“If you had to kill Stewart Lee how would you do it? Stab his eyes out? Shotgun to the knees? Brain with heavy object?” Xpijonipsy, Twitter, 16/10/19, since removed

1) SNOWFLAKE/TORNAD0 – LIVE (London & Touring)

I THINK ALL LONDON DATES ARE NOW SOLD OUT BUT… THERE WILL BE SUPPLEMENTARY DATES AT THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, LONDON, JUNE 27TH, 28TH AND JULY 1ST, 2ND, 3RD, AND THESE ARE ON SALE NOW.

I’m doing a new stand-up show for the back end of 2019 and the first half of 2020.
More national dates from Feb 2020 will be announced later in the year, I am going to do less shows than last time, but with longer runs in bigger rooms to hit the same demand.

I will film this show/these shows in the Summer of 2020 for offloading to whatever content platforms are still viable at that stage in late capitalism’s technologically-driven cultural decline.

David Johnson & John Mackay in association with Debi Allen/Curtis Brown present
STEWART LEE – SNOWFLAKE/TORNADO.

Double-bill of two new 60-ish minute sets, back to back nightly from “the world’s greatest living stand-up” (Times).

Tornado questions a shipwrecked Stew’s position in the comedy marketplace after Netflix mistakenly lists his show as “reports of sharks falling from the skies are on the rise again. Nobody on the Eastern Seaboard is safe.” What is anything? Is it this?
And Snowflake questions our worth in a collapsing society which no longer shares the liberal values we have for so long been keen to be seen to espouse, in a fairy-tale landscape of winter wonder.
Tons of fun!

SOLD OUT – CHECK DAILY FOR RETURNS at the Leicester Square Theatre here: https://leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873600232

SNOWFLAKE/TORNADO Work-in-Progress and DVD LAUNCH

Leicester Square Theatre, London.
FEW TICKETS AVAILABLE CHECK DAILY FOR RETURNS AT LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE BOX OFFICE: https://leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873600232

Stewart Lee – Snowflake/Tornado.
Leicester Square Theatre, London.

January 2020
Thurs 2nd Jan 8.45pm – Sat 25th Jan
No Mondays, No Sundays, & not Jan 9th
8.45 pm Stewart on stage
2 hrs + interval

Tues, Weds, Thurs £27.50
Friday & Saturday £29.50

All shows are 14+ apparently. If you are under 14 you are too immature to enjoy my swearing and farts.

In the case of sold out shows, there are often returns added, & Leicester Square maintain a waiting list, so check with the venue.

JANUARY 2020

Thursday 2nd SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Friday 3rd SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Saturday 4th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS

Tuesday 7th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Wednesday 8th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Friday 10th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Saturday 11th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS

Tuesday 14th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Wednesday 15th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Thursday 16th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Friday 17th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Saturday 18th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS

Tuesday 21st SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Wednesday 22nd SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Thursday 23rd SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Friday 24th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS
Saturday 25th SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO – Leicester Square Theatre, London – 8.45pm – TICKETS

Currently confirmed / onsale national dates are as follows.

NOTE: This is not the complete list. More national dates are currently being added & confirmed & will be announced soon.

Not all dates are currently on sale.
As further dates are announced / go on sale, they will be listed on the Live Dates page of the website & via this newsletter as they come in.

January 2020

Tuesday 28th January 2020 – 7.30pm – Colosseum, Watford – TICKETS

Wednesday 29th January 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Nottingham TICKETS

Thursday 30th January 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Nottingham – TICKETS

Thursday 31st January 2019 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Nottingham – TICKETS

February 2020

Saturday 1st February 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Nottingham – TICKETS

Tuesday 4th February 2020 – 7.30pm – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool – TICKETS

Wednesday 5th February 2020 – 7.30pm – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool – TICKETS

Thursday 6th February 2020 – 7.30pm – City Hall, Sheffield – TICKETS

Friday 7th February 2020 – 7.30pm – City Hall, Sheffield – TICKETS

Wednesday 12th February 2020 – 8pm DeMontfort Hall, Leicester – TICKETS

Thursday 13th February 2020 – 7.30pm – New Theatre Royal, Lincoln – TICKETS

Friday 14th February 2020 – 7.30pm – New Theatre, Peterborough – TICKETS

Saturday 15th February 2020 – 7.30pm – Opera House, Buxton – TICKETS

Tuesday 18th February 2020 – 7.30pm – The Dome, Brighton – TICKETS

Wednesday 19th February 2020 – 7.30pm – The Dome, Brighton – TICKETS

Thursday 20th February 2020 – 7.30pm – The Dome, Brighton – TICKETS

Friday 21st February 2020 – 7.30pm – The Dome, Brighton – TICKETS

Monday 24th February 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS

Tuesday 25th February 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS

Wednesday 26th February 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS

Thursday 27th February 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS

Friday 28th February 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS

Saturday 29th February 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS

March 2020

Tuesday 3rd March 2020 – 7.45pm – Festival Theatre, Malvern – TICKETS

Wednesday 4th March 2020 – 7.30pm – St. David’s Hall, Cardiff – TICKETS

Thursday 5th March 2020 – 8pm – Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe – TICKETS

Friday 6th March 2020 – 7.30pm – Royal & Derngate, Northampton TICKETS

Monday 9th March 2020 – 8pm – Cliffs Pavillion, Southend-On-Sea – TICKETS

Tuesday 10th March 2020 – 8pm – The Hexagon, Reading – TICKETS

Wednesday 11th March 2020 – 8pm – The Hexagon, Reading – TICKETS

Thursday 12th March 2020 – 7.30pm – Symphony Hall, Birmingham – TICKETS

Friday 13th March 2020 – 7.30pm – Symphony Hall, Birmingham – TICKETS

Tuesday 17th March 2020 – 7.30pm – Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury – TICKETS

Wednesday 18th March 2020 – 8pm – De La Warr Pavillion , Bexhill On Sea – TICKETS

Thursday 19th March 2020 – 8pm – Corn Exchange, Cambridge – TICKETS

Friday 20th March 2020 – 8pm – Corn Exchange, Cambridge – TICKETS

Monday 23rd March 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Leeds – TICKETS

Tuesday 24th March 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Leeds – TICKETS

Wednesday 25th March 2020 – 7.30pm – Playhouse, Leeds – TICKETS

Thursday 26th March 2020 – 7.30pm – King’s Theatre, Glasgow – TICKETS

Friday 27th March 2020 – 7.30pm – Theatre Royal, Newcastle Upon Tyne – TICKETS

Saturday 28th March 2020 – 7.30pm – Theatre Royal, Newcastle Upon Tyne – TICKETS

April 2020

Friday 24th April 2020 – 7.30pm – Theatre Royal, York – TICKETS

Saturday 25th April 2020 – 7.30pm – Theatre Royal, York – TICKETS

Wednesday 29th April 2020 – 7.30pm – Lyric Theatre @ The Lowry, Salford Quays – TICKETS

Thursday 30th April 2020 – 7.30pm – Lyric Theatre @ The Lowry, Salford Quays – TICKETS

May 2020

Friday 1st May 2020 – 7.30pm – Lyric Theatre @ The Lowry, Salford Quays – TICKETS

Saturday 2nd May 2020 – 7.30pm – Lyric Theatre @ The Lowry, Salford Quays – TICKETS

Sunday 3rd May 2020 – 5pm – The Mach Arena, Machynlleth, Wales – TICKETS

Sunday 10th May 2020 – 7.30pm – Rose Theatre, Kingston – TICKETS

Thursday 14th May 2020 – 7.30pm – Westlands, Yeovil – TICKETS

Friday 15th May 2020 – 7.30pm – Northcott Theatre, Exeter – TICKETS

Saturday 16th May 2020 – 7.30pm – Theatre Royal, Plymouth – TICKETS

Sunday 17th May 2020 – 7.30pm – Theatre Royal, Plymouth – TICKETS

Monday 18th May 2020 – 8pm – Town Hall, Cheltenham – TICKETS

Sunday 31st May 2020 – 7.30pm – Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton – TICKETS

June 2020

Saturday 20th June 2020 – 7.30pm – St. George’s Hall , Bradford – TICKETS

Sunday 21st June 2020 – 7.30pm – Storyhouse , Chester – TICKETS

Monday 22nd June 2020 – 8pm – Hippodrome , Bristol – TICKETS

Saturday 27th 2020 – 8pm – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS

Sunday 28th 2020 – 8pm – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS

July 2020

Wednesday 1st 2020 – 8pm – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Thursday 2nd 2020 – 8pm – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Friday 3rd 2020 – 8pm – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS

2) CONTENT PROVIDER DVD

Content Provider is out on modern d/l, available now, and as a dvd with an extra disc of an early work-in-prog show,

Here is the Amazon d/l link. DOWNLOAD LINK

This is the link for physical media version via MEDIA GARAGE via AMAZON. MEDIA GARAGE is the only legit outlet for physical media and anyone else selling it isn’t me and I don’t get the money. DVD LINK

Right now there is nothing free to view of me on Netflix or Amazon.
I’m not part of a package of multi-artists shows the Network can buy from a particular production company and I’m not prepared to give stuff away free to the platforms.

That said all 4 series of COMEDY VEHICLE are still free on the BBC i-player, and all my stand-up shows except STAND-UP COMEDIAN can now be bought to view or download for ever on AMAZON.
Also, you can buy everything from me at live shows, which is best, as both I and the taxman see a slice of the action in this honest and straightforward farmers’ market style transaction.

I will even have a card machine this time around to facilitate drunken impulse mass-purchases, at rates beyond your actual means.
I am trying to get STAND-UP COMEDIAN back in circulation but the original producers have put the original contract in storage and have warned us that it is costly to locate it.

3) King Rocker Doc

Michael Cumming (Brass Eye), James Nicholls (Fire films) and I are looking for donations to complete the film below, which is about Birmingham post-punk survivors The Nightingales.
Everyone who donates, no matter how big or how small*, will be featured in the end credits.

*(I think this sentence, written by James from Fire, relates to the size of the donation, not the donor.)

https://www.kingrockerfilm.com/

There is now a podcast radio thing you can listen to of me and Michael talking about The Nightingales here. It is ace.

4) NEW BOOK – March Of The Lemmings

March of the Lemmings – Brexit in Print and Performance 2016-2019

Faber have published March of the Lemmings.
Drawing on three years of newspaper columns, a complete transcript of the ‘Content Provider’ stand-up show, and Lee’s caustic footnote commentary, March of the Lemmings is the scathing, riotous record the Brexit era deserves.”

5) LAURA CANNELL’S MODERN RITUAL

I am contributing some words to a new performance by mediaeval minimalist the mighty Laura Cannell, at London’s King’s Place on July 11th – https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/

6) MUSIC FROM SHOWS

PEOPLE KEEP ASKING ME AFTER GIGS; “WHAT IS THAT BIT OF MUSIC FROM ‘CONTENT PROVIDER’ OR ‘SNOWFLAKE/TORNADO’?”. So, here goes…

CONTENT PROVIDER

PRE-SHOW Was mainly tracks from Bounce (2016) by The Beat, and Black Bombers (2016) by Black Bombers
WALK ON – Blueswater – Stew’s Blues.
INTERVAL
Yarasa Adam – Toz Hasat – DOWNLOAD CONTENT PROVIDER MUSIC HERE.
Kol Basti – Baris Manco (2023, 1975),
Turku – Erkin Koray (Elektronik Turkuler, 1974),
Mindtrain – Yoko One (Fly, 1971)
END OF SHOW – Fur Seelenbinder – Kosmicher Laufer (Secret Music Of The Easdt Germna Olympic Program 1972-83)

SNOWFLAKE / TORNADO

PRE-SHOW – Oh Yeah – Can (Tago Mago, 1971), Halleluhwah – Can (Tago Mago, 1971), Pinch – Can (Ege Bamyasi, 1972), If I’m In Luck I Might Get Picked Up – Betty Davis (Betty Davis, 1973)
TORNADO WALK ON – Blueswater – Stew’s Blues. – DOWNLOAD CONTENT PROVIDER MUSIC HERE.
INTERVAL – Auto Chip 2014 – 2016 – The Fall (Sub Lingual Tablet, 2014), Auto (2024) Chip Replace Live – The Fall (Live Uurop VIII- XII, 2014), Fibre Book Troll – The Fall (Sub Lingual Tablet, 2014)
SNOWFLAKE WALK ON – Home – Fixed Horizon (Nothing Beyond, 2019)
WALK-OUT – Stiff Little Fingers – My Dark Places (No Going Back, 2014), Dave Graney – Ultrakeef (Zippa DeeDoo, 2019)

7) I ARROGANTLY RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING JANUARY EVENTS

1) New Year’s Day Morris Dancing & Folk Events.

i) Abingdon Traditional MORRIS MEN: New Year’s Day – 12:30pm The Punch Bowl, Market Place OX14 3HG; 1:30pm King’s Head & Bell, East St Helen’s Street OX14 5EA
ii) Aldbury MORRIS MEN ​: New Year’s Day – 12:00 noon, The Valiant Trooper, Aldbury HP23 5RW; 1:00pm – The Greyhound, Aldbury HP23 5RT TBC
iii) Alvechurch MORRIS MEN : New Year’s Day – Mummers’ Play around Alvechurch (at The Crown in Withybed Green)
iv) Ashdown Forest MORRIS MEN : New Year’s Day – 1:00 pm – The New Inn, Hadlow Down TN22 4HJ
v) Blackmore MORRIS MEN : New Year’s Day – 1:00 pm, Leather Bottle, Blackmore CM4 0RL 
vi) Dartington MORRIS MEN : New Year’s Day – 1:00 pm. Hope Cove, Devon TQ7 3HQ About 2:00pm we will adjourn to the Hope and Anchor Inn.
vii) Etcetera MORRIS MEN : New Year’s DaySpectacular – 12:30pm, The Wonder, Batley Rd, Enfield EN2 OJG.  We will be joined by dancing friends from Hertfordshire Holly and Camden Clog, as well as other Cotswold Morris dancers. Followed by music and song in the bar.
viii) Kennet MORRIS MEN : New Year’s Day – Dancing about 12:30 pm followed by music and song until 3:00pm Calleva Arms, Silchester RG7 2PH
ix) Mersey MORRIS MEN:  New Year’s Day – 12:00 noon The Plasterers Arms Hoylake Wirral CH47 2DJ
x) Monkseaton MORRIS MEN : New Year’s Day –  12:00 noon outside the Ship Inn, Monkseaton and then afterwards in the Ship Inn. follow us as we dance in all the pubs in Monkseaton during the afternoon: Black Horse, Monkseaton Arms,  Front Street Tap House & Left Luggage Room
xi) Ripley Morris – New Year’s Day –  12:30pm Red Lion Hognaston
xii) Rose and Castle Morris : New Year’s Day – 12:00 noon, The Boat, Stoke Bruerne with Queen’s Oak, followed by “musical diversions”
xiii) Taunton Deane MORRIS MEN  : New Year’s Day – 12:30 pm for 1:00pm: Bradford on Tone – The White Horse Inn  TA4 1HF
xiv) Towersey Morris : New Year’s Day – 1:00pm onwards: White Hart, Moneyrow Green, Holyport SL6 2ND by invitation of Taeppa’s Tump – including the Towersey Mummers Play
xv) Yateley MORRIS MEN : New Year’s Day – 1:00 pm, The Cricketers, Hartley Wintney RG27 8QB – with Mummers Play

2) Adlington MORRIS MEN and Mummers

Friday 3rd January – Alderley Mummers Play, Macclesfield & district tour – 8:00 pm Church House, Church Lane, Sutton Lane Ends, SK11 0DS; 9:00 pm Gawsworth, The Harrington Arms, Church Lane, off Congleton Road, SK11 9RR; 10:00 pm Macclesfield, The Waters Green Tavern, 96 Waters Green, SK11 6LH

3) Kennet MORRIS MEN

4th January 1:30pm – Tutts Clump Wassail – our traditional wassailing of the  has been continuous ever since its planting… 6 years ago.

4) Letchworth MORRIS MEN

Saturday 4th January – 6:30pm Dunton Wassail , Church Farm, Dunton SG18 8RR with Bedford MORRIS MEN

5) Datchet Border Morris

Sunday 5th January – Brightwell Wassail, 2:00pm Red Lion, Brightwell Street, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell OX10 0RT

6) Leominster MORRIS MEN

Twelfth Night – Monday 6th January 7:00pm – The Wassail – the first event revived after the side was re-formed in 1983, this year at The Bell, Tillington, Hereford HR4 8LE

7) Silurian Border MORRIS MEN

1st Saturday after 12th Night – 6th January Wassail in Much Marcle. 7:00pm dancing followed by an atmospheric torchlight procession into ancient cider orchards. After the Ceremony of singing, carousing and general merriment there will be music and Mummers at the Slip Inn, Much Marcle. Silurian would like to remind all participants that there is real fire involved – come prepared!

8) Haxey Hood Game

violent communal folk football, Haxey, Lincolnshire. Jan 6th

9) Hinckley Bullockers

1st Saturday after 12th Night – 6th January – Tour of Sharnford and Sapcote starting 9:40am The Countryman. 23 Leicester Rd, Sharnford, LE10 3PP

10) Saturday 11th January

Hedgerley Wassail, 2:00pm  White Horse, Village Lane Hedgerley SL2 3UY

11) Brackley MORRIS MEN

Saturday 11th January Somerton Wassail, ​4:00pm Somerton Village Hall, Heyford Rd, Somerton, Bicester OX25 6LN​

12) Saturday 11 January

7:00pm Oldfields Cider, Oldfields Farm, Frith Common, Tenbury Wells WR15 8JX

13) Long Man MORRIS MEN

Twelfth Night – Saturday 11th January 8:00pm – Here We Come A Wassailing – The Wheatsheaf, 2 Church Street Willingdon Eastbourne BN20 9HP with Merrie England Mummers

14) Burhead, N East Scotland.

Burning The Clavie. A barrel is set fire to. Jan 11th.

15) VARIOUS PLOUGH SUNDAY EVENTS

i) Jockey MORRIS MEN : 1st Saturday after 12th night – 11th January – Birmingham City Centre, usually starting at St. Martin’s Church in The Bull Ring at 10:00am where we have our Plough blessed for the start of the agricultural year with Red Leicester Morrismen & Mersey Morris Men

ii) Goathland Ploughstots. ​1st Sunday after 12th Night – 12th January 10.45am, Blessing of the Plough Service, St Mary’s Church, Goatland.

iii) Claro Sword: Plough Sunday 12th January St. John’s Parish Church Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. Claro Sword perform traditional Yorkshire Longsword at the 10.30 Plough-blessing service and afterwards wheel the plough to Knaresborough Market Place for more dancing.​TBC

iv) Grimsby MORRIS MEN  : Plough Sunday – 12th January – 12.00 pm The White Hart, Ludford; 1.00 pm Market Place, Binbrook; 1.30 pm The Plough, Binbrook.  Dancing, wassail cermony and the North Kelsey Plough Play.

16) Cambridge MORRIS MEN

Plough Monday – 13th January –  11:30am Comberton Duck Pond, Green End, Comberton, Cambridgeshire CB23 7DY performing East Anglian Molly dances here then followed by private shows at various schools through the day. In the evening we join the Balsham Ploughboys in a tour of their village as Cotswold Dancers, visiting many hospitable families and the village pubs.TBC

17) PETER BROTZMANN

German Free Jazz Sax giant, Café Oto, London, Weds 15th Jan

18) THE BELLRAYS

Veteran US Punk-soul band, a live sensation, UK tour.
Jan 15th Southsea Wedgewood, 16th Bristol Louisiana, 17th Newport Le Pub, 19th Halifax Lantern, 21st Edinburgh Voodoo Rooms, 22nd Glasgow Broadcast, 23rd Newcastle Cluny, 24th Middlesburgh Westgarth, 25th Brighton Prince Albert, 26th London Oslo.

19) Carhampton and Roadwater, Somerset.

Wassailing Parties enter orchards to bless the trees. 17th Jan

20) Taunton Deane MORRIS MEN

Friday 17th January – Sheppy’s Cider Wassail, 6:30pm Bradford on Tone TA4 1ER

21) Peterborough MORRIS MEN

1st Saturday after 12th Night – 18th January – lead the Whittlesea Straw Bear procession 10:30am-3:30pm with many other dance teams followed by Sunday 19th January, Straw Bear Church Service. – A Morris display as part of the Plough Service.

22) Goathland Ploughstots.

The Saturday following The Blessing – 18th January 9.30 am Tour of Goathland and surrounding area, starting from the The Reading Room, Goathland, North Yorkshire

23) Mari Lwyd EVENTS 10th – 18th Jan.

A skeletal Welsh horse prances about. The Boot Pub, London, WC1H 8BS, 6.30pm 10th Jan; Caerleon, S Wales, 6.30 11th Jan, The Goldcroft; Chepstow Bridge, Wye Valley, 1.30 pm, 18th Jan

24) Sunday 19th January

Spriggan Mist Wassail, 3:00pm  London Stone, Church Street, Staines TW18 4EP

25) ANTHONTY BRAXTON

American saxophonist, composer and jazz mathematician. Café Oto, London Jan 19th – 21st.

26) Claro Sword

Plough Sunday 26th January St. Andrew’s Church Aldborough, nr Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire. Claro Sword perform traditional Yorkshire Longsword at the 10.30 plough-blessing service. TBC

27) Up Helly Aa.

Frightening Viking Fire festival. Lerwick, Shetland 28th Jan.

​

8) MY CULTURAL YEAR 2019 UPTO DEC 22ND

NEW FILMS (2018/9)

The best 3 new films I saw this year were…
Ant Man & The Wasp (Peyton Reed) ★★★★★
Mandy (Panos Cosmatos) ★★★★★
Cold War (Paweł Pawlikowski) ★★★★★

Here’s my year’s new film viewing in order
Ant Man & The Wasp (Peyton Reed) ★★★★★
Mandy (Panos Cosmatos) ★★★★★
Happy New Year, Colin Burstead (Ben Wheatley) ★★★★
Christopher Robin (Marc Forster)★
Arcadia (Paul Wright)
Captain Marvel (Anna Boden/Ryan Fleck)
Shazam (David Sandberg)
The Dirt (Jeff Tremaine)
Solo (Ron Howard) ★★★★
Spider-man : Into The Spider-verse (Peter Ramsey)
Avengers : Infinity War (Russo Brothers)
Avengers : Endgame (Russo Brothers)
Keepers (AKA The Vanishing) (Kristoffer Nyholm)
Toy Story 4 (Josh Cooley)
Fighting With My Family (Stephen Marchant) ★★★★
Spider-Man : Far From Home (Jon Watts)
Midsommar (Ara Aster) ★
Can You Ever Forgive Me (Marielle Heller) ★★★★
John Wick 3 Parabellum (Chad Stahelski)
The Sisters Brothers (Jaques Audriard)
Black Panther (Ryan Coogler)
Cold Pursuit (Hans Petter Molland)
The Commuter (Jaume Collet-Serra) ★★★★
Cold War (Paweł Pawlikowski) ★★★★★
Jumanji The Next Level (Jack Kasdan) ★
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (Q Tarantino) ★★★★

OLD FILMS

Get Hard (Etan Cohen, 2015) ★
Pete’s Dragon (David Lowery, 2015)
Howard’s End (James Ivory, 1992) ★★★★★
Unforgiven (Lee Sang-il, 2013) ★★★★
A Street Cat Named Bob (Roger Spottiswode, 2016)
Last Days Here (Don Argott, 2012)
Spider-man Homecoming (Jon Watts, 2017) ★★
Romeo + Juliet (Baz Luhrmann, 1996)
Ride For A Massacre (Gianni Puccini, 1967)
Superman (Richard Donner, 1978)
The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015)
Murder On The Orient Express (Kenneth Branagh, 2017) ★★★★
A Matter Of Life And Death (Powell & Pressburger, 1946) ★★★★★
The Witches (Nick Roeg, 1990)
Edie (Simon Hunter, 2017)
The Thomas Crown Affair (Norman Jewison, 1968)
The Monuments Men (George Cluney, 2014) ★★★★
Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993) ★★★★★
Elizabeth The Golden Age (Shekar Kapur, 2006)
Stranded (Serge Ou, Andy Nehl, 2015)
The Italian Job (Peter Collinson, 1969)
Doc (Frank Perry, 1971)
The Tooth Fairy (Michael Lembeck, 2010) ★★★★
The World’s End (Edgar Wright, 2013) ★★★★
Mary Poppins (Robert Stevenson, 1964)
Southern Comfort (Walter Hill, 1981) ★★★★★
The Sound of Music (Robert Wise, 1965) ★★★★★
Behind The Candelabra (Stephen Soderberg, 2013) ★★★★
The Post (Steven Spielberg, 2017)
Bruce Almighty (Tom Shadyac, 2003)
Dead Snow (Tommy Wirkola, 2009)
Maleficent (Robert Stromberg, 2014)
Hot Pursuit (Anne Fletcher, 2015) ★★★★
The Incredibles (Brad Bird, 2004)
Catch Me If You Can (Stephen Spielberg, 2003) ★★★★
Killdozer (Jerry London, 1974)
Titanic (James Cameron, 1997)★
Deathstalker II (Jim Wynorski, 1987)
The Leopard (Luchino Visconti, 1963) ★★★★
Mrs Brown (John Madden, 1997) ★★★★
Nina Simone, What Happened? (Liz Garbus, 2015)
Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977) ★★★★★
The Empire Strikes Back (Irvin Kirschner, 1980)
Howl (Paul Hyett, 2015)
Ant-Man (Edgar Wright/Peyton Reed, 2015) ★★★★
Spider-man (Sam Raimi, 2002) ★★★★
Teenwolf (1985, Rod Daniel)
Empire Of The Ants (Bert L Gordon, 1977)
In The Mouth Of Madness (John Carpenter, 1994) ★★★★
Oxide Ghosts (Michael Cumming, 2017) ★★★★★
Poor Pretty Eddie (Richard Robinson, David Worth, 1975) ★★★★
The Mask Of Zorro (Martin Campbell, 1998) ★★★★
Mickey One (Arthur Penn, 1965) ★★★★★
Lost Soul – Doomed Journey of R Stanley (D Gregory, 2014) ★★★★
TNT Jackson (Chiro Santiago, 1974)
The Mummy (Stephen Sommers, 1999) ★
John Wick (Chad Tahelski, 2014) ★★★★★
Father Figures (Lawrence Sher, 2017) ★★★★
As Good As It Gets (James Brooks, 1997)
The Ring (Hideo Nakata, 1998)
Box Of Moonlight (Tom Dicillo, 1997) ★★★★
Fly Away Home (Carol Ballard, 1996) ★★★★
Ghost Stories (A Nyman, J Dyson, 2017)
Harry Potter’s Secret Chamber (C Columbus, 2002)
Bone Tomahawk (S Craig Zahler, 2015)
Sharknado (Anthony Ferrante, 2013)
Living In Oblivion (Tom Dicillo, 1995)
If (Lindsay Anderson, 1968) ★★★★
Gangsters – Play For Today (Philip Saville, 1975) ★★★★
The King’s Speech (Tom Hooper, 2010)
Django (Sergio Corbucci, 1966) ★★★★★
The Fugitive (Andrew Davis, 1993)
Captain America (Joe Johnston, 2011)
Iron Man (John Favreau, 2008) ★★★★
Iron Man 2 (John Favreau, 2010)
Incredible Hulk (Louis Leterrier, 2008) ★
Thor (Kenneth Brannagh, 2011)
Avengers Assemble (Joss Whedon, 2012)
Iron Man 3 (Shane Black, 2012) ★★★★
Thor Dark World (2013, Alan Taylor)
Captain America The Winter Soldier (Joe Russo, 2014)
Avengers Age Of Ultron (Joss Whedon, 2015)
Captain America – Civil War (Russo bros, 2016) ★
The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980) ★★★★★
My Name Is Nobody (Sergio Leone/Tonio Valeri, 1973)★★★★
Spy (Paul Feig, 2015) ★★★★
The King Of Comedy (Martin Scorsese, 1982) ★★★★★
Never Too Young To Rock And Roll (Dennis Abbey, 1976) ★
Tentacles (Ovidio Assonitis, 1977)
Dave Made A Maze (Bill Watterson, 2017)
Three Days of The Condor (Sydney Pollak, 1975)★★★★
The Sixth Sense (M Knight Shyamalan, 1999)★★★★
Aguirre, The Wrath Of God (Werner Herzog, 1972) ★★★★★
Cherry Tree Lane (Paul Andrew Williams, 2010)
Look Who’s Back (David Wendt, 2015) ★★★★★
Shirley Valentine (Lewis Gilbert, 1989) ★★★★
Sexy Beast (Jonathan Glazer, 2001) ★★★★
Dinner for Schmucks (Jay Roach, 2010) ★★★★
True Grit (Cohen Brothers, 2010)
Incident At Loch Ness (Zach Penn, 2004) ★★★★★
Identity Theft (Seth Gordon, 2013) ★★
For Your Eyes Only (John Glen, 1981)
The 39 Steps (Alfred Hitchcock, 1936) ★★★★★
Unknown (Jaume Collett-Serra, 2011) ★★★★
Taken (Pierre Morel, 2008) ★★★★
Taken 2 (Oliver Megaton, 2012)
Taken 3 (Oliver Megaton, 2015)
The Grey (Joe Carnahan, 2012)
Non-Stop (Jaume Collet-Serra, 2014) ★★★★
Brain Damage (Frank Henenlotter, 1988) ★★★★★
Run All Night (Jaume Collet-Serra, 2015)
Horror Hospital (Anthony Balch, 1973)
King Kong Escapes (Ishirō Honda, 1967)
No Such Thing (Hal Hartley, 2002) ★★★★
The Doors (Oliver Stone, 1991) ★
All Is By My Side (John Ridley, 2013) ★★★★
Blow Up (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1966) ★★★★★
V For Vendetta (James McTiege, 2005)
Tremors (Ron Underwood, 1990) ★★★★
Get Santa (Chris Smith, 2014) ★★★★★

NEW BOOKS

Their Brilliant Careers – Ryan O’Neill ★★★★★ and Only Americans Burn In Hell – Jarett Kobek ★★★★★ were both brilliant works of fiction.
Tim Wells’ Moonstomp skinhead-horror ‘70s NEL pastiche was smartly observed and laugh out loud funny.
And if you like HEX ENDUCTION HR by THE FALL you will love Paul Hanley’s study of the album.

Andy Burnham – The Old Stones ★★★★
Their Brilliant Careers – Ryan O’Neill ★★★★★
Only Americans Burn In Hell – Jarett Kobek ★★★★★
Matthew Cutter – Closer You Are ★★★★
Faunus – ed. James Machine ★★★★
Ranking Roger – I Just Can’t Stop It
Tim Wells – Moonstomp ★★★★
Dylan Jones – Wichita Lineman ★
Have A Bleedin’ Guess – Paul Hanley ★★★★★
Pianos, Toys & Topical Tips For Improvisers – Andy Hamilton
Dave Haslam – A Life in 35 Boxes
Nick Hunt – The Parakeeting of London ★★★★

OLD BOOKS

Rosemary Tonks – The Bloater (1968) ★★★★
Forbes Stuart – The Magic Bridle (1974) ★★★★★
Mike Scott – Adventures of a Waterboy (2012)
Uwe Johnson – The 3rd Book About Achim (1961)
Heathcote Williams – Boris Beast of Brexit (2016) ★★★★★
Olivia Laing – The Lonely City (2016)
Chris Palling – Reading Allowed (2017)
Steve Aylett – Lint (2005)★★★★★
Kieron Winn – The Mortal Man (2015)

COMICS

Kamandi The Last Boy On Earth (Jack Kirby) anthology
Sensational She Hulk 1 – 12 (John Byrne, 1989)
Prison Planet 6 – Johnny Ryan (2018)

TV NEW AND OLD

Comedians Of The World (Netflix) ★
ABC Murders (BBC1) ★★★★
Catastrophe s 4 (C4)
The Easybeats to AC/DC (BBC4)
Question Time w F Bruce (BBC2) ★
This Week w Andrew Neil (BBC2)
Sky News
Sky Daily Papers review
BBC News Daily Papers review
BBC News 24
Horrible Histories (CBBC) ★★★★
Endeavour s 2(ITV) ★★★★★
Grace & Frankie (S1) (Netflix)
Don McCullin (BBC4) ★★★★
Arena Blues Night (BBC i-player) ★★★★
Derry Girls (C4)
Norsemen (S2, Netflix) ★★★★
Endeavour (2019, ITV)
First Dates (C4) ★★★★
Russian Doll (Netflix)
The Night Manager (Suzanne Bier, BBC, 2016) ★★★★
Broadchurch Series 1, 2 (BBC1, 2013-15) ★★★★
Fleabag S2 (BBC3)
Hunted s2, s3 (C4) ★★★★
Ryan Gander, My Selfie And I (BBC4)
Line Of Duty, s5 (BBC1) ★★★★
Walks of Life (BBC1) ★
Rock Island Line (BBC4)
Ghosts (BBC2) ★★★★★
Mum S 1-3(BBC2) ★★★★★
Young And Promising S 1-3 (C4) ★★★★
Walks Of Life (BBC1) ★
John Lee Hooker The Boogie Man (BBC4)
The Twilight Zone S 1 (1959)★★★★★
Bewitched (S1 1964) ★★★★
After Life (Netflix) ★
Gangsters S1, 1976 (BBC) ★★★★★
The Cameron Years (BBC) ★★★★★
Question Time (BBC) ★
Hans Teeuwen – Real Rancour ★★★★
The Beatles Made On Merseyside (BBC4?) ★★★★
Prince Andrew Interview (BBC)
War Of The Worlds (BBC)
Father Ted, s1 & 2 (C4) ★★★★★
Gene Clark The Byrd Who Flew Alone (BBC 2013)

MAGAZINES AND PAPERS

Shindig, Record Collector, Viz, Mojo, Guardian, Machenallia, Faunus, Observer, Guardian

RADIO

Iggy Pop (6 Music) ★★★★★
Marc Riley (6 Music) ★★★★★
Amo Amas A Musical w Mary Beard (Radio 4)
James O’Brien (LBC) ★★★★★
Sheilagh Fogarty (LBC)
Eddie Mair (LBC) ★★★★
Maajid Nawaz (LBC) ★★★★
Mark Steel’s In Town (Forest of Dean) (Radio 4) ★★★★★
Late Junction (R3) ★★★★
Louis Theroux (6 Music) ★★★★
Why Woodstock Still Matters (BBC World Service) ★★★★
Sean Keaveney (6 Music)
Dead Ringers Election Special (BBC Radio 4) ★★★★

The worst radio I heard was, as usual, The Today Program (BBC Radio 4)

THEATRE

Romeo & Juliet (RSC/Barbican)
Emilia (Morgan Lloyd Malcolm/Vaudeville) ★★★★
BookTalkBookTalkBook (Ben Moor/Jo Neary) ★★★★
Wireless Operator (Pleasance, Edinburgh) ★★★★
Paul Putner’s Embarrassment (Frankenstein, Edinburgh)
Sammy Showtime (Royal Mile, Edinburgh)
Inflatable Space (Assembly, Edinburgh) ★★★★
Beetlemania – Kafka For Kids (Pleasance, Edinburgh) ★★★★
The Castle (Greenside, Edinburgh)
Boulder (Pleasance, Edinburgh) ★★★★
Manual Cinema’s Frankenstein (U’belly, Ed’bro) ★★★★

COMEDY

Peter Fleming : Have You Seen? (Machynlleth Fest) ★★★★
Jamali Maddix, Felicity Ward, Lolly Adefope, Martin & Vivian Soan, Rosie Jones & Harry Hill (LST) ★★★★★
Paul Currie – Release The Baboons (Free Fringe, Edinburgh) ★★★★
Rosie Jones (Pleasance, Edinburgh) ★★★★
Hannah Gadsby – Douglas (South Bank Centre)
John Kearns (Soho Theatre)

GIGS

The second of Guided By Voices’ two London nights was one of the greatest things of any sort I have ever experienced. The sheer joy of it stayed with me for months.
And Madness’ 40th Anniversary show was special too.

Patti Smith (Roundhouse, London) ★★★★
The Fallen Women (Lexington, London) ★★★★
Shirley Collins (Roundhouse, London) ★★★★
Jackie Oates (Water Rats, London) ★★★★
The Zeros (Shacklewell Arms, London) ★★★★
21 Pilots (Wembley Arena) ★★★★★
Stiff Little Fingers/Eddie & Hot Rods/Vapors (Forum) ★★★★★
John Paul Jones, Thurston Moore & Steve Noble (100 Club)
Evan Parker & John Russell (Vortex) ★★★★
Long Ryders (Islington Town Hall) ★★★★
Islet (Machynlleth Festival) ★★★★
Robert Forster (Union Chapel)
Peter Case/Sid Griffin (Leytonstone Ex-Servicemen’s) ★★★★
Endless Boogie (Oslo, London) ★★★★
Chameleons Vox (Dingwalls) ★★★★
The Nightingales (Sea Change)
Sandra Kerr & John Faulkner & Bagpuss (Sea Change) ★★★★
Guided by Voices (Village Undergound, London, Weds) ★★★★★
Guided by Voices (Village Underground, London, Thurs) ★★★★★★
Russ Tolman (Seabright Arms)
Flamin’ Groovies (Under The Bridge)
Alan Wilkinson, Steve Noble, John Edwards (Nomadic Community Garden, Brick Lane) ★★★★
Stereolab/Vanishing Twin (Shepherd’s Bush Empire)
King Crimson (Royal Albert Hall)
Meat Puppets (ULU) ★★★★★
Archie Shepp (Ronnie Scotts) ★★★★
Bob Dylan & Neil Young (Hyde Park) ★★★★★
The Long Ryders (Hare & Hounds, Birmingham)
Crockenjambe (Mortain Piscine Jardin, Normandy)
Blueswater (Surgeon’s Hall, Edinburgh) ★★★★
Adam Kadabara/The Bucket Boy (Royal Mile, Edinbugh)
Trad, Gras Och Stenar (Troxy, London) ★★★★★
Steve Noble, John Edwards, Alan Wilkinson (Word On The Water, London) ★★★★
Kate Tempest (Hammersmith Odeon) ★★★★
Thurston Moore Group (ULU) ★★★★
The Ex, Xavier Charles, Ada Rave, Zweditu Johannes, Marion Coutts, Alexander Hawkins (Café Oto) ★★★★★
Chris Cacavas (Slaughtered Lamb)
Madness (Roundhouse) ★★★★★

RECORDS I LISTENED TO IN THEIR ENTIRITY OLD SCHOOL THIS YEAR IN ONE SITTING AT A DESIGNATED LISTENING DEVICE

NEW RECORDS – 2018/2019

My ten favourite new records this year were…

1.Richard Dawson – 2020 – The best and most essential new record of the year for me, a state of the nation observation of incredible compassion in art-folk form

2.Long Ryders – Psychedelic Country Soul – Unexpectedly viable reunion record from alt country pioneers concluding unfinished business

3.Bangles/The Three O’Clock/Dream Syndicate/Rain Parade – 3×4 – Unexpectedly viable 4-way project of 80s LA psychedelic bands covering each others’ work

4. The Beasts – Still Here – Unexpectedly viable record by surviving members of Australian blues-psyche-garage punks

5. Trash Kit – Horizon Afro-highlife-postpunk hybrid of life-affirming power

6.Guided By Voices – Sweating The Plague – Best of many albums this year by veteran Ohio mod-prog band

7&8. Dry Cleaning – Sweet Princess & Boundary Rd Snacks And Drinks – Sneery literary dirty realist post-punk that flips my wig

9. Slagheap – Slagheap The shouty girl version of 1981 Fall kick ass

10. Major Stars – Roots of Confusion – Boston psych veterans continue to lay down impossibly dense grooves

Here’s Everything new in the order that I heard it

21 Pilots – Trench
Baby Grandmothers – Merkurius ★★★★
Bottle Rockets – Bit Logic
Lee Ranaldo – Live At Rough Trade East ★★★★
Guided by Voices – Zeppelin Over China
Namer – January
Long Ryders – Psychedelic Country Soul ★★★★★
Black Bombers – Vol 4
Julian Cope – John Balance Enters Valhalla
Traden – s/t ★★★★
Richard Youngs – Memory Ain’t No Decay ★★★★
Richard Youngs – Dissident ★★★★
Tropical Fuckstorm – A Laughing Death In The Meatspace
The ACC – Beautiful At Night
Dream Syndicate – These Times
Sleaford Mods – Eton Alive
Amor – Sinking Into A Miracle
Howe Gelb – Label Pop Session
The Blackeyed Susans – Christmas Songs
Bangles/3 O’Clock/Dream Syndicate/Rain Parade – 3×4 ★★★★★
Guided by Voices – Warp And Woof
The Beasts – Still Here ★★★★★
The Beat – Public Confidential
Deniz Tek – Lost For Words
Rob Snarski – Sparrow & Swan ★★★★
Son Volt – Union
The Comet Is Coming – Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery
Evan Parker & Paul G Smyth – Calenture & Light Leaks ★★★★
Bevis Frond – We’re Your Friends, Man ★★★★★
Guided By Voices – Sweating The Plague ★★★★★
Belbury Poly & Sharron Kraus – Chanctonbury Rings
Russ Tolman – Goodbye El Dorado
Robert Forster – Inferno
Rich Hopkins, Lisa Novak & Luminarios – Back To The Garden
Hugo Race – Taken By The Dream
Laura Cannell – The Sky Unturned ★★★★
The Flesh Eaters – I Used To Be Pretty
Meat Puppets – Dusty Notes
Trash Kit – Horizon ★★★★★
John Pierce O’Reilly – Mus Mea
Whistling Arrow – Whistling Arrow ★★★★
Eliza Carthy – Restitute ★★★★
Dave Graney & The Mistly – Zippa Dee Doo ★★★★
Pat Todd – The Past Came Calling ★★★★
Hawklords – Brave New World
Chris Holiman – Welcome To The Underground
Sacred Paws – Run Around The Sun ★★★★
The Waterboys – Where The Action Is ★★★★
Jack Waterson – Adrian Younge Presents
Smitten – Cassettes (Live On Tape) ★★★★
Otoboke Beaver – Itekoma Hits ★★★★
Darren Hayman – 12 Astronauts
Howe Gelb – Gathered
Eyelids – Maybe More
Dope feat. Fuck Authority – 13 Black Math
The Blue Orchids – The Magical Record Of
The Aints – Play The Saints (73-78) Live
Fixed Horizon – X ep ★★★★
Dry Cleaning – Sweet Princess ★★★★★
Kate Tempest – The Book Of Traps & Lessons ★★★★
Richard Dawson – 2020 ★★★★★
Slagheap – Slagheap ★★★★★
Peter Hammill – X ★★★★
Hawkwind – All Aboard The Skylark
Hawkwind – Acoustic Days
Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Colorado ★★★★
The Utopia Strong – s/t
Billy Sedlmayr – Harlem River Drive
Laura Cannell & Polly Wright – Sing As The Crow Flies ★★★★
The Elevator Mood – s/t
Stick In The Wheel – Against The Loathsome Beyond
Bob Mould – Sunshine Rock
Major Stars – Roots of Confusion ★★★★★
Dream Syndicate – 2020 album ★★★★
Suns of The Tundra – Murmuration
Chris Cacavas – Home Recordings 1
Dry Cleaning – Boundary Road Snacks And Drinks ★★★★★
Billy Childish & CTMF – Last Punk Standing ★★★★
Billy Childish & CTMF – In The Devil’s Focus ★★★★
Jeff Kelly – Beneath The Stars, Above The River

NEW OLD RECORDS (REISSUES, ARCHIVES, COMPS)

TOP 5 OLD RECORDS….
Simon Bonney – Past Present Future (1992-99) ★★★★★
V/A – J Jazz, Deep Jazz From Japan 2 (1969-1983)★★★★★
Gorgeous Space Virus – We Paint Our Smiles (1994) ★★★★★
Dick Gaughan – The Harvard Tapes (1982) ★★★★★
The Bellrays – It’s Never Too Late To Fall In Love With (1998-2019) ★★★★★
The Gorgeous Space Virus album is a collection of never released recordings by a trippy-shoegazing-spacerock-noise band that were mainstays of London’s indie toilets in the early ‘90s. Their failure to thrive proves once again that success is not a meritocracy. This 25 years too late bandcamp d/l collection shows that we nearly had our own Englische Cosmische musiche in the vein of Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, Sonic Youth etc. And, on a personal level, it flips me back to being young and thin and drunk and deafened and thrilled to be alive in the big city as I started on the circuit, not knowing that this precarious but brilliant life was as exciting as it would ever get.

And….
Big Front Yard – Big Front Yard (1975) ★★★★
Endless Boogie – Endless Boogie 1 (2005) ★★★★
Dave Kusworth – The World Of Dave Kusworth (1984-2012)
Simon Bonney – Past Present Future (1992-99) ★★★★★
The Fall – Bend Sinister (1986) ★★★★
King Crimson – A Mojo Anthology (1969-2019)★★★★
Zior – Before My Eyes Go Blind (1974-2018) ★★★★
V/A – J Jazz, Deep Jazz From Japan 2 (1969-1983)★★★★★
John Coltrane – Blue World (1964) ★★★★★
V/A – J Jazz, Deep Jazz From Japan (1969-1984)
V/A – Brown Acid, The 8th Trip (1968-1977)
Ski Patrol – In Dub (1981) ★★★★
Townes van Zandt – Sky Blue (1973)
Gorgeous Space Virus – We Paint Our Smiles (1994) ★★★★★
Fleetwood Mac – Transmissions (1967-68)
The Springfields – Singles (1986-91) ★★★★
V/A – Brown Acid, The 9th Trip (1968-1974)

OLD RECORDS THAT I LISTENED TO IN ORDER IN 2019

Rollin’ Thunder – Howl (1987) ★★★★
The Fall – Hex Enduction Hour (1982) ★★★★★
The Moody Blues – Days of Future Passed (1967)
The Records – Crashes (1980)
Bobbie Gentry – The Delta Sweet (1968) ★★★★
The Beatles – Revolver (1966) ★★★★★
The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour (1967) ★★★★★
The Beatles – Past Masters II (1965-70) ★★★★★
Goldie – Timeless (1995) ★★★★★
Patti Smith – Land (1974-2002) ★★★★
The Beatles – White Album (1968) ★★★★★
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends- D&B Together (1972)
Dangtrippers – Days Between Stations (1987)
The Grass Roots – Where Were You When I Needed You? (1966)
The Moody Blues – In Search Of The Lost Chord (1968)
Dangtrippers – Transparent Blue Illusion (1991)
Ginhouse – Ginhouse (1971)
Heaven & Earth – Refuge (1971)
Saffron Summerfield – Sailsbury Plain (1974)
Saffron Summerfield – Fancy Meeting You Here! (1976)
Neu! – Neu! (1972) ★★★★
Neu! – Neu! 2 (1973)
Träd, Gräs & Stenar – Ajin Schvajin Draj (2002) ★★★★
Träd, Gräs & Stenar – Homeless Cats (2009)
Neu! – ’75 (1975)
Man – Revelation (1969) ★★★★
Man – 2 0z Plastic With A Hole In The Middle (1969) ★★★★
Man – Man (1971)
Man – Do You Like It Here Now? (1971)
Man – Live At The Padget Rooms, Penarth (1972)
Man – Be Good To Yourself At Least Once A Day (1972)
Man – Back Into The Future (1973) ★
Man – Rhinos, Winos & Lunatics (1974) ★
Man – Slow Motion (1975)
Man – Maximum Darkness (1975)
Hard Meat – Hard Meat (1970)
Hard Meat – Through A Window (1970)
Help Yourself – Help Yourself (1971)
Help Yourself – Strange Affair (1972)
The Droogs – Mad Dog Dreams (1989)
Richard Youngs – This Is Not A Lament (2017) ★★★★
Sharon Tandy – You Gotta Believe It’s .. (1967-69)
Karin Krog & Dexter Gordon – Some Other Spring (1970) ★★★★★
Karin Krog & Archie Shepp – Hi-Fly (1976) ★★★★★
Karin Krog – Different Days, Different Ways (1974) ★★★★★
RL Burnside – Burnside on Burnside (2001)
21 Pilots – Vessel (2013)
Karin Krog – Joy (1968) ★★★★★
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity – Open (1967)
Three Mile Pilot – Na Vucca Do Lupu (1992) ★★★★
Polvo – Exploded Drawing (1996) ★★★★
The Droogs – Kingdom Day (1987)
Salvatore Camarata – Jungle Adventure (1966) ★★★★★
Karin Krog & Michael Legrand – You Must Believe In Spring (1974)
The Zeros – Right Now (1999)
The Zeros – Don’t Push Me Around (1977) ★★★★
Map Of Wyoming – Round Trip (1998)
Map Of Wyoming – Trouble Is (2000)
Erkin Koray – S/t (singles) (1970-77)
Greer – Between Two Worlds (1973)
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity – Streetnoise (1969)
V/A – 5 Days Married, Sng & Dnce Frm N Greece (1928-58) ★★★★
Alexis Zoumbas – Lament For Epirus (1926-28) ★★★★
The Sneetches – Slow (1990)
Epic Soundtracks – Rise Above (1992)
Diabolus – Diabolus (1971)
Julie Tippetts – Sunset Glow (1975) ★★★★★
Mad River – Jersey Sloo (1967)
Lawrence Hammond – Coyote’s Dream (1976)
Sneaky Pete Kleinow – Cold Steel (1973)
Hector Penalosa – Hector! (1987)
Annette Peacock – I’m The One (1972) ★★★★
Lifeguards – Waving At The Astronauts (2011) ★★★★
Takeovers – Turn To Red (2006)
Takeovers – Bad Football (2007)
Tobin Sprout – Live At The Horseshoe Tavern (2014) ★★★★★
Guided By Voices – Mag Earwhig (1997) ★★★★
Keene Brothers – Blues & Boogie Shoes (2006) ★★★★★
Tommy Keene – You Hear Me, Retrospective (1983-2009)★★★★★
Ricked Wicky – I Sell The Circus (2015) ★★★★
Ricked Wicky – King Heavy Metal (2015) ★★★★
The Beat – I Just Can’t Stop It (1980) ★★★★★
Tobin Sprout – Carnival Boy (1996)
Hugo Race – No But It’s True (2012)
Paul Bley – Mr Joy (1968) ★★★★
Annette Peacock – X-Dreams (1978) ★★★★
Paul Bley – Turning Point (1964-8) ★★★★
Quickspace – Superplus EP (1995)
Annette Peacock – The Perfect Release (1979)
Eddie & The Hot Rods – Teenage Depression (1976)
Betty Davis – They Say I’m Different (1974) ★★★★★
Linda Hoyle – Pieces Of Me (1971) ★★★★
Affinity – Affinity (1970) ★★★★
Nina Simone – Jazz As Performed In An ….. (1958) ★★★★★
Bevis Frond – Example 22 (2015) ★★★★
Bevis Frond – White Numbers (2013) ★★★★★
Bevis Frond – The Leaving Of London (2011) ★★★★
Jacobites – Robespierre’s Velvet Basement (1985) ★★★★
Jacobites – Howling Good Times (1993)
Hatfield & The North – The Rotters’ Club (1975) ★★★★
Michael Legrand – Legrand Jazz (1958)
Robert Lloyd – Me And My Mouth (1990)
Scritti Politti – Early (1978-81) ★★★★★
Paul Bley – Live In Haarlem (1966)★★★★
Chris Whitley – War Crime Blues (2004)
Chris Whitley – Poison Girl (1992)
Terminal Hoedown – John Peel Session (1992) ★★★★
Robert Lloyd – Unreleased Second Solo Album (1991)
Fanny – Charity Ball (1971)
Ferrodyne – St John’s Day (2011)
Fanny – Fanny (1970)
Uncle Dog – Old Hat (1971)
Paul Bley – Blood (1966) ★★★★
Chris Williamson – The Changer And The Changed (1975)
Soft Machine – BBC Radio 1968 – 1971 ★★★★
Gnidrolog – Live (1972)
Pylon – Gyrate (1980)
Robert Wyatt – Live At Drury Lane (1974) ★★★★★
Pylon – Chomp (1983)
Pylon – Live (1983)
Robert Wyatt – Rock Bottom (1974) ★★★★
National Health – National Health (1978)
The Noseflutes – Girth (1985) ★★★★
Eric Burdon & The Animals – Winds of Change (1967)★★★★
Eric Burdon & The Animals – The Twain Shall Meet (1968)
Buffy Sainte-Marie – She Used To Wanna Be A Ballerina (1971)
Eric Burdon & The Animals – Love Is (1968) ★★★★
Eric Burdon – Declares War (1970)
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Many A Mile (1965) ★★★★
Graham Parker – Howlin’ Wind (1976)
Grachan Moncur III – Some Other Stuff (1965) ★★★★
Graham Parker – Heat Treatment (1976)
Graham Parker – Stick To Me (1977)
Graham Parker – Squeezing Out Sparks (1979)
The Spartan Dreggs – Forensic R’n’B (2011) ★★★★
The Spartan Dreggs – Dreggradation (2013) ★★★★
Chris Whitley – Dirt Floor (1997) ★★★★
Guru Guru – UFO (1970)
Robert Forster – Songs To Play (2015)
Grachan Moncur III – New Africa (1969)
Grachan Moncur III – One Morning I Woke Up Very Early (1970)
Mike Wilhelm – Wilhelm (1976) ★★★★
Chris Whitley – Perfect Day (2001)
Neil Young – Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1970) ★★★★★
Neil Young – Weld (1991) ★★★★
Julian Cope – Rite 2 (1997) ★★★★
Neon Sardinia – S’Akkabadòra-Hèmina (2014) ★★★★
The Chameleons – Strange Times (1986) ★★★★
Endless Boogie – Vibe Killer (2017) ★★★★
Canned Heat w John Lee Hooker – Carnegie Hall (1971)
Green Man – What Ails Thee? (1975)
Pat Todd – Holding Onto Trouble’s Hand (2008) ★★★★
Pat Todd – Blood & Treasure (2016) ★★★★
13th Floor Elevators – Easter Everywhere (1967) ★★★★★
John Lee Hooker – Tantalising With The Blues (1969)★★★★★
Son Volt – American Central Dust (2009) ★★★★
John Lee Hooker – In Person (1974)
Stereolab – Peng! (1991) ★★★★★
Stereolab – Switched On (1992) ★★★★★
Stereolab – Transient Random Noise Bursts (1993) ★★★★
Stereolab – Space Age Bachelor Pad Music (1993) ★★★★
Stereolab – Mars Audiac Quintet (1994) ★★★★
John Lee Hooker – I Feel Good (1969)
John Lee Hooker – That’s Where It’s At! (1969) ★★★★★
Guided by Voices – Human Amusements (2003 ) ★★★★★
John Lee Hooker – Don’t Look Back (1997)
John Lee Hooker – You Miss ‘Im… I Got ‘Im (1970)★★★★
John Lee Hooker – Mr Lucky (1991)
The Lazy Cowgirls – Tapping The Source (1992)
Stereolab – Instant 0 In The Universe (2003)
John Lee Hooker – And 7 Nights/On The Waterfront (1966)
V/A – The Story of Trojan Records (1967 – 74)
Archie Shepp – Rufus (1963) ★★★★
Alan Price – O Lucky Man (1973)
The Noseflutes – Several Young Men Ignite… (1986)
Archie Shepp – Fire Music (1965) ★★★★
Stan Getz – Mickey One (1965)
The Steppes – Drop Of The Creature (1986)
Died Pretty – The Trace ep’s (1993)
Died Pretty – Lost (1988)
Died Pretty – Using My Gills As A Roadmap (1998)
Hawkwind – Into The Woods (2017)
Hawkwind – The Machine Stops (2016)
Hawkwind – Onward (2012)
Hawkwind – Live Sonic Attack (1977-82)
Yes – Close To The Edge (1972)
Ram Jam – Ram Jam (1977)
Ram Jam – Portrait of The Artist As A Young Ram (1978)
Kevin Junior – Ruins (2009) ★★★★
21 Pilots – s/t (2009)
Johnny Jenkins – Ton-Ton Macoute (1970)
Yes – Yes (1969) ★★★★
Yes – Time And A Word (1970) ★★★★
Dennis Wilson – Pacific Ocean Blue (1977)
The Verve – Urban Hymns (1997) ★★★★
The Pogues – Rum, Sodomy & The Lash (1985) ★★★★★
Neal Casal – Rain, Wind & Speed (1996) ★★★★
Träd, Gräs & Stenar – Tack Fur Kaffet (2017)★★★★
The Chamber Strings – Month of Sundays (2001)
Yoko Ono – Plastic Ono Band (1970) ★★★★
Day Of Phoenix – Wide Open N-Way (1970) ★★★★★
The Savage Rose – The Savage Rose (1968) ★★★★
Can – Tago Mago (1971) ★★★★★
Can – Monster Movie (1969) ★★★★★
Can – Ege Bamyasi (1972) ★★★★
Livin’ Blues – Hell’s Session (1969)
Osanna & Luis Bacalov – Milano Calibro 9 s/t(1972) ★★★★
Nino Ferrer – Nino & Radiah Et Le Sud (1974) ★★★★
Edgar Froese – Ambient Highway 2 (2003)
Eric Burdon Band – Sun Secret (1973)
The Animals – The Complete Animals (1964-5)
Eddie & The Hot Rods – Life On The Line (1979)
Creepy John Thomas – Brother Bat Bone (1970) ★★★★
Creepy John Thomas – s/t (1969)
Sonny & Linda Sharrock – Black Woman (1969) ★★★★★
Christmas – Lies to Live By (1974)
Amon Duul – Collapsing (1969)
Cozmic Corridors – s/t (1973) ★★★★
And Also The Trees – Listen For The Rag & Bone Man (2007)
And Also The Trees – s/t (1984) ★★★★
And Also The Trees – Virus Meadow (1984) ★★★★
And Also The Trees – The Millpond Years (1986)
Portsmouth Sinfonia – Plays The Popular Classics (1973)
Portsmouth Sinfonia – Hallelujah (1974)
‘Igginbottom – ‘Igginbottom’s Wrench (1969) ★★★★★
And Also The Trees – Green Is The Sea (1993)
Van Der Graaf Generator – Aerosol Grey Machine (1969) ★★★★★
Ted Chippington – Non Stop Party Hits (1984)★★★★★
And Also The Trees – From Horizon to Horizon (1992) ★★★★
Joe Henderson & Alice Coltrane – The Elements (1973) ★★★★★
Osanna – Paleopoli (1973)
Van Der Graaf Generator – The Least We Can Do .. (1970) ★★★★
Van Der Graaf Generator – H to He (1970)
Peter Hammill – Fool’s Mate (1971)
Van Der Graaf Generator – Do Not Disturb (2015)
Van Der Graaf Generator – Pawn Hearts (1971) ★★★★
And Also The Trees – Angelfish (1996)
Osanna – L’uomo (1971)
The New Trolls – Concerto Grosso (1971)
The New Trolls – Searching For A New Land (1972)
V/A – DJ Format’s Psych Out (1967 – 76)
The Cosmic Jokers – Galactic Supermarket (1974)
The Cosmic Jokers – Planeten Sit-In (1974)
Osanna – Palepoli (1972)
The Fall – Live At The Witch Trials (1978) ★★★★★
The Fall – Early Fall (1977-79) ★★★★★
The Fall – Dragnet (1979) ★★★★★
Gomorrha – Trauma (1971)
Guru Guru – UFO (1971)
Agitation Free – Last (1974) ★★★★
Yatha Sidhra – Meditation Mass (1973)
Jane – Together (1972)
Steamhammer – Mk II (1969)
Cosmic Jokers – Gilles Zeitschiff (1974)
Mandu – To The Shores Of His Heaven (1974)
La Dusseldorf – Viva (1978)
Walkabouts – Scavenger (1991)
Walkabouts – Acetylene (2005)
Cosmic Jokers – Sci-Fi Party (1974)
Clay Alison – Electric Banana (1982) ★★★★
Steeleye Span – Hark! The Village Waits (1970) ★★★★
Steeleye Span – Ten Man Mop (1972)
The Stark Reality – Acting, Thinking, Feeling (1968-70)
Lightnin’ Hopkins – California Mudslide (1969)
Neal Casal – Sweeten The Distance (2012)
11:59 – This Our Sacrifice Of Praise (1974)
John Mayall – Blues Breakers w Eric Clapton (1966)
Fleetwood Mac – The Warehouse Tapes (1970) ★★★★
The Black Angels – Death Song (2017)
Fleetwood Mac – Pious Bird Of Good Omen (1969)
Van Morrison – Astral Weeks (1968) ★★★★★
Neal Casal – Traces (2004)
V/A – B Music, Drive In, Turn On, Freak Out (2008)
Spirit – 12 Dreams of Dr Sardonicus (1970) ★★★★★
Black Oak Arkansas – s/t (1971)
Jesse Mae Hemphill – Get Right Blues (2003) ★★★★
Everything But The Girl – Eden B-sides and demos (1984)
Summerhill – Lowdown (1989) ★★★★★
Van Morrison – Astral Weeks (1968) ★★★★★
Summerhill – I Want You (1988)
Van Morrison – Moondance (1970)
Chicken Shack – 40 Blue Fingers (1968)
Summerhill – Lowdown Revisited (1987-90) ★★★★
The Doors – Live Boston (1970) ★★★★
The Doors – Absolutely Live (1970) ★★★★
The Doors – Alive She Cried (1968) ★★★★
Jim Hendrix – People Hell & Angels (1968-70)
Jimi Hendrix Experience – Smash Hits (1968) ★★★★★
Skatalites – Legendary Skatalites In Dub (1975)
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band – In My Own Dream (1968)
Sunbirds – No Sun No Shadow (1986-1997) ★★★★
The Belltower – Popdropper (1991)
Paul Schutze – Site Anubis (1996)
Boxhead Ensemble – Electric Guitar (2017)
Gary Lee Conner – The Purple Outside (1989)★★★★
Chris Cacavas & Junkyard Love – s/t (1989) ★★★★
Extra Life – Dream Seeds (2012)
The Savage Rose – Babylon (1972)
Stars of Heaven – Sacred Heart Hotel (1986) ★★★★★
The Rose Of Avalanche – First Avalance (1985)
The Rose Of Avalanche – Always There (1986)
Titus & Ross – s/t (1970)
White Heaven – Out (1991)
Goliath – Goliath (1970) ★★★★★
Leong Lau – Dragon Man (1976)
Human Instinct – Stoned Guitar (1970)
The Great Western Squares – Judas Steer (1997)
The Great Western Squares – Almost Sober (1998)

HISTORIC SITES

Symond’s Yat Hill Fort, Forest of Dean
The Staunton Longstone, Forest of Dean
Mitchell’s Fold stone circle, Shropshire
Stowe Garden, Buckinghamshire
Barbury Castle, Wiltshire
Avebury Stone circle, Wiltshire
Harold’s Stones, Trelleck, Monmouthshire
The Virtuous Well, Trelleck, Monmouthshire
The Hedge Puzzle, Symonds Yat
British Camp Hill Fort, Malvern, Worcs
Rollright Stones, Oxfordshire
Graves of Nelly Power, Champagne Charlie, H Campbell, Abney Park
Queens Wood 16th c ditches, Highgate, London
Parkland Walk, 19th c railway line, London
Grime’s Graves Neolithic Flint Mine, Norfolk
An Arthur Machen walk via Verulam Buildings, Gray’s Inn
Kelvedon Hatch Nuclear Bunker, Essex
Owain Glyndwr’s Parliament House, Machynlleth
Raglan Castle, Monmouthshire
Rodborough Iron Age Earthworks, Gloucestershire
Domfront city and Chateau, Normandy
Utah Beach & museum, Normandy
Unstan Chambered Tomb, Orkney
Ness of Brodgar excavation, Orkney
St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney
Tomb of The Otters, Orkney
Churchill Barriers, Orkney
Broch of Borwich, Orkney
Yesnaby WWII gun emplacements, Orkney
Ring of Brodgar, Orkney
Stones of Stennes, Orkney
Barnhouse Neolithic Village, Orkney
Old Man of Hoy, Hoy, Orkney
Dwarfie Staine Neolithic Tomb, Hoy, Orkney
Midhowe Cairn, Rousay, Orkney
Midhowe Broch, Rousay, Orkney
Knowe of Yarso, Rousay, Orkney
Blackhammer Cairn, Rousay, Orkney
Taversoe Tuick, Rousay, Orkney
The Earl’s Palace, Kirkwall, Orkney
The Bishop’s Palace, Kirkwall, Orkney
Knap of Howar, Papa Westray, Orkney
South Cairn, Holm of Papa, Orkney
North Cairn, Holm of Papa, Orkney
Tomb of The Eagles, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Castle Bloody burial chamber, Shapinsay, Orkney
Mor Stein, Shapinsay, Orkney
Burroughston Broch, Shapinsay, Orkney
HMS Tern WWII Airfield, Orkney
St Briavel’s Castle, Gloucestershire

ART EXHIBITIONS, INSTALLATIONS & MUSEUMS

Anglo Saxon Kingdoms – British Library ★★★★★
Wolverhampton City Art Gallery
Bill Viola/Michaelangelo (Royal Academy) ★★★★
Don McCullin (Tate Britain) ★★★★
Edward Burne Jones (Tate Britain) ★★★★★
Tate Britain general
London Canal Museum
Eric Gill’s stations of the cross, Westminster Cathedral
Nicholas Monro’s King Kong, Penwith ★★★★★
Manga, British Museum
Art In The City, Gloucester
Bayeux Tapestry, Normandy ★★★★★
Grayson Perry – J Cope’s Grand Tour (Infirmary, Ed’bro) ★★★★
Phoebe Traquair Murals (Mansfield Traquair Cent, Ed’bro) ★★★★
Martin Creed’s Scotsman Steps, Edinburgh
The Orkney Experience, Kirkwall, Orkney
Rackwick Folk Life Museum, Hoy, Orkney
Orkney Museum, Kirkwall, Orkney
William Blake (Tate Britain) ★★★★
The Clash’s London Calling (Museum of London) ★
Anthony Gormley (Royal Academy) ★★★★

STARS OF TRACK AND FIELD

Greta Thunberg
Radiohead
Ken Clarke
Jess Phillips
Gina Miller
Led By Donkeys
Carole Cadwalladr
Bonnie Greer
Hannah Miller (Granada Reports)
Samira Ahmed
Robin Askwith

THE GLORIOUS DEAD

Scott Walker 1943
Ranking Roger 1963
Ian Cognito 1958
Chewbacca 1944
Mike Wilhelm 1942
Judith Kerr 1923
Roky Erickson 1947
Gary Duncan 1946
Peter Fonda 1940
Neil Casal 1968
Peter Nicholls 1927
Barrie Masters 1956
Larry ‘The Mole’ Taylor 1942
Jonathan Miller (1934)

Tony Brennan (1966) – In the Autumn of 1986 a student called Tony Brennan set up a bi-weekly comedy gig in Oxford, that ran like a real comedy club. In doing so he brought student comedy in Oxford from the late ’50s into the late ‘70s. This meant that, though still behind the curve, it was 20 years ahead of where it had been. I did my first ever half hour supporting him, and without the encouragement Tony provided it would have been a harder road to stand-up. Tony – who was also a Morris Dancer and a tiddly winks master – became a diplomat, noted for his ability to do bespoke stand-up shows for the diplomat community, and died tragically early after a long fight against cancer.

FOOD

Grey Peas (Great Western Pub, Wolverhampton)
Grey Peas that I made myself (my house)
Baked potato w tuna (my house)
A mackerel pie (my house)

QU0TES OF THE YEAR

Miserable trousers, cufflinks clink, I’m nice about you. – Nice About You, Guided by Voices (2019)

We know that however well we succeed, fifty ‘experts’ (people who acquire theoretical knowledge without using it) will pour cold water on the result. And the five years later, grudgingly, and ten years later, publicly, refer to it incessantly to intimidate future electronic composers. –  Rosemary Tonks, The Bloater, 1968

In contrast with (my) generation, which had spent most of its time online learning to code so that it could add crude butterfly animations to the backgrounds of its weblogs, the generation immediately following had spent most of its time online making incredibly bigoted jokes in order to laugh at the idiots who were stupid enough to think that they meant it. Except that after a while they did mean it, and then somehow at the end of it they were white supremacists. Was this always how it happened? –  Patricia Lockwood, London Review of Books, Feb 2019

This is the Trump way. Fire, fire, fire with the blunderbuss and don’t worry if a shot or two hits an innocent bystander. Keep moving forwards – even as your opponents return fire. Never seriously consider the criticisims, just loose off more shots. It is a strategy that has benefitted Britain’s Trump tribute act, Boris Johnson. As an opinion columnist on The Telegraph , Johnson specialised in offence, from writing in 2002 that the Queen loved the Commonwealth because “it supplies her with regular cheering crowds of flag-waving picaninnies” to his recent descriptions of Muslim women in burqas “looking like letterboxes”. Such comments are deliberate provocation, pushing the boundaries of what it is permissible for a senior politician to say. IN AN ATTENTION ECONOMY, THEY ARE HARD CURRENCY. Any backlash can be portrayed as “political correctness gone mad” or “liberal Stalinism”. Even having to say sorry can be taken as proof that once again, the liberal totalitarians have triumphed. It is a game in which every path leads to victory. Yes, it is divisive, but for every voter who is repulsed, the calculation is, another is attracted. – Helen Lewis, New Statesman, 7^th June 2019

There’s a large audience for this kind of thing and comedy marketers are hip to it. A 2016 Joe Rogan special was titled, simply, Triggered. A new special from Bill Burr that offers subtle critiques of the turn against political correctness was nevertheless promoted by Netflix with a selection of clips from a rant in which Burr appears to mock the #MeToo movement, feminists, and the like. This year’s MTV Video Music Awards were hosted by 46-year-old comic Sebastian Maniscalco, whose opening monologue mocked millennials and teens. “If you feel triggered or you feel offended by anything I’m saying here or anything the musical artists are doing,” he said, “they’re providing a safe space backstage where you’ll get some stress balls and a blankie and also Lil Nas X brought his horse which will double as an emotional support animal.” Those who turned to Google afterwards wondering how an aging comedian wound up on MTV sneering at young people the network has been struggling to reach might have happened across a Forbes article listing Maniscalco, who also released a Netflix special of his own this year, as one of the top ten highest paid comedians in the world in 2018, having earned an estimated $15 million. Chappelle was third, having earned $35 million. This “mutated McCarthy era” has treated the comics on that list particularly well….. As far as comedy is concerned, “cancel culture” seems to be the name mediocrities and legends on their way to mediocrity have given their own waning relevance. They’ve set about scolding us about scolds, whining about whiners, and complaining about complaints because they would rather cling to material that was never going to stay fresh and funny forever than adapt to changing audiences, a new set of critical concerns, and a culture that might soon leave them behind. In desperation, they’ve become the tiresome cowards they accuse their critics of being—and that comics like Bruce, who built the contemporary comedy world, never were. –  OSITA NWANEVU, The New Republic, Sept ‘19

I’ve found it hard to get this article in print. One editor explained reluctance to publish on the grounds that the newspaper’s political team had cultivated excellent insider sources and publishing my piece would invite charges of hypocrisy. There was a searing honesty of sorts to this remark. Papers and media organisations yearn for privileged access and favourable treatment. And they are prepared to pay a price to get it. This price involves becoming a subsidiary part of the government machine. It means turning their readers and viewers into dupes. This client journalism allows Downing Street to frame the story as it wants. Some allow themselves to be used as tools to smear the government’s opponents. They say goodbye to the truth. Social media has provided new ways of breaking the boundaries of decent, honest journalism. Of course political journalists have always entered into behind-the-scenes deals with politicians, but this kind of arrangement has gained a new dimension since Boris Johnson entered Downing Street with the support of a client press and media. As a former lobby correspondent (on the Evening Standard, the Sunday Express and The Spectator) I understand the need for access. The job of lobby journalists is to produce information. But there is now clear evidence that the prime minister has debauched Downing Street by using the power of his office to spread propaganda and fake news. British political journalists have got chillingly close to providing the same service to Boris Johnson that Fox News delivers for Donald Trump. – Peter Oborne, Open Democracy, October 2019