Taking in the ambience, I was reminded of a short diatribe (“Stop the music for a minute”)  from the wonderful Quentin Crisp, who warned against the human race sinking into a mindless state where, like amoeba (his word) every individual sits alone, listening to music on their headphones, tapping their feet and yet unaware of anyone or anything around them.

At the age of 17 as I was then (1982), I thought his monologue was rather quaint and amusing, but now I feel it is sadly all too true. Catch the track on Cherry Red’s “Pillows and Prayers” album if you’re interested.

In today’s case, it was listening to the Shop Assistants . What a cracking band they were!

But there again, if they were around these days, would I prefer them to Bat for Lashes, who I saw last week at the Brighton Dome? The Dome seems to be able to bring out the best in the sort of band I like.

Kanye West and Common were drowned out in the vast impersonal space that is the O2 Arena, but Kanye at the Shepherds Bush Empire was possibly the best gig ever. Certainly on a par with The Clash in their heyday! Mmm, there I go again, reminiscing.

Changing tack almost entirely…I’ve been writing this whilst watching a programme about Coventry and the Blitz. People reminiscing about how truly horrendous it was on November 14th and 15th 1940. I’m thinking about how many people might still be suffering from the trauma of that night and how amazing that people managed to pull through such an appalling experience. It’s incomprehensible how people in so many countries are still going through a similar situation.