Author Archives: Paul

I’ve just come back from Italy but without the once standard souvenir from a summer holiday in Europe. In the 70s and 80s, Brits would come back from their fortnight in the Med, nuts about a dreadful piece of Europop which would then be released over here. Una Paloma Blanca, D.I.S.C.O, Bimbo Jet and of […]

Last night, Floyd Mayweather stopped Conor McGregor in the 10th round of the richest fight ever. But it was dismissed as a farce because McGregor, despite being a phenomenal cage fighter, is not a professional boxer. But at least this was a proper boxing match. The bout in 1976 between Muhammad Ali and a Japanese […]

This week was the 40th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. An event that kicked off a vogue for nostalgia that has never gone away. In 1977, the original 50s teenagers were in their mid-thirties and ready to re-live their youth. The death of their idol created a full rock’n’roll revival. In 1977 far […]

RIP Sir Bruce Forsyth who died yesterday aged 89. He enjoyed an astonishing career, typified by that mid-70s accolade. When I think of showbiz, I think of Bruce Forsyth. He was a proper all-round entertainer. He could sing, dance, act, tell jokes and was the greatest compere and game show host this country has ever […]

This is him in the late 80s – Gary Strange (real name) – my first cousin. He’s the one in the pink jacket. His mum and my mum were sisters. We don’t look alike, maybe because his mother married a dapper little man called Les, whereas mine married a thick-set Irishman called Pat. I haven’t […]

The great Glen Campbell died yesterday. And I mean truly great. Yes, he was one of the world’s most popular singers but also one of its greatest guitarists. Long before he was a famous singer, Glen Campbell was a revered session guitarist. He played on countless American hit records, including practically everything The Beach Boys […]

She hasn’t died and it isn’t her birthday but Evelyn “Champagne” King was a great example of the nonsensical nickname. Another was an American DJ called Boom Boom Brannigan and my all time favourite: a heavyweight boxer called Carl “The Truth” Williams. His contemporaries included “Iron” Mike Tyson and James “Bonecrusher” Smith. Those nicknames I […]

…is so simple it’s incredible that no-one’s thought of it before. If you’ve ever had to move a washing machine, you’ll know how difficult it is because of the heavy lump of concrete that has to weigh the machine down during its spin cycle. But now the concrete could soon be replaced by a light […]

Yesterday I walked past the Blood Donor Centre near Oxford Circus, as I often do. But this time, I stopped, turned round and for the first time in about 25 years, I went in. For years, I was a regular, donating a pint of half-Irish B Negative in the hope that it might save someone’s […]

No, not the date. But the man singing this summery but seldom-heard 80s gem. “Kid Creole”‘s real name is August Darnell. And if you knew that, you’re a wonderful thing, baby.