Five stars from me. Surprisingly sensitive and touching. That he was, by chance, found unconscious by Mel Gibson in a Bangkok hotel lift after an OD of high-purity fentanyl only adds to the sense that yes, the now grandad Billy is lucky to be alive.

I’m kind of surprised my late dad’s not in this photo. We have a few of him in similar situations when he followed Leeds during the 60s

This month's best new music features the very new (Truthpaste), new-ish (Lambrini Girls) the not so new Madonna and site favourites the Getdown Services. But you can still obviously read the list.

Got on the coach from outside school in Leeds. An unforgettable day.

🎵 LISTENING PARTY... Join us tonight at 9pm (BST) as we listen to XTC's Black Sea album. Please repost, and tell friends, enemies, strangers, and lovers! #XTCmusic

My ingrained scepticism at this half-speed mastering mullarkey has been roundly kicked into touch by the sounds of Charlie’s drums and Bill’s bass.

BREAKING: King Charles surprises all with a rendition of Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ In The Wind

Latest Substack is my first ever Melody Maker review - XTC at Eric's, Liverpool in April 1979. My verdict: "Look no further for the dance music of the Eighties." pennykiley.substack.com/p/xtc-april-...

Incredible www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMyO...

RSD purchase. I have this on CD and the opportunity was irresistible. 24 ‘lost’ tracks from the Byrds onwards. Exemplary liner notes by Byrds aficionado Johnny Rogan

Absolutely fair play to The Tubs for covering Metallica and somehow sounding even more like Richard Thompson and Bob Mould than ever. Great band. thetubs.bandcamp.com/album/fade-t...

I’d forgotten this

Like, it seems, a few on here I've been playing Drop Dead by Olivia Rodrigo on virtual repeat ALL DAY. It's perfect. Once more...

Remastered Bastards

I was a bit concerned when I saw Nation Of Language had covered Bruce Springsteen's Tougher Than The Rest. Had no need to be, it's great. youtu.be/lgDAUwMNKxI?...

It’s ridiculous that this is nearly 60 years old. ‘BoB’. ‘Brecht on Brecht’. An aural enigma. Not a wasted second or syllable and a cultural turning point. And Kenny Buttrey’s drums. Oh boy.

I’m up for this

Looking forward to this

That is SO satisfying #lufc

It seems Andy Partridge's 'Fuzzy Warbles, Vol 1' album is available on various streaming sites (I have the collection on CD already). Think it's legit.

🟡 Contra2026-4 11042026 (-all new-) 🎧: www.mixcloud.com/Contraflow/c... #allnew #playlist #mixcloud #2026

ID’d in Florida. I’m 65.

Aside from the inexplicable absence of The Spangle Maker I’m relatively alright with this www.theguardian.com/music/2026/a...

Thomas Pynchon in charge of the local weather

Transatlantic flight imminent so loading the phone with altitude-friendly tunes

Luke Combs - The Way I Am New Pornographers...The Former Site Of Cut Worms - Transmitter Johnny Blue Skies - Mutiny After Midnight Black Crowes - A Pound Of Feathers

On Record Store Day, XTC are releasing Live Boots, a recording of their gig at Emerald City, New Jersey, on 17 April 1981. Sitting behind the sound desk was Gary Bradshaw, today’s guest on What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast. www.xtclimelight.com/2026/04/03/x...

Peak Partridge (Andy, not Alan)

Happy - in fact I prefer - not to know a single word of what Skids are on about

TIME... ! 41 years ago today saw the release of the 25 O'clock EP by The Dukes of Stratosphear! From the six original tracks, which is your favourite? (mine's Your Gold Dress) #XTCmusic #DukesMusic

Eric Bachmann’s water mark has always been very high and Crooked Fingers’ first record in ages raises it several notches. Some stellar collabs (Sharon Van Etten, Matt Berninger, Superchunk) to elevate that precious niche of country-inflected, hangdog indie pop.

So far, the cultural references extend to Shakespeare, The Great Gatsby, Twain, Junichi Saga’s Confessions Of A Yakuza, Virgil’s Aeneid, John Donne, Jane Eyre, the Gospel of Matthew.

One too many talking heads but this is a moving portrait of a genius in decline. But Don Was is great. Watched it on Sky Arts youtu.be/en_NTWH1VkM?...

The Former Site Of The New Pornographers…has taken several listens as it’s a serious, reflective LP that only slowly reveals its hooks and themes. And…the Newman/Case harmonies are unique and gorgeous. Adult-orientated pop.

@latedoors.bsky.social Superchunk at the Brudenell 22/6

For those who like Big Star, Matthew Sweet…

"It is one of the most beautiful memories football has given me" Marcelo Bielsa talking about Leeds United at today's press conference. #LUFC

'Partridge overdubbed the flange-affected guitar solo without hearing the backing track using two Marshall amplifiers at maximum volume. As with the vocals, it was performed in one take'. COMPLICATED GAME #XTCMusic

'Moulding held an electric razor against the microphone to provide the track's continuous buzzing sound.' COMPLICATED GAME #XTCMusic

'The "Tom" and "Joe" in its lyric refer to Tom Robinson and Joe Strummer, names which Partridge found by opening a random page of the NME'. COMPLICATED GAME #XTCMusic

Steve Lillywhite's contribution to this has maybe been superceded by all the Wilson acclaim. It doesn't sound remotely of its time. #XTCmusic

SCISSOR MAN features an extended Dub outro. Several songs from Drums and Wires were given the Dub treatment and released the following year on the Take Away / The Lure of Salvage album, produced by John Leckie. #XTCmusic

Did Colin give himself the best bass lines? Fine if he did. THAT IS THE WAY #XTCmusic

I'm no musician but my sense is that ROADS GIRDLE THE GLOBE was the track when DG began to enjoy himself #XTCmusic

Nobody writes about boredom (not even Shelley/ Devoto) as well as Moulding. DAY IN DAY OUT #xtcmusic

Maybe cheating by listeining to the Steven Wilson 2014 mix. Hadn't really heard before the guitar line matching AP's bark on HELICOPTER #xtcmusic

Happy DRUMS AND WIRES day. Join us at 9pm (GMT) tonight as we listen along to the 1979 album. See below for the tracklist we'll be using (since there's quite a lot of variations out there). #XTCmusic

Personally speaking, peak grunge

Baz’s appraisal went well

My review, for @stereoboard.com, of Iron and Wine’s eighth album ‘Hen’s Teeth’ which continues to draw on Van Morrison’s ‘Astral Weeks’ and its confluence of jazz and folk, but with darker hues and themes than its airier predecessor ‘Light Verse’. www.stereoboard.com/content/view...