In 1973, my mother returned from a lengthy bridgework session, where the dentist played her what became her favorite record, Neil Diamond’s career making live double, Hot August Night. It’s a more interesting set than I, age 5, then realised.
The former Tin Pan Alley tunesmith, brandishes his cast iron contributions to the Great American Songbook in a Californian amphitheatre, shaggy like a rock star, but unambiguously showbiz.
Diamond’s bizarre Springsteen-Manilow hybrid remains unresolved, even after tinkering from the reinvention guru Rick Rubin in 2005, but this expanded Hot August Night captures the freshly cut Diamond in his most enjoyably conflicted state.
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Brighton Argus
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Bosco239, youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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John Robins, Comedian
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log