Blog Update: The Smiths "Ask" topped the NME Indie Charts in November 1986 and became one of their biggest singles. It's one of the few optimistic, uptempo, dancefloor jigs in their catalogue. Did it offer good advice to teens, though? Depends, I suppose... indienumber1s.blogspot.com/2026/02/89-s...

From my experience, this is bollocks. Your family, on the other hand...

Here’s the catch up link to last night’s Feb edition of #eio40VPRshow on @vpraudioclub.bsky.social Hope you enjoy 🎧👇 www.mixcloud.com/vpraudioclub...

Playlist & playback for today’s It’s a Jangle Out There. jangleoutthere.wordpress.com/2026/02/19/p... @hiddenbayrec.bsky.social @skepwax.bsky.social @howlinbanana.bsky.social @gregwilliamsongs.bsky.social @andrewrumsey.bsky.social

It took 15 minutes, in case the DWP are monitoring my posts.

In today's news, I've got my socks on without any external assistance or gadgetry.

Writing a single and album analysis of Felt, I've reached 2500 words and they're about to join Creation Records.

Fascinating gig footage here. Roland G707 guitar synth, a Tascam portastudio flying in film samples, a Space Echo on the vocals, double drumming Simmons kits, a white Gretsch for rockabilly riffs and somewhere in the background a Sequential Circuits Pro One hammering out the post-Suicide bass.

Two surprises today. 1 - Hearing "I will" being played over the tannoy at a garden centre in Hereford 2 - Not one not two but three emails from my old KFC in Spytty inviting me to apply for a job there. Not unless the management has changed. #NoLongerPlayingInKFC

Last night's Fresh Ingredients radio show is now up on Mixcloud: have a listen for pentanglican pop, Indonesian clatter, much bookish whimsy and a Steely Dan joke. www.mixcloud.com/jonathanship...

I've just realised that the Samsung text notification sound is the same five notes as the opening lead guitar part played by Maurice Deebank on "Dismantled king is off the throne" by Felt. As they say, any similarity to songs already written is purely coincidental.

Blog update: The Soup Dragons topped the NME Indie Chart in November 1986 with "Hang Ten!" - a two minute burst of pop noise which was one of the finest singles issued that year. Their future was assured, even if none of us quite saw what was coming... indienumber1s.blogspot.com/2026/02/88-s...

Pride beat Prejudice 3-1, will now go on to play Sensibility in the semi-final.

Trial run for Tuesday. I can still make great pancakes apparently.

Modern Recording And Music magazine, January 1984, and John Denver embraces synthesisers and reggae.

At last! A VSTi of my beloved Roland SH3a! cherryaudio.com/products/sh-...

Post* an album that was important to you when you were nineteen * Dropping an album could damage it 8-)

Spending the day planning Thursday’s VPR show and came across @durutti74.bsky.social MOOSE article whilst googling something. 2nd hit on search and only beaten by a Spotify link. Impressive optimisation Anyway, hope he doesn’t mind me sharing it agoldfishcalledregret.wordpress.com/2014/03/31/w...

Future Renew Damage Reversal My life as a Boots No 7 product.

It’s at this point that we must seriously consider Annie for our next Prime Minister. She’s just saying what we’re all thinking.

Clearly the way to my heart is through my sweet tooth.

A year ago today is my first clear memory after collapsing in A&E on 20th January.

Kraftwerk.

Thank you to @paulkindred.bsky.social for cleaning and restringing my guitar this afternoon. I can now play an open E chord and an open A chord. I've told Jason Pierce I'm available for the next Spiritualized album.

In other news today we have watched the main character in Animal Crossing take a shit, explored "Digby, the biggest dog in the world" and explained the references to contemporary adverts in "99% of gargoyles look like Bob Todd". And it's not even 9am.

THIS IS WHAT WE WANT

Playlist & playback for today’s It’s a Jangle Out There. jangleoutthere.wordpress.com/2026/02/12/p... @thejustjoans.bsky.social @augstone.bsky.social @skepwax.bsky.social @wallytbm.bsky.social @somehappything.bsky.social @eschoescho.bsky.social @funnybone-records.bsky.social @fikarecordings.com

It's time RIGHT NOW for #ItsAJangleOutThere with @JoshMeadows.bsky.social! Tune to #949MAINfm on 94.9fm in #Castlemaine or via t.co/HVPCLZp1Z4 or the #AudialsSoftware or #VRadio apps. Trust me, it will make your day - come on, it's starting!! 🎸😎

40 years ago this afternoon I wrote and recorded a new song - "Private plane". Here's the story of how it was written, including the original recording, a slightly crazy live version with my first band, and a cracking 21st century version. honeybournehighlights.blogspot.com/2024/04/priv...

Big Honeybourne anniversary tomorrow, fact fans!

Blog update: Half Man Half Biscuit's temporary swansong 45 "Dickie Davies Eyes" climbed to number one on the indie charts in October 1986. "Mention the Lord of the Rings just once more/ and I'll more than likely kill you" remains a superb opening line. indienumber1s.blogspot.com/2026/02/87-h...

If you missed it yesterday; perky upbeat indiepop melancholia from Assistant and The Photocopies - we’ve teamed up for a split single and mutual appreciation society! We’re giving any and all proceeds to Cancer Research so please consider picking up 4 tracks for £3 and/or sharing! X

Show 12 of Fresh Ingredients goes out tomorrow! I've been going out too - so this week we have no chat & brilliant songs by @dreamcoasterband.bsky.social, Beat Happening, @slowcountry.bsky.social, @would-be-goods.bsky.social, Queen Midas, @genevadrive3.bsky.social & loads more. Will be good!

The closing chapter of Young Punctum; April and the first week of May 1978. Featuring a lengthy prelude with personal revelations and a bit of a rant inspired by the "Non-Competitive Sports" section of @scribblerrob.bsky.social's Drum. And a LOT of music: funthirty.blogspot.com/2026/02/apri...

Oh shit www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...

I know I am supposed to be promoting a single, but just remembered that I also made a fanzine, and as today is Bandcamp Friday it would be a good day to grab a copy if you have any £££ left over assistant.bandcamp.com/merch/in-the...

#BandcampFriday You can purchase the entire Honeybourne catalogue for around the same price as two Freddo bars. honeybourne.bandcamp.com/album/some-o...

In other news it's Bandcamp Friday. Shop as usual and avoid panic buying.

New from us and new from our pals @thephotocopies.bsky.social! All proceeds to Cancer Research! assistant.bandcamp.com/album/assist...

Team: if you buy the postcard version of the Assistant/Photocopies single and you can't see the songs in your collection, don't worry - I will send you a code assistant.bandcamp.com/album/assist...

Today's stream of consciousness conversation with my son - from annoying songs to "Badger Badger badger" to "118247, it's directory heaven" to my time at 118888 and their disastrous advertising campaigns and how all DQ providers use the same databases so it doesn't matter who you ring anyway...

Post an image you can hear

In other news, I've just realised that "Mick's Up" by the Style Council does Dips Its Lid to "Bert's Apple Crumble" by The Quik. I dare @joshmeadows.bsky.social to play those!

An Adventures In Stereo live set! I never knew they played live! There's an embarrassment of riches in this Adam Jacobs archive, you know. archive.org/details/ajc0...

Holy shit! A Kingsbury Manx live tape from 2002! Sounding wonderful too! archive.org/details/ajc0...

Occasionally I think to myself "Oh yeah, this is the part of February I don't remember".

At this rate, that bloke's hard drive at Newport tip will be worth about a tenner.

Singing "So good so good so good" in the chorus of "Sweet Caroline"

No, I don't know who Al Carns is either.