Royal Oak

Who knows, it might come in handy if the hotel runs out of toilet paper. Is that a comment on the book's literary merits, or it's political leanings? Serious question btw.

I know, a bit of a once-in-a-lifetime event. I did a real double take when I saw it. In several years of record scouting, I have rarely found any modern jazz LPs, and certainly NEVER anything like this. I look forward to playing it tonight after I clean it (though it looks clean enough anyway).

I am trying to get started on Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged", picked up in a charity shop. It's so big, and the first couple of pages are a touch dry, so it may take a while to get going. Maybe one for the holiday in May (I'll read anything while I'm on holiday)

Today, I found copies of: Cecil Taylor "Conquistador" Charlie Haden "Liberation Music Orchestra" Don Rendell & Ian Carr Quintet "Phase III" All in a box of the most awful stuff - Mantonvani, Perry Como, Geoff Love, Jim Reeves, Organ spectaculars, Klaus Wunderlich, the Bachelors, The World of Christmas, Italian and Spanish stuff, "mood" music, the lot.

Have you read "Last Exit to Brooklyn"? Considered his major work; do you see it that way? Selby's nickname was "Cubby," so "Harry" might be a slight shift to establish a similar but not identical persona (?) Just in the middle of Last Exit. It's more of the same grimness. Another unpleasant Harry involved, as I suspected!

I watched it on TV last year, the old-fashioned way (one episode a week). I enjoyed it a lot at the time, though I felt a few holes developed in the story. Lots of parallels with the film of the same name, which I am sure you will spot as you continue watching.

Those Mike Taylor Columbias are some expensive records!

Yes, boiled sweets. I bought a bag of these from Aldi last year, in a Scottish special selection. Sour, but not sour enough IMO.

Eggzacklee

I hate the very idea of tipping. I refuse to subsidise employers.

Yes - just had a look at the archive on the BBC website. Of the first page of twenty castaways, the five that I knew were Ray Winstone, Sarah Millican, Justin Welby, Teresa May and Damien Lewis. I am vaguely aware of Roy String, so that's six at a push. Edit to say Roy Strong of course. Roy String sounds like a Martin Amis character

I like reading the BBC website's list of castaways and their musical choices much more than I like actually listening to the programme. When I do listen (only occasionally), it sounds edited to within an inch of its life, and 9 times out of 10 the castaway is of no interest to me. The music is played in such short bursts that there's nothing much to be had there either.

I can't have Shatner at ANY price

I can't hear the word "fusion" without thinking of the 1990s Jazz FM show "Fusion Flavours". The presenter had a lisp, so the "s" sound in Fusion always sounded a bit funny to me (the audible effect defies explanation in writing, except to say that Hugh Lawrie has a similar quirk of enunciation). I almost never listened to the show, just heard the trailers.

Lifts (elevators)

I remember driving on that very stretch of motorway in early June last year, and you could have sworn it was November, so dark, foggy and wet was it. Anyway, it snowed here yesterday, so as usual, all the schools closed at 1130 for no apparent reason.

I liked London Fields quite a bit. Hope to reread it someday. I also thought Amis' Money was good. I wasn't as crazy about Other People. I thought it was borrowing too obviously from A Clockwork Orange. "Money" is next in line. The only other Martin Amis I have read was "Einstein's Monsters". I lent it to someone who was studying dystopian future lit at the time, and I haven't seen it since. I think she also has my "Brave New World" and Anthony Burgess "1985".

Moacir Santos's "Saudade" has some nice moments IMO, especially "Kathy" (you'll find a nice rendition of this tune Horace Silver's "In The Pursuit of the 27th Man" album)

I've just finished a run of Hubert Selby jr books - Requiem for a Dream, The Demon, Waiting Period and Song of the Silent Snow. All utterly grim and quite stomach-churning in places, especially Requiem and The Demon. I notice that a very large number of Selby's stories feature a protagonist named Harry. Anyone know why? I googled to no avail. Now nearly finished London Fields by Martin Amis, which I have enjoyed greatly. I feel very late to the party with this one - I see it was published in 1989.

Why do they all move in such a slow and ungainly way?

"Paris Trout" by Pete Dexter. I watched the film of "God's Pocket" last week, which made me seek out this author. Like it so far.

Bagpuss Gabriel the Toad Professor Yaffle First post in two years and it's too late....

Mack The Knife - can't stand it. Stupid words, corny tune, short phrases which seem to make it a magnet for shitty singers.

It's the cheapest, nastiest biscuit there is, something of a symbol of mediocrity here in the UK. I like 'em.

I like Darn That Dream and Old Folks! Dexter Gordon's "Willow" on the "Our Man In Paris" still does it for me too.