 1990s, when that was still very cheap.
And I didn't buy it, no.

Those early grunge poster boys Soundgarden released a single called Spoonman - strangely a song about a man who plays spoons. If I remember the video it was a rather old a straggly geezer rather than an attractive bass player. Using some imagination those spoons could become rather more appetising if in the rights hands!