Simon Smith

I think John Harris is trolling us.

His bigger point about how important magazines used to be to broadening our horizons is spot on.

Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me-ee. Happy birthday to me.

theguardian.comDevil Woman: why does gen Z suddenly love Cliff Richard?His 1970s banger is climbing up the streaming charts, with some young listeners tracking it down on vinyl. How did he become the voice of youth, again, aged 86?

I get the feeling Blueksy is a safe space for Cliff fans. I particularly pay tribute to the work of @daveamitri.bsky.social in giving us the confidence to speak up.

The Guardian@theguardian.com

Devil Woman: why does gen Z suddenly love Cliff Richard?

Across two 7-inch singles. Songs called Belfast, Plantation Boy, He Was A Steppenwolf and a cover of a song by The Creation. Boney M were odd.

I think one thing we all need to be ready for is when the Democrats win the next US election America will go ‘OK, we all good now?’ And we should be, ‘errrr…. no’.

youtu.beWorld Domination Enterprises - Asbestos Lead Asbestos [UK, Noise/Post Punk/Punk/Electronic] (1988) mardy and noisy and incredible

Yes. Fuck me, WHAT a song.

Vintage Obscura Radio@vintageobscura.net

World Domination Enterprises - Asbestos Lead Asbestos [UK, Noise/Post Punk/Punk/Electronic] (1988) mardy and noisy and incredible https://redd.it/pk89yc https://youtu.be/OlhiSIArIkU

Britain. Getting better.

Count Binface@countbinface.bsky.social

Democracy works!

200g heavyweight vinyl - check. The Obligatory Steve Wilson Remaster - check. Cramming 15 tracks onto one record - oh dear.

You are not The Blue Aeroplanes and this is not 1990.

Blimey. Sanchez the survivor might pull it off again.

This post is unavailable.

theguardian.comAI in your oven? Anthropic warns models ‘months away’ from self-replication on smart devicesResearchers say ‘AI worms’ could soon infiltrate internet-connected devices amid calls for increased guardrails

Not one cent/penny of public money should go to sorting this shit out until every tech-bro is bankrupt.

Oh, orange baby’s going to love this.

Nobel Prize@nobelprize.org

BREAKING NEWS The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to Navanethem “Navi” Pillay for her efforts to promote peace and international law.

$33 record now pushing €110 with custom tax. Ffs. You know, I’m generally ‘of the left’ but would happily have global free trade, especially for cultural things like music and books. It’s not as if me buying something from a US label is robbing Spain of revenue.

I got my Spike Island ticket by going to the office of a coach tour company in Chorley the day before. Travel and ticket. Cash.

David@ninjathunder.bsky.social

First time I went I just wandered down to Jumbo Records in Leeds and bought a ticket with coach travel. All my mates who wanted to go just did the same. No dramas.

I used to love this album (and I had it on cassette!)… and yes, looking back, a song like Shades is one of the best things Bowie was involved with in the 80d.

The Quietus@thequietus.com

'The challenge was no longer how to remain young and dangerous, but how to remain relevant when those far off days had become a memory. In that respect, Blah Blah Blah is almost perversely mature' #IggyPop's Blah Blah Blah at 40 buff.ly/grTTcfL

TeleMadrid if anyone says something mean about Princess Isabel Ayuso.

Bit niche, I know.

theguardian.comEiffel Tower chief to quit after female staff told to stay hidden during Hindu group visitPatrick Branco Ruivo to leave post after decision contrary to France’s ‘value of equality’ sparked outrage and strike

Fucking hell. If only there were a massive symbol to remind them about ‘egalite’ in the vicinity. Never appease bigots, no matter what religion they hide behind.

Now playing. Guitar pop. #NowPlaying

Amelia’s singing on Shallow. Perfect.

theguardian.com‘It’s like the Scottish Upper East Side’: shame and snobbery as American students blamed for St Andrews classismOnline comments reflect class tensions at Scottish university between those from lower-income families and wealthier US undergraduates

But hasn’t St Andrews ALWAYS been the ‘posh’ university? Strikes me as the complaint is ‘not the right kind of posh’.

Also, the idea that ‘a Pret’ signifies anything is a bit daft.

@leonardpierce.bsky.social

Spot on.

Andy Lewis @andylewis.bsky.social

The moment Gordon Brown gave ground to that "bigoted woman" was the moment race politics reappeared in Britain. That's my theory anyway.

Simon Smith reposted

Leonard Pierce

Replying to @leonardpierce.bsky.social

Quote of the Day: "There is no glory in victory, and to glorify it despite this is to exult in the killing of men. When great numbers of people are killed, one should weep over them with sorrow. When victorious in war, one should observe mourning rites." (Sun Tzu)

theguardian.comToxic bosses: why do companies protect managers who make working life hell?Bullying, manipulation and intimidation can destroy lives, yet abusive authoritarians continue to rise to the top. How do they get away with it – and can they be brought to heel?

Reminded of the weekly newspaper in Buckinghamshire where we asked why there was a hole in the wall and were told ‘that’s when the editor comes to bollock us and slams his door open’. Weekly newspaper. Buckinghamshire.

stereogum.comCameron Winter Debuts New Songs At Secret New Orleans ShowHey, Cameron Winter! I was just talking about that guy! I saw Geese play Richmond’s Iron Blossom Festival on Sunday, and that got me reflecting on the nature of hype. Meanwhile, frontman Winter recent...

Stereogum@stereogum.com

Cameron Winter debuts new solo songs at secret New Orleans solo show

theguardian.com‘They smell of urinal cakes!’: 100 unusual crisp flavours, ranked – from truly awful to totally scoffableMove over ready salted, salt and vinegar and cheese and onion. Gourmet crisps are everywhere, but which are actually worth trying?

Ah, Brets. Not our only reason for stopping at the big Carrefour in Tours on our way up. But one of the top three.

This is surely illegal. I assume he’s going to be arrested.

Emma Yeomans@yeomans.bsky.social

5. After around 30 hours at sea, the dinghy was intercepted by the RNLI and those on board transferred to two lifeboats. Two lifeboat personnel tried to secure the empty dinghy. Thomas yelled abuse and knifed the dinghy to deflate it - with a rescuer still on board.

22 Sept

‘Oscar is unbothered’ my arse.

22 Sept

Ffs. Accidentally gave him stalemate. As if Aesop was taking notes.

Wow. Johnny Marr. Mensch.

John Harris@johnharris1969.bsky.social

Big up Johnny Marr

youtu.beFaded GlamourYouTube video by Animals That Swim - Topic

#BreakingKindSongs #MusicChallenge 18. a 90s love song Animals That Swim - Faded Glamour A love song to a place and a person. These things are always intertwined. youtu.be/x8XJH19FSHA?...

Simon Smith@simonsmith.bsky.social

#BreakingKindSongs #MusicChallenge 17. song I'd put in a movie I’ve imagined this so many times. Hard opening of someone running through the countryside towards a town. Like Trainspotting but in rural Midwest US. youtu.be/aHnFIaLp_ys?...

youtu.beSUGAR - If I Can't Change Your MindYouTube video by shaxan

youtu.beSUGAR - If I Can't Change Your MindYouTube video by shaxan

Simon Smith reposted

womensartbluesky.bsky.social

@womensartbluesky.bsky.social

So sad to hear of the death of Bonnie Greer, novelist, broadcaster and hugely inspiration woman. She was a great supporter of this Womensart project & WA books and our chats will be cherished always. A true intellectual & beautiful person. RIP xx

Shout out to the UCL guy on University Challenge who got the hauntology, Mark Fisher, Burial and hyperpop questions right.

While the ‘intellectuals’ from the Royal College of Art were flailing,

It’s almost as if free Gemini doesn’t even have access to Google. Bizarre.

Alex Hern@hern.bsky.social

it remains fascinating that google, regularly purveyor of the world's best AI, insists on putting its worst model in front of exactly the people who are hardest to convince AI can help them

Politics as it should be done 👍

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani@mayor.nyc.gov

17 new public bathrooms. Across all five boroughs. Because you can’t wait — and you shouldn’t have to.

Home-made tinto verano. You’re welcome.

Simon Smith@simonsmith.bsky.social

Mahou totally dominates Madrid, but I do really like this. You quickly ditch all the English ‘ale’ rules when it’s 30-plus in September. Si, con hielo por fav.

theguardian.comBody found in search for three-year-old Noah WoodsBody found in pond in Suffolk village of Brantham, where Noah was last seen on Tuesday afternoon

Ah, shit. Just awful.

15 Sept

Ah, we need to keep reminding people of this. There is no such thing as ‘jaywalking’. It’s not that it is allowed. It’s just that it isn’t even a concept.

Rachel Cunliffe@rmcunliffe.bsky.social

Pedestrians in the UK are not legally mandated to stop at red lights (though they are advised to). There's no such thing as "jaywalking" here. Cars and cyclists do have different rules, as do other road users. Those rules are set out in the Highway Code. All of them must stop at red lights

15 Sept

Wilco edging it again.

The Best Album of 2001@bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social

The Best Album of 2001 Round 6 (Final Four) Match #125 #1 Wilco, YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT VS. #5 Björk, VESPERTINE Go here to vote: forms.gle/Q1GZmxsACQzK...

15 Sept

Genuinely nail-biting stuff. C’mon Europe!

argle-bargle@locraen.bsky.social

Tied again!

14 Sept

State of these two. Whatever Creation Records mod-psych lightness of touch they used to have has been utterly destroyed by money and cocaine. And that’s just the fashion choices. Not even the music.

youtu.beThe Capitols - John Peel Session 6th April 1987 & Cake Records - 1987YouTube video by Michael Baxter

13 Sept

YouTube is bloody great. This has evaded me for years, ever since I gave the C90 tape away to a charity shop in Sonning (On Thames) along with MANY others. Sigh. My kingdom for a time machine. youtu.be/3944PPGc2xI?...

theguardian.comCéline Dion review – singer’s first live show in years marks a triumphant, emotional returnPlenitude Arena, ParisDion wiped away tears and belted out the notes, giving an astounding performance despite her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome

13 Sept

Genuinely an emotional read. Even if you don’t give a shit about her music, you’d be an absolute arse to sneer at the millions of people who do.