Author Archives: Paul

Were two sisters from Hackney who used to come down to Le Beat Route in Soho where I had a Friday night residency. Friends of Graham “Fatman” Cantor, my fellow Friday night DJ, they were down to earth party girls, terrific fun and strikingly beautiful. They kept telling me they were getting a record deal. […]

Fascinating documentary about skinheads on BBC Four last night. Skinheads were all around me as a child because Burnt Oak, just up the Edgware Road, was Skinhead Central. Though when they first appeared, my dad insisted they were called “Peanuts” because a shaven-headed youth from Burnt Oak who was working with him on a building […]

And I think it’s richly deserved. Not because I’m a big fan. On the contrary. Oh, I’ve tried but I still think, with the possible exception of Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan is most overrated musical artist of the 20th Century. Mind you, I’ve always had a soft spot for his version of this. But I […]

I’ve known people who’ve moved out to Sussex. And they’ve usually been a bit smug about it. “So much more for your money” they say, before crowing that they can buy a castle with a moat where they live for the price of a flat where I do. More for your money? I always think […]

A wonderfully evocative collection of pictures that go back to an era that I don’t remember right up to a time that I do. And I realised that one of the things I miss most about the new Soho are the old-style prostitutes. Brassy, friendly cockneys who reminded me of Nancy in Oliver Twist. I’m […]

..is 80 today so happy birthday. I’ve worked with him many times and he is exactly like you think he’s going to be. The epitome of a larger than life character, he’s constantly “on”, yelling and booming, immersed in the role of Brian Blessed. Entertaining as that is, it can be a little wearing. That […]

Not for the music – not my thing – I only listened for this intro. Alan Freeman was one of the greatest broadcasters who ever lived. He started on the BBC around 1960 but by 1977 his career seemed over. At 50, he was seen as past it and was let go by Radio 1. […]

Though writing the title track from the best selling album of all time would be impressive enough. There was also Off the Wall and Rock With You for Michael Jackson, Give Me The Night for George Benson, Stomp for The Brothers Johnson plus of course, Boogie Nights, Mind Blowing Decisions and practically every other track […]

That’s a word you seldom see. It’s the female equivalent of misogyny – an ingrained dislike and contempt for men. And like misogyny, it’s horrible. Misandry is the word I’d use to describe the new film version of The Girl on the Train, which I saw at a screening last night. There wasn’t a single […]

So Happy Jewish New Year. I come from North London, so I’ve never been far from Jewish people and I love them. In my experience, they’re good, kind, intelligent and loyal. So what if Jewish women are often wasted on Jewish men? I love the fact that Judaism isn’t so much a religion, it’s more […]