The rain is torrential and the wind is howling. There’s only one thing for it, I’m breaking into the fancy Yule log I bought earlier….

Got a bit of a drive ahead of me today, seems a good day for it to be accompanied by All Things Must Pass❤️

Local library came up with some Beatles beauties. #booksofbluesky📚💙

Bought a copy of Dylan’s Bootleg vol. 10 at my preferred second hand record shop. Tucked inside the booklet was @johnharris1969.bsky.social review from the Guardian in 2013. Love tucked in surprises when I buy records or books.

Just started first episode of the subbed up #Beatles Anthology. My heart is already bursting with joy.

Drove through a storm with @sarahg1705.bsky.social last night to see Bob Dylan in Leeds. It was a very special evening, which I'm going to take a while process. It was also nice to go to a gig where the audience actually listened to the artist, rather than talk about their Ikea purchases al night.

Here's "Trump'll Nail Ya" - a song about the #BBC legal crisis (set to the tune of the shanty "Drunken Sailor") which created a big internal debate about what's a gremlin and what's a mogwai. 🎶⚓️ ... fingers crossed for an apology but not a daft and unnecessary settlement ... youtu.be/VeIF4leMaes

Spent part of today finishing Patti’s memoir. A beautiful, poetic #read. There may have been some tears.. #booksky📚💙

#nowlistening to new Mavis Staples new album, Sad and Beautiful World, and it’s magnificent. Still got that beautiful voice and the musicians have put in a lovely understated performance.

For any Bob Dylan fans in UK, I've just put the 1974 live box set up on Vinted!!!!

Nice to wake up to good news for once. A day for some Staple Singers methinks #nowlistening m.youtube.com/watch?v=_pUS...

I was on holiday when Tony Harrison died, so belatedly revisiting some of work. Including something quite pertinent and my copy of V which he signed. #poetry

Margo Marmalade is #Halloween ready🎃 #catsofbluesky

Love Mavis. Can't wait for the new album next week #music www.theguardian.com/music/2025/o...

Sunday #reading. Really enjoying Andrew Graham Dixon’s new book on Vermeer. #booksky📚💙 #art

Took an early walk along the sea front, it was very choppy North Sea.

Listening to Nebraska ‘82 whilst making a ginger and cider loaf. One is glorious and I’m hoping the other will be. #nowplaying #nowlistening #baking

Went to see the #Springsteen pic Deliver Me From Nowhere. Main thought was it was a very bold move to cast Yoda as John Landau!!!

On this very rain swept October evening, at precisely 7.04pm I saw my first domestic #xmas tree of the year lit up in someone’s window. Normally I'd be WTF? More sanguine this year, rather xmas trees than flags.

It’s dark, it’s raining, so I’ve broken out the #spooky stories. #booksofbluesky💙📚

Oh dear! I love spending Sunday afternoons reading #history books

Spent a lovely still day amongst the ruins of Rievaulx Abbey, looking majestic against the trees in their autumn clothing. #history

Bertrand Russell to Oswald Mosley. Perfection.

Heating went on this morning. Margo Marmalade was delighted, her bum warming season has started! #catsofbluesky

Manics fans we need your help! Next year is 40 years of the Manics, so we're making a very special edition of the zine. In order to make it, we'd like to get as many manics fans involved as we can, as our idea for the zine is not only a celebration of the band we love so much but also the fandom.

One of my very favourite songs❤️

📰| Griff Lynch And James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers) Keep Going By Griff Lynch, @talkhouse.bsky.social The collaborators talk about their new track, the slog of modern press cycles, singing in Welsh, and more. #ManicStreetPreachers

‘Aleph’ - #RSThomas (Between Here and Now, Macmillan) #Bardd #Barddoniaeth #Cerdd #Poet #Poetry #Poem

Heading back oop north after a lovely week in #cornwall. Stopped off to have a look at some old stones in a field #history. It was bloody freezing🥶

The things you se on a Cornish coastal #walk #nature

We are immensely saddened by news of the death of Tony Harrison, aged 88, who had been unwell for some years. A tribute has been published on our website. www.bloodaxebooks.com/news?article...

Another lovely visit to #Durham cathedral, this time for Magna Carta exhibition #history

Farage wanting to kick people out of the country because they migrated here made me angry and made me think about which best of British people and things wouldn't have happened were it not for the brilliance of immigration to the UK.

@rufus-wainwright.bsky.social and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra were fabulous at Glasshouse tonight. Angus Dei was particularly spectacular. A beautiful version of Hallelujah on Mr Cohen’s birthday too. #music

It's tipping down outside. About to dive into the TIMTTMY section of '168 songs..'. This is a perfect listen to set the mood. #Manics

Awesome opening to tonight's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert... youtu.be/HMGD1KCYFOw

Taking my time working my way through @keithcameron2.bsky.social Manics book '168 Songs..' Fabulous read. Reinforces my view that if ever an album's time has come then the time truly is now for the Holy Bible. Off to dust off my 'who's Responsible..' T-shirt.. #music #booksky💙📚

Forever hotter than the sun. RIP Robert Redford.

Years ago I wrote this piece about national treasure and dreadful old c**t Peter Blake. Have just dredged it up for my new best friend @typetheclouds.bsky.social who had the good sense to buy my fucking book™ at the Hastings book fair. www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/ja...

#manics book has arrived, finally. Feel I should purchase an ornate wood lecturn to place it on for permanent display #booksky💙📚

Just been to see Spinal Tap II. It's a long time since I've literally cried with laughter. Thanks @mrchrisaddison.bsky.social et al for delivering some fun to distract us from the horror that is the current state of the world for 90 mins. Off to snack on some cheese....

Impatiently waiting for my copy to arrive. Rough Trade have sadly been rather tardy in the sending of it: #manics observer.co.uk/culture/book...

You can listen back to the Hounds of Love feature here www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

🎙️| Listen again to Nicky Wire and Keith Cameron discuss '168 Songs Of Hatred And Failure: A History Of Manic Street Preachers' with Huw Stephens on BBC 6 Music #ManicStreetPreachers | @keithcameron2.bsky.social | #168SongsOfHatredAndFailure

📰| Manic Street Preachers’ Holy Hell By Mike Cormack, @popmatters.com Manic Street Preachers’ The Holy Bible is fastidious in its religious intensity, but rather than giving moral uplift, it is rock music’s deepest dive into the human abyss. #ManicStreetPreachers

it's real support from actual racists

Couldn’t go out today due to Great North Run, so used time productively, made Xmas cake. Red Arrows have just gone over to celebrate it going in oven. Nice of them!!! #baking

First conkers of autumn…

The world is a horror at the moment, but I can always rely on the Manics to bring me joy (many thanks to the kind soul who recorded and uploaded this😍): www.youtube.com/watch?v=otxu...

Exciting!