Linlithgow Palace and gulls on New Year's Day

We're beating on for another year then? Ah well, if we must.

So, this is lovely.

I spoke to Billy Sloan before his final Radio Scotland show for @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

Merry ...

TONIGHT from 10pm GMT on BBC Radio Ulster: Another chance to hear 'Christmas Europop' From 2022 🎄 Also available now on BBC Sounds: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m... #NeilHannon #TheDivineComedy #Europop @sketchyrigsy.bsky.social

this whole list is magic (and i'm not just saying that cause i'm on it)

This Richard Williams tribute to Chris Rea is worth reading. Didn't know about his contribution to Hot Chocolate's It Started With a Kiss. thebluemoment.com

Fags, Mags & Bags. Last episode on Radio 4 today. Background reading via @heraldscotland.bsky.social How Fags, Mags and Bags quietly made radio history from a Lenzie shop | The Herald share.google/C6fx9B77bMQH...

I am THRILLED that my second novel, THE OSSIANS, is getting a shiny new reissue in April next year by @orendabooks.bsky.social, with a lovely introduction by none other than @valmcdermid.bsky.social! It's a wild ride of a book, for sure. You can pre-order it here: geni.us/49IJe

The best graphic novels (memoirs etc etc) of 2025, acc to me. Includes Joe Sacco, Mimi Pond, Alison Bechdel, Matthew Dooley, Rea Irvin, Yvan Alagbe, Jaime Hernandez, Sarah Lippett & Ziggy Hannaor, @reinhardkleist.bsky.social & @bryan-talbot.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

Wham: Last Christmas Unwrapped on BBC Two. Last Christmas I spoke to Andrew Ridgeley www.heraldscotland.com/news/2478729...

Oh Jesus, my favourite Steps song. My daughter was obsessed. She turns 30 next year. #TOTP

Bleakly fun fact for those interested in 80s pop and/or Provos history. When The Colour Field filmed the video to Thinking Of You on Brighton's Palace Pier, they stayed in The Grand Hotel. A few days later the bomb went off, and Terry Hall & co were questioned by CID. www.youtube.com/watch?v=178o...

Airport reading @peteralanross.bsky.social

2 days in Northern Ireland

The year's best music books (imho) via @heraldscotland.bsky.social Magazine: Kevin Rowland's confessions, Evan Dando's drug habits, Sheffield synths, Lennon & McCartney, punk in Falkirk, Simple Minds, Budgie as one of pop's lost boys & the remarkable Neko Case www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

In today's @heraldscotland.bsky.social Magazine I talk to Donna Ashworth about poetry, positivity & the pandemic www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

Jacob Alon live in Glasgow www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

The cover for tomorrow's The Herald Magazine. Photograph: Gordon Terris. Inside, I talk to Donna Ashworth & choose the best music books of the year

Grim

Dirty Three in Glasgow on St Andrew's Day. Scottish reel included www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

Wonder which is the earliest episode of #TOTP where everyone who appeared on it has since died? And is it later than we think because Pete Murray is still with us? (He's 100 now. Well played, that man)

Coolio was just getting into it there #TOTP

Also spoken to three-quarters of Blur, come to think of it #TOTP

How many members of Pulp have I interviewed over the years. Three, I think: Pulp’s drummer Nick Banks on ‘Sexy Jarvis’ in the band’s trajectory | The Herald share.google/uaNoIJWG4Pxs...

Game of Thrones, John Wick, Badger. All still ahead of Jerome Flynn #TOTP

Does Gary have the best haircut for once? #TakeThat #TOTP

Ah this is where my fantasy of having a bookshop on a canal barge began. #TOTP #HumanLeague

But this is great #KaneGang #TOTP youtu.be/M2yG0s3dz80?...

A measure of the bounteous variety of humankind is the fact that some people like this Chicago song #TOTP

Late to the party but just in time for this forgotten banger #NickHeyward #TOTP

Scottish fabulousness a little less fab today

Phil turned 70 in October. I think more than anything this brought home the fact that I'm old now #HumanLeague #TOTP

Still got it Altered Images review: The Glad Cafe, Glasgow, October 2025 | The Herald www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2... #AlteredImages #TOTP

The synthpop section has started #OMD #VerMode

The good Spandau Ballet song #TOTP

Kim Wilde postscript: Always liked the Wilde family take on White Winter Hymnal #KimWilde youtu.be/XhHSNQRwvLw?...

This Crowded House cover reminds me that Kim did a 6 Music Back to the 80s show a couple of years ago. One of her choices was Josef K's Sorry for Laughing #KimWildeattheBBC

Kim is on BBC Two. This was one of my favourite days at work #KimWildeattheBBC www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/a...

Pat Murphy retiring from @bbc5live.bsky.social. Ravens, tower etc

Johnson, Gove and the rest of them. Not one ounce of shame in them, is there?

Read this with a real sense of fellow feeling. Six years still feels like nothing in my case. Anthony's eloquence when his loss is so close to hand is remarkable. Go well, Rachel observer.co.uk/style/featur...

Only Queen song I unconditionally love. #UnderPressure #TOTP

It's no Paul Mescal in Aftersun #Zoo #TOTP

The late, great Dave Ball #SoftCell #TOTP www.heraldscotland.com/news/1851406...

New Pop starts here. Martin has still got it, btw #TOTP www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

The Pretenders coming to save us #TOTP

I see Mickey Pearce is on #TOTP #ModernRomance

1981 needs to get a move on #TOTP