just come (at last) - he's also brought The Word - hooray. They've put some cult on the cover - he looks like Father Christmas - how festive!

My postman arrived two minutes ago and delivered the new issue. The cover photograph is stunning... it's got to be by Shamil Tanna... just checking... yes, it is.

Clue: the man on the front of the new issue has a beard.

Hurry up please! I need my fix.

a few days ago. I would guess Neil Hannon, he has quite a fine beard?

Heightened expectation now....

I'm off hols for 10 days this afternoon and WANT it before I depart.

Vamos postie!

have magazines with scantily clad beauties on the front.
I get Santa Claus.
Top cover and just in time for hols.

Has he got a new album out? Hope it's more in the poppy vein of "Communist Manifesto2 and not the turgid prog rock of "Capital"

But I can't be sure the postie will be bringing this issue as I might have renewed my sub. too late (ie a week or two ago. Apparently it takes 6 weeks to process!). How long should I give it?

... a beard!

are going to thank them from the bottom of your heart for putting one of rock's more original and interesting characters on the cover.

...new issue in hand, laptop for podcast, cup of tea to stave off dehydration and obligatory ashtray: bliss!

Thank FSM for redundancy!

McAloon, McNabb, Collins, HMHB, The Blue Nile and The Jayhawks would all be very close to my heart.

But fer goodness sake...that's really Stackridge on the CD that is. Now you have no excuse for wondering what they sound like. Written by the brilliant Crun.

no sign of new issue in Battersea

I have been looking forward to getting home from work more than usual today. This thread and also spying the cover on Twitter meant that I was expecting a certain gent with a beard to be looking up at me as I opened the front door. Sadly the new issue has not made it to Wapping either. Cannot be a postal strike as I got x2 bills & x1 credit card statement!

For once my issue has arrived at the same time as the first posts on the blog. For the last few months it hasn't come until the Wednesday, by which time all the 'Oooh look at the cover this month' threads have long become passe and are somewhere on the third page.

So, I can sympathise with those who are still waiting and wondering which Karl Marx lookalike they can expect to see.

But this month I am not one of them.

99% True, factoid #2:

"Police Academy star Leslie Nielsen..."

Police Squad, and more famously The Naked Gun, but never Police Academy.

Top issue, nonetheless.

Plus the new Christopher Brookmyre AND the new Matthew Sweet / Susannah Hoffs CD. So much joy in my house tonight.

Saying that, on Monday 5th June 2006 Brookmyre's A Tale Etched In Blood And Hard Black Pencil arrived, as did Twelve Stops And Home. Both much anticipated. I sat down with a sarnie and the book, ready to press "play" and the 'phone went with the news that mt dad had just died suddenly.

Sort of makes me a bit anxious as regards Brookmyre books now. But the last one came out without incident..