RSS feed
The Great Escape Festival 2009, Brighton. Day 1.

The Great Escape Festival 2009, Brighton. Day 1.

The Great Escape is an annual music festival held in Brighton. It’s not really like a festival (in the sense of Glastonbury) because it’s not communal: we all go elsewhere to shit, shower and shag*. The City doesn’t really notice The Great Escape is happening. I think of it as an un-festival. ... Read more »
Reading List

Reading List

This is a bit of an aide memoire for me and a solicitation for suggestions. Are there any books I should be reading? Fiction preferred this week, I think. Here are some suggestions I've received recently: I'm a little ashamed to admit that I've never read anything by the brilliant Terry ... Read more »
2008: My Top Five Favourite Songs

2008: My Top Five Favourite Songs

Last year I started what I suspect will become a bit of a tradition. I named my 5 favourite new songs of 2007. I was loose in my definition of new. This year, 'new' means new: all but one of the songs was published in 2008. So here you go: my top five new songs of 2008. Vampire Weekend: Oxford ... Read more »
Mark Steel: What's Going On?

Mark Steel: What’s Going On?

Mark Steel is the Jeremy Clarkson of the left. Just cleverer. And funnier. And not so naff. And much better dressed. Steel's book, What's Going On? is hilarious but as a humour book it's strangely unsatisfactory. It's about the degeneration of a relationship, the decline of the left as a force ... Read more »
The X-Factor: Hallelujah.

The X-Factor: Hallelujah.

When it comes to showbiz, I like schmaltz. I've liked schmaltz even more since I learnt it was a jewish/yiddish term for goose, chicken or pork fat. That's what you need to add a bit of fun, luxury, shine and excitement to a dish. Showbiz is the same. I like schmaltz. So, I've been enjoying the ... Read more »