And don't get me started on Gavin and Stacey, lowest common denominator comedy writing, ooh funny fat people, ooh funny regionals, ooh sexually ambiguous uncle. Bin.

Just wonderful. Monkhouse: The Last Stand (2016). So funny. *note perfect* - and mid section where he segways into anecdotes, not stand up per se- staggeringly astute/generous - about his contemporaries (Benny Hill, Peter Sellers etc). A quiet - final - masterclass. youtu.be/koFrPs_80gQ?...

Rare photo of Paul McCartney and Glyn Johns enjoying a pint together during a break from the Get Back sessions.

Absolutely love these new National Park songs by John @johnhogarty.bsky.social - get em here: nationalpark.bandcamp.com/album/solo-d...

#NowPlaying Melting Glass Box. One of the best Japanese (acid folk) albums of the 1970s. Ridiculous to think that this came out in 1970 (and that it’s not even in Julian Cope’s Japrocksampler).

Great Del Amitri show in Edinburgh last night. Never seen them before.

If we can't get new Tom Waits live shows, I'll take a new Tom Waits live video! Full pro-shot with a killer setlist: Walk Away Gun Street Girl The Fall of Troy Goin' Out West Big Black Mariah Yesterday Is Here Innocent When You Dream (w/ Eddie Vedder, Ani DiFranco, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Earle…)

Here's a picture taken 67 years ago today. (ₛᵢₓ … ₛₑᵥₑₙ)

PLEASE KEEP SHARING - the press are listening "Dear BBC Radio Scotland, We are musicians from Scotland... there is one thing we share. It was BBC Radio Scotland late-night shows that gave our music a chance." Full letter: tr.ee/9uKS89 @angusrobertson.bsky.social @thesmia.bsky.social

The full demo of What Goes On has surfaced! #Beatles youtu.be/cOI4Tgfwk4c?...

In Tune In I quoted a 1960 Paul McCartney letter declaring that the Beatals (yes) had ‘competence, confidence & continuity’ … and just today I’ve found that Paul nicked it from a Midland Bank cheque book, Competence–Continuity–Confidence being printed on the inside back cover. Great nicking, Paul!

60 YEARS AGO TODAY: Granada showcase The Music Of Lennon & McCartney, John and Paul introducing the likes of Lulu, Cilla, Henry Mancini, Marianne Faithfull, Peter Sellers's Richard IIIrd A Hard Day's Night, and Fritz Spiegl's Barock & Roll Ensemble.

Tuesday

"Palestinians displaced by Israels war in Gaza are facing a new threat" Why are Palestinians displaced? Is it because Israel has damaged or destroyed over 90% of all housing in Gaza? And why didn't you mention the fact they are blocking the entry of tents/shelters into Gaza?

Very sad to hear trumpeter Eddie 'Tan Tan' Thornton has died aged 94. Eddie graduated from Alpha Boy's School and moved to London where he played on many records including The Beatles Revolver LP. Small Faces wrote this song about him... youtu.be/1BIAIHLRnMY?... #reggae #beatles #musicsky

Wonderful work, Pete!

Astounding final Radiohead Berlin show last night 🤯

Please may we culturally appropriate the Icelandic Christmas Cat?

This is, genuinely, one of the greatest albums of all time and one of the source materials of Britpop. No reverence for the sacred texts being studied here, just celebration of how they make Sandie feel. She just wants to have a good time. The version of Love Me Do packed the floor at Blow Up.

Excellent to hear @grindrod.bsky.social and filmmaker Graham Williamson in conversation about suburbia tonight at @themodernist.bsky.social following a screening of Graham’s great short film, Song of the Suburbs

Bill at @thetradesclub.bsky.social tonight

Aquarium Drunkard :: Year In Review 2025 aquariumdrunkard.com/2025/12/08/a... Looking back to look ahead. Our list arrives in the spirit of sharing, and we’re back with our annual Year In Review. As always the following is unranked and unruly. Let it blurb.

Happy Birthday Tom!

Can all the folk who just got reminded that they’ve listened to a tonne of music on streaming this year, have a look at the music they heard and buy some on bandcamp today? 🫡🙏🏼

Tracklisting for new Jake Thackray rarities album, available only from www.jakethackray.com.

Wonderful @billryderjones.bsky.social show tonight!

We were saddened to hear that legendary record business figure Andrew Lauder passed away earlier this week. He was great company and a compelling raconteur. His spirit lives on in hundreds of records that have changed the lives of so many and in the stories he left us in his book Happy Trails.

The Clientele were wonderful in London tonight

I don’t mention this in the new INVENTORY but the Clientele’s version of an obscure Shack/Mick Head song called Closer is one of their most sublime, mysterious and magical recordings. You’re welcome. @backlisted.bsky.social theclientele.bandcamp.com/album/closer

Monumental Radiohead show tonight

Weird the things that turn up online. A recording of Roddy Frame playing 'The Wrong Road' at the Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, a few days after Grant McLennan's death. I was there. It struck me then and now as the perfect song choice. One of the saddest songs ever, I think. soundcloud.com/kays-camera/...

What weekend viewing ! Watch this fabulous 2012 doc on Big Star on You Tube with not a single ad break. youtu.be/s4_lkESMhZI?...

It's that time of year

Françoise Hardy

Available now, new National Park songs/recordings on cassette/download. Sending out around 5th December. nationalpark.bandcamp.com/album/solo-d...

Ellie Chowns, "People are frustrated with the problems of the country" "It's inequality, not immigration, at the root of that" "There are very irresponsible, dark forces, whipping up hatred"

Not sure how am going to teach on rights and citizenship and immigration and refugee policies tomorrow. UK government just dropped policy that is way outside the parameters of the global surveys we read. What has happened here? I literally do not know.

The BBC is the biggest thump of soft power the UK has and its reach and influence to the benefit of the country is extraordinary. Destroy it, hugely damage the UK. The same people who helped weaken us over Brexit are seeking to do it again.

Post someome who looks great in a hat.....

Another banger for the Michael Shannon file: www.theguardian.com/film/2025/no...

I've always felt that Johnson and Farage put self-interest over the national interest - hence their dallying with Putin and his oligarchs. But directly colluding with a foreign government to take down the BBC feels like an act of supreme treachery

A few words in celebration of the first flourishing of British jazz and Richard Morton Jack's incredible, indispensable Labyrinth book. www.patreon.com/posts/britis...

Once every 20 years or so, the director-general of the BBC is forced to resign for being insufficiently rightwing. Alastair Milne in 1987. Greg Dyke in 2004. Tim Davie in 2025. The great irony is that the BBC was in all cases profoundly biased towards established power. But just not biased enough …

A reminder that David Kogan was *not* on the shortlist for the position of head of the football regulator service and that the candidates who *had* been shortlisted were then ignored in his favour. Kogan did not even apply for the position.