Random title, cover and track selection, but still a whole new Prince album (out 30th July) of unreleased music is very welcome.

My Royal Holloway colleague and friend Professor Nikita Lalwani (films: Picture This; TV: The Outlaws, Under Salt Marsh; novels: Gifted, The Village, You People) is doing her inaugural lecture in Senate House in Central London next week (free, open to all): www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/eve...

Very enjoyable night watching Paul Simon, marred only by the lack of One-Trick Pony songs…

Second part of my Resonance FM interview with Ben Thompson about my new book FAMOUS, beginning with a conversation about using fiction techniques in non-fiction: www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/th...

Mary Halvorson, Cafe Oto.

Delighted by this two-page piece on FAMOUS in the Daily Mirror today.

First part of a two-part interview about my new book FAMOUS with Ben Thompson on ResonanceFM: www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/th...

Orcutt, Miller, Shelley + Yow.

mdjthorne 19s R.I.P. J.H. Prynne, as fascinating a critic as he was a poet. One of those rare writers who was unfailingly interesting.

Ten years after his tragic passing, still nothing helps more than talking about him with others who loved him. There was @polishedsolid's #IWonderU40 conference at the weekend and today 6Music is devoting a "Prince Forever" day to him. I'm on Huw Stephens show this afternoon (starts at 4pm).

Oneohtrix Point Never, Barbican.

When a reader as shrewd as @iammilliam.bsky.social is enjoying my book, it makes it all worthwhile.

I’ll be appearing at the virtual part of this on Friday. If you’re in New York, do go along on Saturday or Sunday, these Prince conferences are always excellent.

Eiko Ishibashi and Jim O'Rourke, Union Chapel.

Surely the only band who are ever going to slag off Su Pollard onstage at Wembley.

Had a great evening at Sound Affects in Brighton talking about new book FAMOUS.

Had a great time talking to Miranda Sawyer at @foylesforbooks.bsky.social about my new book FAMOUS last night.

Publication day today!

Delighted by this review of FAMOUS in The Times today, so funny and perceptive and got exactly what I intended to do with the book.

Video version of the Word In Ypur Ear podcast I did for FAMOUS earlier this week: youtu.be/dkiNU3LK4cE

Really enjoyed talking to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth about FAMOUS for their Word in Your Ear podcast: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/k...

Adrian Sherwood, African Head Charge, Barbican.

Really looking forward to doing this event at Foyles Tottenham Court Road March 30th with Miranda Sawyer to promote my new book FAMOUS: www.foyles.co.uk/events/famou...

Doing at event at Rough Trade Bristol with Jude Rogers April 8th 6.30pm for my new book FAMOUS. Tickets via Dice. dice.fm/partner/tick...

Delighted (and grateful) to have my new book Famous: Ego, Envy and Ambition in Pop, Rock and Hip-Hop included in the Observer nonfiction highlights of 2026.

This is what I’ve been working on for the last six years. So excited to be able to share it.

Fiery Furnaces + Destroyer, Pitchfork Festival, Barbican.

Piece I contributed to on (who else) Prince: www.vulture.com/article/eigh...

Crime and the City Solution, St Matthias Church.

If I was a magazine subeditor, it’d be hard to resist ‘Sonic Woof’ (Thurston Moore Group, Oslo, tonight).

The Hard Quartet, EartH.

My review of Caroline Fraser’s Murderland: observer.co.uk/culture/book...

@pressfuturist.bsky.social Just found a copy of “inv 5”, do you remember what it was?

Tyler, the Creator, Chromakopia, O2.

Saw reviews comparing Hurry Up Tomorrow to Purple Rain. Ha ha, no, but it does resemble Prince’s mid-90s ideas, videos and aborted ideas for dramas/musicals about relationships with female fans.

Thurston Moore, Evan Parker, Pat Thomas, Cafe Oto.

Sarabeth Tucek, West Hampstead Arts Club.

Wolf Eyes, Underworld.

Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Cafe Oto.

070 Shake, Koko.

Spiritualized, Barbican

Tindersticks (w/Gina Foster), Royal Albert Hall.

Very much enjoyed interviewing David Keenan at the London launch of his excellent new music book Volcanic Tongue.

Second Night of Moor Mother residency at Cafe Oto: TEMPORAL ASSEMBLIES: TIME RITUALS - MOOR MOTHER + READING OF 'THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS'

Always great when a favourite musician returns after a long absence. Nina Nastasia last year, Edith Frost this year. Will be playing this one for a while.

KEENAN. THORNE. FOYLES. MONDAY. @reversediorama.bsky.social in conversation with @8minutesidle.bsky.social about his collection of music writing, VOLCANIC TONGUE, this Monday @foylesforbooks.bsky.social Charing Cross Road www.foyles.co.uk/events/david...

Stephen King films fun in the foyer is always a cut above.

James Brandon Lewis + The Messthetics, 100 Club, tonight.

Am generally not one for nostalgia shows, or “play the album” shows but Frank Black’s Teenager of the Year show, which for me is him at his top dollar best, was much better than seeing him at the time, when his career was imploding - and reminded me of Camden Joy’s essay on this misunderstood album.

Redundant to say he was my favourite director/artist; he was everyone’s favourite director. Have this print in my living room.