The Empty-Handed Traveller. Love this witty new Martin Stannard poem over on Stride (and you learn some Latin). stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-... @imcmillan.bsky.social

This is sensationally good. Thanks, Andy. 48 years old & the instruction at the start to plug your video player into your stereo remains apposite. I'd bookmark it for now then play large & loud at the right moment (which I just found, pedalling furiously on an exercise bike). Will be watching again.

Got the day wrong for the fourth anniversary Ukraine demo and instead turned up for the first demo protesting the invasion of Iran. Couldn't understand the speeches but enjoyed the dance. And there was free food, which I resisted. Still, nice thought and good to see.

I read this recently and would have to say not. Of its time. Interestingly, my copy came from the library of the late film director Hugh Hudson (Chariots of Fire). There was a dedication from Fowles at the front which made it clear that Hudson was hoping to make a movie of it. Can't see it myself.

🔴 Paul Conroy’s Last Photo Essay: Cuba’s Moment of Reckoning, Veteran war photographer and correspondent Paul Conroy died of natural causes a day after returning from Cuba with this report of another city under siege. He never stopped bearing witness open.substack.com/pub/bylineti...

After four months and thirty-seven chapters, each of them appearing a century to the day after the one it describes, Greeneland reachs its conclusion. Graham leaves Nottingham. The whole novel can now be read online (with an epilogue and bonus posts to come). davidbelbin.substack.com/p/thirty-seven

About to settle in to The Book of Jonah, by @lukekennard.bsky.social my appetite whetted by this rave review from Rupert Loydell, in Litter. www.littermagazine.org/2025/11/revi...

Where Are You Tonight is my favourite number on Street Legal, which it closes. Delighted when Dylan played it at Blackbushe (my second Dylan show: the first being the opening night at Earl's Court, just before Street Legal came out, both in 1978). Pretty sure it was the highlight of that gig for me.

Craig Finn & McCrary Sisters play Where Are You Tonight? from Street Legal in the encore section of the Bob Dylan Center's Blonde on Blonde at 60 celebration in Tulsa. This was posted on facebook at my request and I thought I'd share it here. @raypadgett.bsky.social www.facebook.com/reel/1991769...

The Unlimited Dream Company. Loved this 80 minute JG Ballard documentary, free to view. BJA Samuel uses numerous sources to create the best available intro to Jim's world. I owe JGB an enormous debt, for he accepted my first published short story, for Ambit, in 1989. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj0V...

Slava Ukraini! On the fourth anniversary of the invasion, here are The Ukranians opening their farewell tour at the Ukranian Cultural Centre in Sherwood last weekend. And remember there's a rally and march in Nottingham next Sunday. Meet Brian Clough statue in the Market Square, starting at 1.30PM.

The Secret Agent is a slow burn: always involving and ultimately absorbing. It's not afraid to be bizarre, serious, complicated or moving. Well worth venturing out on a rainy night to see. www.theguardian.com/film/2026/fe...

Love guideline that 'you can review the work of someone you’ve had dinner or drinks with, but probably not someone who’s put you up at their place, especially for more than one night. Some incestuousness is inevitable... But you have to draw a line somewhere, or you’ll end up married to your cousin'

Classic Onion.

Today’s chapter of Greeneland is a few minutes late, but during the delay I did manage to locate a poster for the Ernst Lubitsch film Graham goes to, which I’ve never seen. Anyone know it? Sadly, the only version I can find is the 1930 remake. davidbelbin.substack.com/p/thirty-three

Waiting for Cecil Roberts. There are three short chapters from Greeneland this week, before the epic conclusion at the end of the month. Time to catch up before the epilogue in early March. davidbelbin.substack.com/p/thirty-one...

If you missed this the first time, do check out YP's time capsule now. The box set version of 1974 in the pop charts.

Just finished Julian Barnes's final novel, 'Departure(s)' - a beautiful edition for his autofictional farewell, which is sweetly judged, often profound and frequently moving. Suspect @fiveleavesbooks.bsky.social still have some signed copies.

Just up. A bonus post about Graham's first publication, Babbling April, a poetry pamphlet which he later wanted to suppress, together with an earlier chapbook by his wife-to-be, Vivienne, who wrote TLW in her early teens. Has either stood the test of time? davidbelbin.substack.com/p/bonus-post...

54 years ago Paul McCartney brought Wings to Nottingham University to play their debut gig at lunchtime in the Portland Building. How come? Heres an exhaustive account. www.the-paulmccartney-project.com/concert/1972...

54 years ago Paul McCartney brought Wings to Nottingham University to play their debut gig at lunchtime in the Portland Building. How come? Heres an exhaustive account. www.the-paulmccartney-project.com/concert/1972...

This is the UK security assessment that the government tried to bury: ecosystem collapse is a national security threat. Read how you can turn knowledge into action, addressed by Caroline Lucas & Rupert Read: resilience.org/stories/2026... #ClimateCrisis #NationalSecurity #Adaptation #Resilience

Once again, I can't argue with any of this: www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2026/fe...

It's chapter 30 of Greeneland. A bit of a break now before we get to Graham's last fortnight in Nottingham. Good time to catch up if you're behind (or start if you've been waiting for the whole book to be online). Thanks to everyone who's read, commented & shared so far. substack.com/home/post/p-...

I get frustrated with links I can only read a paragraph of because I refuse to give money to Murdoch, but this comes up in full and is excellent on why and how we stop reading: 'In short, we have replaced something that we enjoy, that benefits our minds, souls and society, with something we hate.'

The 90 minute show is standard minimum now for most acts I go to. 85 maybe. But in 72-76 more than 100 was expected from established acts, especially if there was no support. Cohen did 150, Floyd similar. Only ones I recall doing less than 80 were The Faces, who arrived late. Then Punk came along...

Sally, Sally, pride of our alley. Today’s Greeneland is a bonus post which can be read without spoilers if you’re not up to date. It includes bits on my most popular novel, Love Lessons, a one hit wonder called Gerry Monroe and a misspelling of Austin, Texas. davidbelbin.substack.com/p/bonus-post...

A great new flipbook, I am awake way, way too early, by Martin Stannard is now available for free. It’ll make you smile and no one else but Martin Stannard could have written these poems heyzine.com/flip-book/41...

Oscar nominated co-writer of It Was Just An Accident has just been arrested in Iran. Statement by Jafar Panahi:

A correction: Martin Stannard's huge A Relation of Years (which I have in pdf) is a selected not a collected. Luckily I'm a huge fan & have all the individual collections/pamphlets. By way of apology a link to his new review of Joe Brainard's Complete C Comics internationaltimes.it/a-thing-of-b...

Good story about Jake's and BREDS in today's Gleaner. And respect to Rodigan. Everyone at Jake's was buzzing about this event when we were at Treasure Beach. Look forward to seeing him at Rum and Reggae in Colwick Park, Nottingham this June.

A very happy birthday to the wonderful Imtiaz Dharker (who'd be the UK's current poet laureate had she not turned the job down). Rather than post one of my many favourites, here's Imtiaz's selection of twenty of her own poems. Why not do your soul some good and read 'em all? imtiazdharker.com/poems

No better angels to appeal to. Marilynne Robinson speaking truth to a power possessed by billionaires who never choose to listen. Gift link.

Holy shit. So this just happened at Minneapolis's legendary First Avenue club. That's Tom Morello introducing Springsteen. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jHe...

Reading Geoff Dyer’s first novel, The Colour of Memory, from 1989. Dated in all sorts of interesting ways. Never more so than the 1st paragraph on page 258, on trying to track down a song. A real madeleine of details from my 20s this one. Specially if you substitute Brixton with Radford, Nottingham.

A big day in Greeneland when, a hundred years ago today, Graham's intended, Vivienne, visits him in Nottingham for the first and only time. Will their relationship survive the shocking 1920s north? Read the latest chapter of the serialised novel & sign up for free. open.substack.com/pub/davidbel...

I loved all of James Sallis's Lew Griffin novels and this article makes me admire him all the more. A great American writer. RIP.

#HurricaneMelissaRecovery #Jamaica There's still a lot of work to be done & not enough resources to do it with. Pls RS/QS. Pls do what you can. #HelpFolksLive2026

Three months ago today, Melissa hit Jamaica. The country is coming back strongly from the category five hurricane. However Black River, which I just visited, remains devastated and in desperate need. Heartbreaking. If you can afford to donate, please give to a fine local charity. bredsfoundation.org

A Neil gem: 'His application for United States citizenship was held up because of his use of marijuana. In 2020, the issue was resolved and he became a United States citizen.Almost immediately upon gaining US citizenship, Young returned to living in Canada for the first time in over half a century.'

While waiting for Martin Stannard's terrific Collected Poems, I urge you to check out "I AM AWAKE WAY, WAY TOO EARLY" - the first flipbook from 1000000 elephants. It can be read online here: heyzine.com/flip-book/41... I guarantee you'll enjoy it.

I like this glorious list poem from Martin Stannard’s forthcoming Collected Poems.

The Old Guys. Last year I wrote about what turned out to be one of Martin Carthy's final shows. How can you tell someone to stop doing the thing they love doing? www.davidbelbin.com/blog/2025/03...

Bowie evidently used to avoid getting recognised in New York by tucking a Japanese newspaper under his arm. He also made this video to show what would happen should he pick up the wrong newspaper by mistake.

Reminds me of the late '90s Sunday afternoon when four of us got four stereo set ups aligned in my sitting room to listen to a borrowed copy of The Flaming Lips' Zaireeka so that we could listen to all four cds simultaneously. Worked a treat.

The end of January is about to get very busy for young Mr Greene in Nottingham. First, here's a bonus post about a novel that Greene abandoned, began again, got rejected, and nearly forgot. It's time for 'THE EPISODE' EPISODE (no major spoilers if you're behind btw) open.substack.com/pub/davidbel...

Good list with eccentric number one, which I applaud. Good to see Nina (I'd go Emergency Ward!) & Van in the top 10. Think Neil Young's Time Fades Away would be in mine. If official bootlegs allowed I'd add Little Feat's Electric Lycanthrope & DB's Thin White Duke www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...

Welcome @imcmillan.bsky.social What took you so long?

Been so many Bowie tenth anniversary tribute posts, I only just got round to checking out this one - and it's the most fun of all.