Author Archives: Paul

She was quite posh, lived in Fulham and was never really my girlfriend. But we used to go out occasionally and always to places she didn’t usually go. I took her to QPR, I took her late night shopping for soul CDs at Tower Records which was open till midnight then on for even later-night […]

74 today. Which means he was 33 when he had a big hit with this. Everybody loved it, big singalong favourite. Ringo of course, is not guilty of doing anything untoward. But given what’s come to light about other 1970s celebrities, it now sounds slightly wrong for a 33 year-old man to be singing “You […]

Frith Street, celebrating the 65th birthday of Bar Italia, the greatest coffee bar in the world. A wonderfully unchanged piece of old Soho and the forerunner of 21st Century independent coffee culture. There’s going to be a street party – Ray Gelato will of course be performing. As will Suggs and other patrons of 22 […]

I’m talking about Lily Allen, who was on Desert Island Discs this morning. I always knew she was more refined in real life than she pretends to be on record but I hadn’t realised just how “mock” her mockney accent was. Why do so many middle-class people do this? Not content with being privileged, they […]

And I love it. I may have an slightly unfortunate surname but I really lucked out with my birthday. Right in the middle of the year so never more than six months without a gift. The weather’s always good and this year it’s glorious. Despite my advancing years, I find myself still wearing shorts, riding […]

Because I loved the buccaneering style with which the USA played Belgium last night, battling to the very last minute of extra time. They were cheered on by a proud nation, some becoming enthralled by what we call “football” for the very first time. My friend Tom Morton watched the match in New York City […]

But I’m going to say it. Fantastic songwriters but other people generally sang their songs way better than they did. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? You’d go for the Al Green version every time. Heartbreaker? Dionne Warwick. Chain Reaction? Diana Ross. Nights on Broadway? Candi Staton. The list goes on. As for this […]

Two words that have taken on a whole new meaning. For the last hundred years, London Pride has meant a premium ale produced at the Fuller’s Brewery in Chiswick. But lately it’s become a way of describing Pride in London, the annual gay-themed festival that flaunted its way through the West End yesterday. I am […]

I was a big fan. As were people far more famous than me. The likes of Ronnie Wood, Peter Gabriel and Damon Albarn have all acknowledged their musical debt to this true soul legend. He was a fantastic songwriter and session musician but I just loved his voice – that gravelly emotive baritone that put […]

For me, it was a very long time ago. My mate Bugsy and I had hours of fun racing through the streets of Willesden, hammering on people’s doors and running away. Last night there was an extremely loud party in the next street that was still loud at 2am. I couldn’t be bothered to get […]