Royal Oak

I like reading the BBC website's list of castaways and their musical choices much more than I like actually listening to the programme. When I do listen (only occasionally), it sounds edited to within an inch of its life, and 9 times out of 10 the castaway is of no interest to me. The music is played in such short bursts that there's nothing much to be had there either.

I can't have Shatner at ANY price

I can't hear the word "fusion" without thinking of the 1990s Jazz FM show "Fusion Flavours". The presenter had a lisp, so the "s" sound in Fusion always sounded a bit funny to me (the audible effect defies explanation in writing, except to say that Hugh Lawrie has a similar quirk of enunciation). I almost never listened to the show, just heard the trailers.

Lifts (elevators)

I remember driving on that very stretch of motorway in early June last year, and you could have sworn it was November, so dark, foggy and wet was it. Anyway, it snowed here yesterday, so as usual, all the schools closed at 1130 for no apparent reason.

I liked London Fields quite a bit. Hope to reread it someday. I also thought Amis' Money was good. I wasn't as crazy about Other People. I thought it was borrowing too obviously from A Clockwork Orange. "Money" is next in line. The only other Martin Amis I have read was "Einstein's Monsters". I lent it to someone who was studying dystopian future lit at the time, and I haven't seen it since. I think she also has my "Brave New World" and Anthony Burgess "1985".

Moacir Santos's "Saudade" has some nice moments IMO, especially "Kathy" (you'll find a nice rendition of this tune Horace Silver's "In The Pursuit of the 27th Man" album)

I've just finished a run of Hubert Selby jr books - Requiem for a Dream, The Demon, Waiting Period and Song of the Silent Snow. All utterly grim and quite stomach-churning in places, especially Requiem and The Demon. I notice that a very large number of Selby's stories feature a protagonist named Harry. Anyone know why? I googled to no avail. Now nearly finished London Fields by Martin Amis, which I have enjoyed greatly. I feel very late to the party with this one - I see it was published in 1989.

Why do they all move in such a slow and ungainly way?

"Paris Trout" by Pete Dexter. I watched the film of "God's Pocket" last week, which made me seek out this author. Like it so far.

Bagpuss Gabriel the Toad Professor Yaffle First post in two years and it's too late....

Mack The Knife - can't stand it. Stupid words, corny tune, short phrases which seem to make it a magnet for shitty singers.

It's the cheapest, nastiest biscuit there is, something of a symbol of mediocrity here in the UK. I like 'em.

I like Darn That Dream and Old Folks! Dexter Gordon's "Willow" on the "Our Man In Paris" still does it for me too.

I read this and I'll be curious what your take is when you finish reading it. I finished the book. I don't know what I can tell you... I enjoyed the sober prose style, and the fact that what did happen tended to do so quietly, under the surface (much like life I suppose). I don't know what I thought of Stoner himself. Part of me thought him a fool for not leaving his wife when they were so obviously unsuited, and part of me thought he could have been a bit more involved with his daughter. That said, I admired his stoicism, and I'm sure any person, on reviewing one's life, would find things they would have done differently. So, yes, a very human tale I suppose. Sorry that's all I have, I'm no literary critic (grade U at English Lit A Level, 1987).

Don't recall seeing them at Sidmouth! Think they did Cropredy that year........ So that's where Richard Thompson got that beret. Maybe somewhere in Communist Russia, there was a private wearing an Afghan coat....

Don't recall seeing them at Sidmouth! Think they did Cropredy that year........

Now "The Ashes is finished".......

Folk is something of an unexplored land for me, but there are a couple of folk tunes I love, the main one being "Annie Laurie". I heard a Jimmy Forrest (I think) version which was nice, but the version which did it for me was the one on this LP:

Couple more I just thought of "That Old Feeling" "My Ideal" "But Beautiful" "Come Sunday" Too many to mention really.

I remember Wild Swans being hugely popular here, maybe 15 years ago. It was a bit like "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" - every home had one. Maybe I'll get round to it one day - my mother has a copy.

Lover Come Back To Me is a great call. The bridge is gorgeous. I especially like Hampton Hawes's version on Contemporary. Agreed. Love the changes on those boppers' favourites like "LCBTM", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "I'll Remember April", "Cherokee", "All the Things You Are", etc. All favourites of my dad! I guess you like "Stella By Starlight" as well? Yes! And "Lover", too. I thought you might. "The Way You Look Tonight", "Lover", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Yesterdays", "I'm Old Fashioned", and most Monk tunes. He used to talk about "the changes" a lot - I didn't understand for years.

Lover Come Back To Me is a great call. The bridge is gorgeous. I especially like Hampton Hawes's version on Contemporary. Agreed. Love the changes on those boppers' favourites like "LCBTM", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "I'll Remember April", "Cherokee", "All the Things You Are", etc. All favourites of my dad! I guess you like "Stella By Starlight" as well?

Billy Strayhorn has been mentioned already - I add a vote for "Chelsea Bridge" Lover Come Back To Me is a great call. The bridge is gorgeous. I especially like Hampton Hawes's version on Contemporary.

I shall let you know, with pleasure. So far (about 70 pages) I get the feeling it won't really "go anywhere" in the traditional sense of storytelling. I think that may have been the author's intention. I could be wrong.