Author Archives: Paul

No.1 hits (excluding instrumentals) where the title of the song is never sung? Bohemian Rhapsody, Space Oddity, Unchained Melody. Good. The Ballad of John & Yoko, The Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde. Obviously. Getting harder now. Annie’s Song, The Ketchup Song, The Hindu Times, Killer, Double Barrel. Not forgetting of course that Rod Stewart never […]

I was out last night with my friend Micky. He never changes. Still rail-thin with rock star hair and Ray-Bans, Mick’s led the sort of life that makes you feel you haven’t lived at all. He had a mate who was a serious drug dealer. Not only that but this bloke was own best customer. […]

Possibly not. But you’ve definitely heard of his father-in-law, Johnny Cash. Which is why you’ll recognise the chorus of this wonderful track and the voice of the man singing it. Apparently, it’s Rodney Crowell’s 62nd birthday today. That’s all the excuse I need.

Take some good quality vanilla ice cream, drizzle on a little extra virgin olive oil then add a couple of pinches of Maldon rock salt. Trust me, sublime. Now take a couple of English folkies doing an acoustic version of a full-on, very American summer staple. The result is equally surprising. At some point today, […]

………though I’m not likely to find out. I’ve never watched it. Not even as a kid. I just cannot get on with science fiction. Star Wars? Star Trek? Lost in Space? Lost on me. So when I saw the name “Capaldi” all over the news this morning, I naturally thought of Jim Capaldi, ex-drummer of […]

…..to DJ at a surprise party. No one was more surprised than me. I’d forgotten how much I used to love it. The sheer joy of filling a dance floor and being the reason people are having a good time. Oh God, it’s gone straight to my head and this is not good. It can […]

What is it about blokes and barbecues? They never normally go near the kitchen but give them raw meat, an open grill and a comedy apron and suddenly they’re Jamie Oliver. Except they’re not, are they? How many times have you only eaten charred chicken and burnt burgers because Barbecue Man has taken so long […]

……for no apparent reason. Actually, there are lots of reasons. My dad was Irish. As were 90% of my friends’ parents at my very Catholic school. I spent much of my young life in Kilburn and Cricklewood. Since then, the Emerald Isle has played practically no part in my adult life. My children have not […]

……they weren’t even a real band, just a bunch of session musicians who wrote this song in a flat in South London. Yet it’s a masterpiece of summer harmonies and orchestration that somehow retains the flavour of 1970s British bubblegum pop. This lovely combination says “Californian sunshine but right here in Britain” and that’s exactly […]

…….when I walked into a steam room in that very locale. Three people were sitting in silence, towels around their waists. Elvis Costello, Dave Allen and Peter Mandelson. I sat down and heard myself say “Blimey, I’m the only one I’ve never heard of” and we began to talk. We’d all enjoyed the film, particularly […]