Author Archives: Paul

Frank Sinatra would have been 100 today. In the 1940s he was an international star but then his career went into serious decline. Its nadir must have been a show he did in the early 50s at the Kilburn State, which was practically at the end of my road. Apparently, it was half empty and […]

I met up with my friend Brian Jones yesterday and he reminded me of a long-forgotten (I wonder why) Christmas hit from the 70s. Regarded as innocent knockabout fun in 1974, it now sounds so, so wrong. I’m going to play it because you sure as hell won’t hear it anywhere else.

…arrived this morning. From Christopher Biggins and his partner Neil, featuring the pair of them in festive garb. Biggins is one of the funniest, most generous people I know. He’s also a very fine actor but years ago decided to take a more light-hearted approach to his career because “It’s so much more fun, darling”. […]

Physically big, vocally immense. An astonishingly talented home-grown artist, still in her twenties, who writes and performs poignant songs about the heart-wrenching loss of love. And whose unpolished speaking voice belies the delicate beauty of her singing. I can’t be the only one to have noticed the remarkable similarity between now and thirty years ago.

Mike Allen passed away yesterday. Great broadcaster and early champion of of hip-hop. His show on Capital was essential listening for fans of the genre. Though at the time, it did seem quite odd. Mike Allen was a middle-aged, middle-of-the road mainstream radio presenter. Then suddenly he was the UK’s leading electro and rap DJ […]

Two points clear after fifteen games, and that is a truly remarkable achievement. After looking like dead certs for relegation last season, they’re supposed to be at the bottom of the table not the top. Especially as Claudio Ranieri, their barely English-speaking manager, was viewed by many as a dithering old fool. Leicester don’t have […]

He probably didn’t mean to but that’s what happened after the release of Rubber Soul, probably my favourite Beatles album, 50 years ago yesterday. This track is one of the most influential pieces of popular music ever recorded, being the first to feature a sitar. George Harrison played it and that sound quickly came to […]

For the first time since 1936. Like most people, I’ve always been vaguely aware of the Davis Cup. I know it’s a tennis tournament but because Britain have been so unsuccessful in it, I’ve never been quite sure what it was. But yesterday, we won it. Or rather, Andy Murray won it for us. It’s […]

Congratulations to Tyson Fury for outpointing veteran champ Wladimir Klitschko to win the World Heavyweight Title. It’s a magnificent achievement but with a name like Tyson Fury he could only ever have been a boxer. Professor Tyson Fury, Fr. Tyson Fury or Tyson Fury MP somehow don’t look right. But by becoming World Heavyweight Champion, […]

I don’t do very much for charity so when I was asked by the wonderful people at Passion Pictures to host a charity pop quiz, guilt, conscience – whatever you want to call it – impelled me to say yes. I had only one stipulation. Could they please get some of those plastic inflatable guitars […]