taffboy, If you like the VU I'd recommend some of John Cale's stuff. "Fear" & "Slow Dazzle" are classics. Quite a few years old but (IMHO) worth a listen.

As an aside: I've just been dipping into an old favourite book - Hunter S Thompson's "The Great Shark Hunt" Written in 1979 no less. His observation on the final solution of the tail end of the Nixon presidency just before Tricky Dicky was impeached and disgraced over the watergate affair was: " a long term treaty with Russia (arranged by Henry Kissenger) securing Moscow's support of an American invasion, seizure, and terminal occupation of all oil-producing countries in the Middle East. This would not only solve the "energy crisis" and end unemployment immediately by pressing all the idle and able-bodied males into service for the invasion/occupation forces...but it would also crank up the economy to a war-time level and give the Federal government unlimited emergency powers." Twenty four years too early, but not a bad stab at the reality. Back to the present day: anyone else wondering where these "ready in 48 hours" WMD have gone to?" And why they were not used?

If you are reading this you like football. You must reads : Stanley Matthews' "The Way It Was This is the autobiography of an eighty five year old who first played for England schoolboys in 1929; played his first league game in 1931 and his last in 1964. That's thirty five years as a top class player. His last game in the old first division (that's the Premiership now) when he was aged 50. ISBN 0-7472-7108-9 Beg borrow or steal my fellow Rovers fans. It is 430 pages of a history of how it was.. It is worth missing lectures or a night in the pub just to read it

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY QUID TO SEE A BAND? JFHCOAB!! When I were a lad you could see The Beatles for thruppence and still have change for a fish supper.

I think someone else has mentioned "The Way It Was," The Autobiography of Stanley Matthews. I'm only up to page 60 of the 400 but it is a splendid read. I am really looking forward to the next 340 pages. He really seems like a true gentleman.

Ha, It's a job but someone has to do it The annual debutantes ball in Macclesfield gives me the option of deflowering the cream of the 18 year-old female Cheshire set. Honest. I'll get me anorak and my copy of Parade from the shed. Time to plant the turnips.

That's nice to know. Guffaw

Hola, Just been on my hols. Have a go at "Dead Air" by Iain Banks.

Agreeing again! This is getting scary.

I'm still holding a candle for Willy Russell's "The Wrong Boy." Quite possibly the best book I have ever read. Nigel Williams' "The Wimbledon Poisoner" is currently entertaining me.

Not really relevant to Iraq, but interesting notheless: duplicitous or what?

When I went round (admittedly some years ago) we all got a complementary half. That was it. I think the dream of scooping pint pots into a great big vat of free Guinness and getting pissdd for nowt are just that. (dreams) Sorry folks.

I think I've found it now. Ryans of Parkgate Street. A snug has pretty much gone out of fashion, it is a small room in a pub where a certain type of customer tends to congregate, quite often of an elderly peruasion. If you ever get to see an early episode of Corrie it's where Martha Longhurst, Minnie Caldwell & Ena Sharples used to be.

There's a completely and utterly brilliant pub somewhere near Heuston Station, I think it on the north side of The Liffey. It's got snugs and the most fabulous interior architecture. Any idea what it could be called. it must be a good ten years since I was in there.

Currently listening to a blast from the past: The Mothers Of Invention's "We're Only In It For The Money." 1967 What's the ugliest part of your body?

Ooophs, sorry Phil, we collide again. I always thought that the days of the NME with Burchill and Parsons were the most exciting times of the NME. Now that both of them have descended into slagging each other off in Sunday magazines & broadsheets, and descending into Daily Mail collumns they have both lost the credibility which got them their jobs in the first place. I preferred them when they were speed-fuelled teenagers.

No probs Tar.

It's good, but doesn't hold a candle to "Xterminator" (mind you, what does?)

I'm playing it!

Phil, I'd have never got you down as a Ramones man. Shows what a useless judge I can be. "It's Alive" kept me going for years. I played it again a few months ago after a gap of about five years. It's the musical equivalent of that 3-3 Cup match against Sunderland. Great while it was there, but on reflection it was pretty poor. I'm rambling.

An original "Spiral Scratch" Aaaaagh! Did it go out with a couple of Constables and one or two Da Vinci sketchs of some bird called Mona Lisa?

Wahay, Got the lot of them. "Crossing The Red Sea" on red vinyl too. Hopefully worth a few bob by now. Not forgetting "Another Music From A Different Kitchen"

"Nocturama" by Nick Cave is currently pleasuring my ears. "Baby I'm On Fire" is a song that I am seriously considering as a song to be played when I pop my clogs and head off to the crematorium.

That's equal 5th for me then I'm 48 - which on that theory makes me 4th oldest - so how come we've 10 members who admit to being in their 50s and two in their 60s. Leastways that's what the numbers at the top of the page say!! :'> Aaah, fifth oldest (now jointly) of those who have posted messages My error.

Fifth oldest so far at 47 I still made more noise than you when Yorke scored. Mind you, I couldn't hear you young rapsacallions, as me hearing aid batteries had run out