Yesterday was a landmark day for British sport. For Englishmen across the globe, Andy Murray made the transition from the Scotsman who lost the Wimbledon final, to the fellow Briton who won it.
Kroll
I was killing time in Silver Platters, a local record store, on Saturday night, while one or other of my children played one or other sport (frankly, the record racks had my attention). For those who are interested, I picked up a DVD of the classic “Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man”, one of the best bad movies of the 1990s.
Laundry
There’s a great tradition in popular song of taking a metaphor and stretching it far beyond what is sensible. Look no further than the magnificent “You Cut Up the Clothes (in the Closet of My Dreams)” from the musical Don’t Play Us Cheap (a former tune of the week).
Marooned
In the summer of 1982, Martin O’Brien and I tried to make some money with a door-to-door car-cleaning business. We won one unfortunate customer, a woman who lived in a leafy Kingston street.
Randy
Last week saw the new round of inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Randy Newman made it in.
His speech after winning his first Oscar for Monsters Inc, after seventeen unsuccessful nominations:
Unique
On my way to Iceland this weekend so I had planned to showcase the work of Bjork, beloved and eccentric Icelandic “whack job”. However, Spotify said “see also Kate Bush”. While Kate Bush is not a beloved, eccentric, Icelandic whack job, she is a beloved, eccentric, English whack job and I prefer her music, so she won out.
Emily
We’re all very busy people, so keeping this week’s tune down to 2 minutes. Gauntlet for this week: create 2 minutes of work as beautiful as this.
Waiting
A fine Icelandic export with stirring music and visuals thinly applicable to the important stuff that you’re procrastinating about.
Halfway
So, the whistle has blown for 2016 half-time. The first half was rather heavier on the downs than the ups for many.
Massachusetts
RIP Robin Gibb.
Member of one of the most gifted songwriting teams ever.
Object of one of the all time great gags from Kenny Everett.