#football tweet. Looking forward to watching England play away in Albania later this afternoon. Hope England can go through the entire qualifying campaign without conceding a goal! I remember when England played in Albania in 1989, it was VERY different. Albania was still closed-off at the time.

@barryglendenning.bsky.social @maxrushden.bsky.social I think this week’s Clips of the Week should simply be the entirety of the “Is Stephen Taylor a policeman?” conversation. Very funny!

@shirleystrange.bsky.social my favourite photo from yesterday. I’m guessing that you have a LOT of these!

#NewWaveNovember #MusicChallenge 15 Buzzcocks Harmony in my Head An overlooked single from 1979. Probably my favourite Buzzcocks song, maybe because it’s not sung by Pete Shelley. I wasn’t actually very keen on his singing voice. Sorry, Pete.

Into the second half of the #90sTop30 #musicchallenge and my next choice is by Mancunian post-punk favourites, The Fall. This track is Idiot Joy Showland and it’s from their 1991 LP, Shiftwork. It’s Mark E Smith’s verdict on all those stupid acts such as EMF who were in the charts at the time.

FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. No music challenges. No hashtags. The year is 1976. The place is Jamaica. Peter Tosh Legalise It!

Look at West Acton Station. Isn’t it lovely? The correct answer is yes, it’s lovely.

#20songsbyyear #musicchallenge This is 15, of 20 FELT Ballad of the Band The first single released after the move from Cherry Red to Creation. It’s clearly autobiographical and some of the lines are aimed at Maurice Deebank. I feel like giving in. Last time now.

#B-sidesandbonustracks #MusicChallenge From The Fall to The Smiths Not a long journey, to be fair. They were all based in Manchester at the time. How Soon is now? Bizarrely, this was tucked away as a b-side to William, it was really nothing, before somebody realised it deserved its own release.

London. Never ever lets me down if my spirits need raising.

Weather permitting, I’m going to London tomorrow. I’ll send you a postcard. Weather terrible, food terrible, delays on the underground, too many fucking people everywhere.

FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER No music challenges. No hashtags (apart from one, #FallFriday) The Fall New Puritan (Peel session version, 1980). A stunning piece of music. Where the FUCK did this stuff come from? Utter genius. Smith, Riley, Hanley, Scanlon, Hanley. What a quintet.

#20songsbyyear #musicchallenge #FallFriday This is 14, of 20. The Fall Living too late A single from the Summer of 1986 Good b side as well, Lucifer over Lancashire. Crows feet are engraved on my face.

Halfway through the #90sTop30 #musicchallenge on this #FallFriday My 15th choice, amazingly, is The Fall with the only song I can tolerate from the terrible Levitate album, released to widespread apathy in 1998, or maybe 1997. I dunno. Can’t remember. Masquerade. Decent little song, to be fair.

#NewWaveNovember #MusicChallenge #FallFriday 14 The Fall Totally Wired Rough Trade single, 1980. I’m totally biased, but they were the best group England has ever produced. Here’s a live version, recorded in New Amsterdam, in the USA of A.

#B-sidesandbonustracks #FallFriday #MusicChallenge From AC/DC back to The Fall. Wings From the Kicker Conspiracy double single on Rough Trade records, Summer 1983. Possibly the best Fall track never to appear on a “proper” album. Here is a list of incorrect things.

#NewWaveNovember #MusicChallenge 13 Stiff Little Fingers At the Edge A proper hit single! 1980. Is this new wave or is this still punk? I dunno. I don’t care. Here’s your room and here’s your records. Here’s your home and here you’ll stay. Here’s somewhere I DON’T believe in.

#20songsbyyear #musicchallenge 1986 14 A classic song. One of my Desert Island Discs if I’m ever invited onto the show. The Weather Prophets Almost Prayed Creation Records 1986 It’s a perfect record. Faultless. Genius. I struck a match and watched it burn ‘gainst the night. I almost prayed.

#90sTop30 #MusicChallenge Yet again, it’s The Fall This time it’s a genuine hit single (number 40 in 1992). The highest charting Fall single that wasn’t a cover version. Free Range Insect posse will be crushed!

#B-sidesandbonustracks #musicchallenge From Ted Chippington to AC/DC. If you want blood, you’ve got it. B side of the Highway to Hell single, 1979. One of the first singles I ever possessed and it was certainly the first time my Mum said “you’re not playing THAT in the living room”! 😀😎

Just drove from Exeter to Weston Super Mare, in the dark, in the pouring rain. That was no fun at all. STRESSED.

#B-sidesandbonustracks #Musicchallenge 12 Ted Chippington (Top Comedian) I do like to be beside the seaside Part of the many songs on the b-side of the 12” version of Rockin’ with Rita by the Vindaloo Summer Special (Nightingales, Fuzzbox and Ted). Summer of 1986.

Always loved this song. Gorgeous.

So in my #90sTop30 submissions, some of you may have noticed that every track (so far) has been by The Fall. Will this continue? Well, you’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, a big HELLO AND GOOD EVENING to the former member of The Fall who “likes” most of my posts. You bass legend. 😎

#90sTop30 #MusicChallenge 13 The Fall Behind the Counter From 1994 This is the Peel session version but there are about a million other versions out there.

#20songsbyyear #musicchallenge 1986 13 A classic of the era. It’s The Smiths and the title track of their best album, The Queen Is Dead. Take me back to dear old Blighty.

#NewWaveNovember #MusicChallenge 12 The Nightingales (the 1980s version, not the current version who are BRITAIN’S BEST GROUP) Well Done Underdog Robert Lloyd showing off his remarkable vocal skills. 😀 Ends quite abruptly. Well done underdog.

FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. No music challenges. No hashtags. The Undertones You’ve got my number (why don’t you use it?) A seven inch single from 1979.

Watching Pointless with the parents. Alexander Armstrong is enjoying saying “masticate” and “swallow”.

#NewWaveNovember #MusicChallenge 11 Dexys Midnight Runners There There My Dear A single and a track from the Searching for the Young Soul Rebels album, 1980. Follow up to Geno, which reached number 1. This one didn’t do quite so well, but it’s a great song with very interesting lyrics.

#20songsbyyear #musicchallenge 1986 12 The Blow Monkeys Forbidden Fruit I chose Digging Your Scene in a previous challenge, so here’s another great track, from the Animal Magic album. Released as a single but wasn’t a hit, bizarrely.

#B-sidesandbonustracks #Musicchallenge 11 Well, here’s a song which I totally fucking loved from the first time I heard it. The Weather Prophets Like Frankie Lymon One of the bonus tracks on the Almost Prayed 12” single Creation Records, 1986 You make me think of all the good things.

#90sTop30 #MusicChallenge 12 The Fall The Joke From Cerebral Caustic, 1995

Missed a call earlier - was this you?

FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. The Nightingales Dumb and Drummer From the album with the best ever title “For Fuck’s Sake”, 2014. Featuring my pal Fliss Kitson on drums and vocals. Saw them play live on this tour & was (almost literally) blown away by the noise & the energy. BRITAIN’S BEST GROUP.

I’m on a call about the very serious subject of testicular cancer but it’s providing me with a great new series of screenshots.

#90sTop30 #MusicChallenge 11 The Fall Spinetrak From The Light User Syndrome 1996 Wasn’t too keen on this but heard Brix perform it solo a few years ago and re-assessed it. It’s actually very good.

#B-sidesandbonustracks #musicchallenge Well, here’s a song which I really fucking hated when I first heard it. Jesus and Mary Chain Vegetable Man (written by Syd Barrett) B-side of the legendary Upside Down single Creation Records 1984

#20songsbyyear #musicchallenge 1986 11 Talk Talk I chose Life’s what you make it in a different challenge so here’s Living in Another World From The Colour of Spring

#NewWaveNovember #MusicChallenge 10 Elvis Costello and the Attractions New Amsterdam A great single from 1980

Going to London on Saturday to do some stuff and see some things.

FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. The Fall Eat Y’self Fitter. Opening track on the first Fall album I purchased, Perverted by Language. CHARMED TO MEET YOU. PICK THE FLEAS, MISTER. WHAT’S A COMPUTER?

Where I work, people love to give projects really daft names. Today, for example, I saw reference to Project Dandelion & Project Pegasus. Me & a friend have started putting meetings in each other’s calendars for something called Project Broccoli. Project Broccoli doesn’t exist. It’s jut a laugh.

#NewWaveNovember #MusicChallenge 9 Not really sure if this counts as New Wave but I’ll post it anyway, because I have always liked it. The Daintees (featuring Martin Stephenson) Trouble Town Kitchenware Records 1982 or 1983.

#20songsbyyear #musicchallenge 1986 David Bowie Absolute Beginners I absolutely love you. ❤️❤️❤️

#90sTop30 #Musicchallenge 10 The Fall F-‘oldin’ Money From The Marshall Suite LP, 1999 It takes a lot of blueback to satisfy my honey. If I could get my hands on some f-olding money.

#B-sidesandbonustracks #musicchallenge A classic song from The Pastels Baby Honey Can be found on the b-side of the Million Tears 12 inch single Creation Records 1984

If you like Bailey’s and have a Tesco clubcard you can buy Bailey’s for a significantly reduced price at the moment. The £18.50 bottle is now £9 and the £24.bottle is now £14. Bailey’s is always an acceptable Christmas present for older people so I bought a couple of bottles. You’re welcome.

Sunday today and I’m doing f*** all.

#90sTop30 #musicchallenge 9 The Fall Telephone Thing, produced in collaboration with ColdCut From the Extricate album (the “divorce from Brix” album) Released in 1990 How dare you assume I want to parlez-vous with you, Gretchen Franklin? Dozy matron.