Author Archives: Paul

In both the European and local elections. I don’t think this is a good thing but it was great fun this morning hearing Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems spluttering their lame excuses for their failure to stop this happening. I’m sure it was this little ditty that inspired UKIP’s entire philosophy and I’m […]

The candidates for the European elections were such a bland, unprepossessing bunch. But aren’t they always? How much more fun would it be to have Alice Cooper as your MEP assisted by a chimpanzee? I’ve always loved him. Or should I say I’ve always loved their lead singer because Alice Cooper was originally the name […]

Huge No.1 hit played countless times by Jimmy Savile, DLT and other Radio 1 DJs at their height of their fame. Yet it seems to have been quietly dropped from most radio stations’ playlists. Can’t imagine why. Gary Puckett is setting a noble example, resisting illicit temptation and telling the young girl to hurry home […]

I’ve been working around Soho since the early 80s. Back then, the area had three distinct lives. During the day it was all advertising and film. Around dusk, the restaurant and theatre goers arrived. Then under cover of darkness, it became the world’s most famous red light district. Between about 4am and 6am, Soho grabbed […]

..is 69 today. He is, of course, far better known as lead guitarist with the one of the biggest bands in history. But Pete Townshend was possibly an even greater influence through footwear than he was through music. Around 1967, Pete rebelled against the foppish, flowery fashions of the day and started wearing very plain […]

…the reason I was able to write anything that could be seen on TV, radio or in print was David Abbott. He gave me my first job as runner in a small ad agency that grew to become the largest in the UK. And that was largely down to Abbott. Few would dispute that he […]

As they should be because Arsenal are in the FA Cup final this afternoon. Arsenal flags hang from the balconies of council flats and festoon the Farrow & Ball front doors of smart Georgian houses. I don’t know whether this is a good or a bad thing. There is no starker example of the gentrification […]

Friday nights from 6.00-7.00 on Capital, Roger Scott would play an hour of 50s rock n roll. Huge cult following because in the late 70s, there were far more teds than punks. I’d listen to the old 45s he played on a Friday then spend most of Saturday looking for them in in second hand […]

…I just don’t really know what they’re for. Love? Companionship? I’ve always thought it’s probably better to get that from someone of your own species. Someone with whom you enjoy conversation, laughter, intimacy and Breaking Bad. I’ve never owned a dog and never want to, but that didn’t stop me from going on BBC London […]

And this is perfect. I saw Bryan Adams at The Marquee in Wardour St back in the 80s. Not really my type of music but that combination of big voice, big guitar and small venue was fantastic. Then he went and did Everything I Do, I do It For You and became, through no fault […]