in which we remember the luminous music and diabolical life of the last of the old rock and roll guard standing. And this includes the weird old America he came from (backwoods country, religious sects with their transporting songs), the career-cancel

Sheilas portraits of 80s musicians and the club circuit filled the pages of magazines like the Face and Smash Hits at the time and now feature in her book 80s: Sound And Vision. Youll know a few from album sleeves too. She talks here about some favou

In the crosshairs this week  Sampha, Skepta? Mercury Prize winner or Italian sports-shoe brand? Was Revolver really the Beatles most consequential album? James Corden v Balthazar: fame in the age of social media. Liz Truss, Steven

Craig was on the pod last year talking about his glorious Beatles book One Two Three Four and hes just published a collection of his writing called Haywire: the Best of Craig Brown Private Eye diaries, columns, reviews, essays and other assorted co

One of them is Sympathy For The Devil. The Stranglers are in the Top Five too, as are the Strawbs. The best-selling historian and documentary-maker has spent the last three years working on his monumental, all-encompassing new book, ‘The World: A Family H

In which we waspishly suggest the odd nip and tuck is now standard practice - and name a few obvious suspects. And alight upon   Nick Hornbys new book and the connections hes found between Dickens and Prince.    support acts weve

Things picked up by the ankles this week and given a light shaking to see what falls out of their pockets   why King Crimson is like no other band on Gods green earth. ... a sweet story about a Let It Rock writer David's just met at a book ev

Things given a grilling this week in hot pursuit of revelation and entertainment  .. would YOU pay 45 to see Ian Brown and some backing tracks?  the life of the late Joe Bussard, collector of 25,000 78s who partied like it was 1929. Joe tho

In powerful pursuit of amusement and distraction we aim the piercing supertrouper of scrutiny this week in the direction of   why Ry Cooder MUST write a memoir.  records that sounded like nothing youd ever heard before, eg the Message by Gra

The Eiffel Tower dimmed its lights, the radio played music for a solemn occasion and this weeks pod is a reflection about the woman whos been Queen all our lives (and were old enough to remember the national anthem being played in cinemas), why she l