"I love this album to the point of madness"

Tim Burgess is the saviour of Twitter and the Lockdown Blues. His communal online listening parties are brilliant; making us groove to albums from start to finish - just like the old days - while sharing our memories and enthusiasm. Very positive happenings.

I loved the two Dexy's Midnight Runners parties ("Searching For The Young Soul Rebels" and "Too-Rye-Ay"), and the one for Camera Obscura "Let's Get Out Of This Country" (naturally).

Last night (as I type) it was the turn of Laura Cantrell's "Not The Tremblin' Kind" which still sounds bloody great 20 years after release (on a certain DIY label out of Glasgow, Bonnie Scotland).

Bob Harris and Andy Kershaw played NTTK on national radio here, but the late great John Peel was a huge champion, declaring it:

 "My favourite album of the last 10 years and possibly my life".

I was looking through old faded radio reports of yore and came across another transcribed recommendation from JP:

"I love this album to the point of madness". 

Here's a postcard Peel sent to the Shoeshine Records HQ. He'd bought 14 x copies of NTTK and was wondering when Laura would release the follow up:

In other news I am digging the new Bob album. This is my current favourite (those wee tantalising harmonica breaks!).

I recommend this:

If you haven't read the original gem of a book I would say maybe try and read it first:

"Punk Rock Boy" is the song I contributed to Juniper's debut album. Incidentally Joff Winterhart's band Bucky have a track on Juniper's album too. Small world but I wouldn't like to paint it.

One episode down of "State Of Happiness" and I am ready for Episode 2:

I thought Joe Wicks was very likeable on Desert Island Discs.

And a wee reminder that if the good lord's willing and the creeks don't rise, we might see some of you on the road next year:

"He's at it again, God"

All being well...

Ticket/info - www.teenagefanclub.com

I am pitching for a couple of composer gigs. Wish me the proverbial.

Oh and I've joined the Ebow club ("Neeeeeeeeee.........!")...

An Ebow earlier today.

I am really enjoying Billy And Us.

Episode 4 on religion had some great archive footage.

I went through Keith Floyd's autobiography like a hot knife through salted garlic butter. I've now ordered his other autobiography...

Here's a new Bob Dylan interview (!)

New Bob album imminent!

"Good news in today’s world is like a fugitive, treated like a hoodlum and put on the run. Castigated."

Amen, Bob.

I thought The Salisbury Poisonings was great, moving TV. That funeral scene.

I've been to too many funerals.

Last week I attended my first online memorial service. When I was 8 or 9 years old Nigel lived across the avenue, the youngest of three brothers. I was a few months older. He didn't go to my school but I can clearly remember his first day at Mrs Sally's kindergarten in Kylepark in Uddingston, Lanarkshire in what must have been 1974. A navy blue top, a mop of blonde hair and a car or truck that he was excited about.

I remember watching Top Of The Pops at Nigel's house: XTC and Sham 69. Nigel got very excited when Jimmy Pursey mimed beating the floor tom with his hands.

I reckon I bought The Stranglers "The Raven" because of Nigel. He thought the title of The Sex Pistols debut album was hilarious. They had a cat called Tiger and a garden pond with frogs. We moved house and I only bumped in to Nigel now and again over the years. His brother Alan came to my gig in Newcastle earlier this year and we caught up. A few weeks later he dropped me a line to said Nigel had passed away. Shocking and sad.

Apparently Nigel's hero had been Keith Floyd. His dog was named Duchess after The Stranglers song; he'd seen them live in 1981 at Glasgow Apollo. He must have been 10 years old at the time (!). Nigel liked good food and wine (but not from the supermarket). He wasn't materialistic.  He could drive but never had a car. They played Brian Wilson "Love And Mercy" during the ceremony.

The humanist minister told a story about Nigel having a holiday in France and visiting various vineyards and taking some nice wine back home. His companion hung on to their wine but Nigel drank his. I suppose, as Brian Wilson once sang, Life Is For Living - and Nigel would have agreed.