In two previous posts I have written about a favourite pop trivia challenge of mine, namely: What do the songs “Virginia Plain” and “Up the Junction” have in common with each other, and with no other singles that have reached the UK Top 10? The second of these pieces was posted in September 2020. The… Continue reading “Up the Junction”, “Virginia Plain”, and “The Rose”
The late Steve Wright used to have a feature on his BBC Radio 2 Show called Serious Jockin’, or Jockin. It wasn’t clear whether there was an apostrophe in Jockin’. This page on the BBC website, from the final episode of his afternoon show, spells it both ways. Regardless of the apostrophe, there was definitely… Continue reading Livin’, Laughin’, Singin’, and Movin’: #1s with no Gs
Sad news from the musical backwaters where I have been known to dip my toes. Musician and producer Pat Collier died last month aged 72. Currently there is only one obituary that I can find, on the Louder Than War website. There are mentions on Facebook but not much else for now. As the article… Continue reading Pat Collier RIP
Here’s a list of the songs that I performed in public for the first time during July 2024. Each month I aim to play at least one new song from each of the following repertoires: Songs that reached #1 in the UK. Songs that reached #1 somewhere else. Songs that have not reached #1 anywhere.… Continue reading Repertoire: Songs debuted in July 2024
As mentioned many times on this Blog, I can sing and play Number One Hits from every year in UK chart history. This piece from April 2019 documents the songs that I had played in a pub in Hammersmith through to October that year. In the five years since then I have played scores of… Continue reading “Nothing Compares 2U”
As noted in this earlier piece, I have finally acquired a pair of reading glasses, after years of compensating for my gradually deteriorating eyesight with the aid of magnifying glasses. It has not prompted a reading binge, but it has made it easier to do the puzzles in the weekend paper, as I expected. An… Continue reading Digging out my old music books
Here’s a list of the songs that I performed in public for the first time during June 2024. Each month I aim to play at least one new song from each of the following repertoires: Songs that reached #1 in the UK. Songs that reached #1 somewhere else. Songs that have not reached #1 anywhere.… Continue reading Repertoire: Songs debuted in June 2024
A few months ago a friend invited me to a show at the Albert Hall. He and I worked together on a project over 25 years ago and have stayed in touch, but have not worked together since 1999. His current employers have a box at the venue. He doesn’t entertain corporate clients in the… Continue reading A box at the Albert Hall, 2024
Here’s a list of the songs that I performed in public for the first time during May 2024. Each month I aim to play at least one new song from each of the following repertoires: Songs that reached #1 in the UK. Songs that reached #1 somewhere else. Songs that have not reached #1 anywhere.… Continue reading Repertoire: Songs debuted in May 2024
I return to the theme of acts who have spent one week, and one week only, at the top of the UK charts. This earlier piece lists 40 acts that spent a single week at the top of the album charts. The list below is for every act, up to May 2024, that has spent… Continue reading Every act that has spent a single week at the top of the UK singles charts
The Compartments 