Author Archives: Paul

RIP Darcus Howe. The legendary firebrand and black rights activist was a brave and principled man. He wasn’t the most agreeable character but then he’d never have achieved so much if he were. In the 70s and 80s there was nasty and often violent tension between the police and the black community. I witnessed it […]

I’ve known both Stewart Permutt and Michelle Collins for years. Stewart is a playwright – a sort of London Jewish Alan Bennett. Like Bennett, Stewart has a gift for funny and waspish dialogue. And his tales can also take unexpected turns into darkness and tragedy. He’s particularly good at writing for women, which is why […]

RIP Chuck Berry, arguably the most important figure in popular music and by extension, popular culture. He more than anyone else invented the sound of rock and its vocabulary. It’s easy to assume that his songs were as old as the hills and had always been there. But no, he actually sat down and wrote […]

No one ever said that, did they? The standard 1970s comment to a speeding driver was “Who do you think you are? Stirling Moss?” Moss was a household name but he never actually won the World Formula 1 title. John Surtees, nowhere near as celebrated but won both the World Formula 1 title in 1964 […]

The Equals. Great North London band – three black guys, two white. Something that was barely noticed, less still remarked upon, when they went to No.1 with this in 1968. It was great record and nobody cared about the pigmentation of the people who made it. Back then no one referred to Motown as “black […]

Caught up with my old friend Dave Dye yesterday. He came into the cafe where we’d arranged to meet and plonked about eighteen quid’s worth of loose change on the table. He then offered to pay for whatever we had “just to get to rid of these coins”. Dave is widely regarded as one of […]

Britain was battered today but the rather comically named Storm Doris. For many parts of the country, the 90mph winds were no laughing matter. Road closures, widespread cancellations of trains and flights, falling trees and debris. In London we were, as usual, spared the worst of British winter weather though, I must admit I did […]

We saw it in black & white. In 1972, a colour TV was a rare and wondrous thing. Clip shows may depict the 1970s as a world of multi-coloured tank tops and bright yellow Choppers, but the reality was a lot less colourful. Britain was a like grim annexe of the Soviet Union. The buses, […]

Albeit an unintended one. Tony Blair made a speech this morning urging those who voted Remain to “rise up” and try to overturn the result of a democratic referendum. Let’s leave aside for a moment whether Brexit is a good or a bad idea. The issue here is that we’re being lectured by Tony Blair. […]

And I can understand my friend Lorraine thinking that. I had a Friday night residency at Le Beat Route. She was the glamorous receptionist. I’d arrive with my boxes of 80s floor fillers like this one, exuding club DJ cockiness. She was beautiful. Tumbling blonde tresses, masses of make up and long painted nails so, […]