Today's post. New graphic novels from Joff Winterhart (March) & Lizzy Stewart (April). There are always ressons to be cheerful. @jonathancape.bsky.social

Rachel's early death last year was such an unthinkable tragedy. I'd already accepted her request to be a judge for this prize - it's right and proper that it's been renamed after her.

Looked it up. Mariah is only 5ft 7. #TOTP

Enjoying the extreme binary reactions to New Radicals. Is this where all our current problems can be traced back to? #TOTP

10 years ago I wrote a list of my favourite films; one from each year since I was born. Just found it. Had to remind myself what Blind was, think even tnen I was swithering over The Great Beauty (first hour so good, but ...) & Thandiwe Newton's experience on Flirting sours that choice. Still ...

Introducing the Rachel Cooke Graphic Short Story Prize. The Faber / Observer / Comica Graphic Short Story Competition has been renamed in memory of Rachel Cooke, a champion of graphic novels and one of the judges of the prize since its launch. faber.co.uk/about-faber/graphic-short-story-prize/

Jacob Alon on the Graham Norton Show is kind of amazing, right? And thrilling.

Someone missing from The Smiths here #TOTP

There's a great Dusty needle drop in the new Jim Jarmusch movie. It's not this one. #TOTP

Is this Flick's work too? #yellowdog #TOTP

Lulu sang me a bit of Where's Eddie when I spoke to her for this. #TOTP www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

Flick, have you been watching those Leni Riefenstahl films again? #Legs&Co #TOTP

Looking forward to the Tartan Army singing this one in America in the summer #SorryImaLady #Baccara

Once suggested to James he should have a go at a bit of Garage on his next album. He was amused at least #TOTP #Manics

And while I'm advertising... Travis in 2016 www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/a... #TOTP

Went to see Suede in Edinburgh last night. That was fun www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2... #TOTP

It's been 40 years (and counting) since I last saw Friends Again live (Stirling Uni, in either 1983 or 1984; someone will know). Thrill to see them last night. Lloyd Cole playing g a blinder in support too. Review below www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

Ah, just heard about James Sallis going. Can't think of another writer like him. RIP

Friends Again return tonight. www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

A Roddy Frame tour announcement would be a great birthday present

Gordon is the great unsung Scottish writer. The Shoe is the best book about small town Scotland in the 1980s.

Farewell Sly Dunbar. This still sounds a cut above everything youtu.be/ifhcWeXIOZs?...

Roaming Roots Revue @ Celtic Connections is something special www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

Legs & Co's support for Scottish independence in 1981 tragically too soon to sway the vote in 2014 #TOTP

Spoke to Steve Norman in 2023 about Spandau's past and (lack of) present #TOTP Music: A journey with the Spandau Ballet ghosts | The Herald share.google/SESxyHEEwwIB...

Just coming into #TOTP in time for my favourite Lauryn Hill track and her sterling use of the word reciprocity #ExFactor

Very sad to have confirmation that the great Martin Carthy is ailing and has likely played his last gig. It was a privilege to write the notes for this live album. His final quote here seems fitting: 'I have nothing to hide. I just think, You did it, for heaven's sake, to the best of your ability.'

Great Gordon Terris image on tomorrow's @heraldscotland.bsky.social Magazine. I get to go behind the scenes at the National Museums Collection Centre in Granton

Hello, my first post! I'm the writer Richard Price, with poetry collections which include Lucky Day and Late Gifts, and the novella The Island, which will be reissued this year in April. I'm also writing a memoir of the British Library where I worked as a curator of contemporary British books.

Andrew writing from the heart here.

Huge congratulations to Jacob Alon for winning the 2026 BRITs Critics' Choice award! 🙌 https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/jacob-alon-brits-critics-choice-2026-winner/

Tonight in BBC Radio 4’s Illuminated, the poet Jack Underwood offers his services as a metaphor consultant, for a very reasonable fee. Listen to The Metaphor Consultant in the Illuminated podcast Produced by Eleanor McDowall www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Emmyou Harris in fine form in Glasgow last night. Pity about the venue @heraldscotland.bsky.social Review: Emmylou Harris, Celtic Connections, Emirates, Glasgow, 2026 | The Herald share.google/qVlBSnFKbiDg...

*NEW!* Written with the full co-operation of Stuart’s former band mates, family and the friends who knew him best, ‘Stay Alive’ by Scott Rowley is the unflinching, celebratory, deeply affecting true story of a Scottish musical folk hero 26-03-26 tinyurl.com/6w6cxss2 tinyurl.com/3cnv66ff

New in 2026: The Pass by @katrionachapman.bsky.social; Dear Historian by the amazing Joff Winter heart; All the Living by Roman Muradov & the latest Arab of the Future volume by Road Sattouf. It's going to be a good year for graphic novels

Conor Bradley out for the season. Guessing it's possible Northern Ireland won't actually win the World Cup now.

Finally caught up with Marty Supreme. It's helter-skelter energy made me think of a Warner Brothers cartoon, with Marty/Chalamet as Bugs Bunny (Bugs at his cruellest, mind)

Two of these gentlemen are former schoolmates of mine. I remember when they played the school disco one year and they were called Aesthetic Form. Highly influenced by Fischer-Z - one song by them, anyway.

Friends Again are back, via @heraldscotland.bsky.social The return of Friends Again after 40 years - what's next? | The Herald share.google/B7BcIYP4qcnw...

Keep up Bluesky #TOTP

ABBA ripping off Brotherhood of Man. Shameless #TOTP

Hmm, Sailor you say. Come on, that factory worker has never seen the sea. #TOTP

Coincidentally I've been reading Carly Simon's memoir in which she describes Kris Kristofferson thus: "eyes like a Samoyed..." #Convoy #TOTP

Francis in 2019 #Quo #TOTP Sex and drugs and Status Quo: Francis Rossi on Rick Parfitt, success and the cotton bud trick | The National share.google/FZOV7tg743TW...

When is Mojo going to give us a Biddu cover story? #TinaCharles #TOTP

Did Phil approve his puppet? And if so, why? #TOTP

"What else can we put on instead of Jack Your Body?" #TOTP

Finishing strongly to be fair #Human league #TOTP

See any year in relation to TOTP, indeed. Then again, in January it wasn't hugely obvious that 1982 (its first half anyway) was going to be the year that it was. I wouldn't have put money on the Associates getting into the top ten, for instance...

Grace Slick's New Romantic period #Mobiles #TOTP