What’s your favorite protest song? There are many. Powerful, questioning, challenging, songs can almost be a rite of passage for some artists. From What’s Goin’ On to Going Underground, from The Times They Are A’ Changin to Clampdown, Fight the Power to Paper Planes … I could go on. And I am already pondering a new...

A song you didn’t realize was a cover? The Pet Shop Boys were a formative band of my youth. In an era of Stock, Aitken, and Waterman cookie-cutter pop, they stood out both with their sound, and their art house stylings. One of the few bands of that time that I still follow, I had most of their albums and was lucky...

A song you’d like to hear covered by someone else. Which artist? Let’s start with a favourite song of mine, something I know very well as I’ve been listening to it for many many years. It’s a song that fully introduced me to a band that was still building it’s reputation, and which had just released it’s second...

A song from the last gig you went to. I waited a long long time to see this artist live. Her Jagged Little Pill album was my era, the songs remain sharp, vivid, and bold. She set a trend that said “women can rock too” and opened doors for many current artists who now, too, headline stadiums. And that voice. Ohh my...

A weekly recap of the articles and posts I’ve read that I think are worth your time. The Only Winning Move Is Not To Play: The Pattern Of Thinking That Justifies Cruelty – ideatrash — “There are ways that the world is cruel that we cannot change; entropy exists, life feeds on life. But there is a giant difference...

A song you’d do at karaoke? No. I do not enjoy karaoke. But, the first time I did it I was “volunteered” on a work night out. The track, I kid you not, You Got The Power by Snap. Even if I HAD chose to sing that night it’s not exactly a first choice candidate, ya know? The second time I sang at karaoke was a very...

A song you’ve seen performed live, or would really like to see performed live? Nnaaaaaa na na naa na na naaaa This track fits the brief perfectly. I was lucky enough to be lying near the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury one sunny afternoon. I was fairly stoned, and just enjoying the grass under my feet and the blue...

I am having a bath. I don’t have baths very often, but I’ve a bad head cold so I’m hoping some vapour bath bubbles and a hot steamy room will help unclog me a bit. But I don’t have baths very often, to the point that I once shared the fact on social media. A bath in a new home. A photo of my feet sticking out of the...

A song that you discovered in an unusual way. Ahhhh illegal music, downloading MP3s galore, Napster, Limewire, WinAmp. I had more music than I could ever listen too, most of it still on an old iPod. I download all sorts. Compilations made up by others were a favourite, 20 tracks, all random and it was in one of...

Jesus fuck. The three children killed were aged five, eight and 11. A seven-year-old and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to a hospital in a critical condition. It is unclear if the attacker had any links to the school. On June 16th 1999 —over 27 years ago— I wrote my 4th ever blog post about a shooting incident in...

Tickling my son, chasing my son, generally just being silly with my son, illicits his laugh and my heart swells with joy and love. The back and forth banter between my wife and I. Pronouncing bagel BAHgel. Mash Potato. Coffee at the perfect temperature, not too hot to scald, but hot enough to feel going down....

A song that reminds you of a particular friend. I’ve known this person since I was 15. I met her through a mutual friend. We are still friends today and have been through the full gamut of life experiences. Ohh and for a while we were married. Louise and I met as teenagers, married at 21, and have now been divorced...