DJ Punctum
@djpunctum.bsky.social
"Modern medicine is not a line where you left your fossils." Married to an American so watch it. Co-author of the now completed Then Play Long blog (https://nobilliards.blogspot.com).
Pinned
This post has attracted bots and weirdos so I'm disabling comments because life really is too short.
Approximately 200,000 books were published in Britain last year. Nobody has enough time in their life to read all of them. Here's my tip. Don't bother writing that novel. Nobody will read or review it or even knows it exists. Do something else with your life instead.
January 4, 2026 at 7:58 PM
This post has attracted bots and weirdos so I'm disabling comments because life really is too short.
Listener has requested "Ooh To Be Ah" by Kajagoogoo because he considers it "the peak of New Wave." Discuss this important philosophical conundrum.
January 4, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Listener has requested "Ooh To Be Ah" by Kajagoogoo because he considers it "the peak of New Wave." Discuss this important philosophical conundrum.
Radio currently playing Heal The Pain by George Michael. I could usefully go back and rewrite the TPL entry on Listen Without Prejudice because I was consumed by external demons at the time and didn't do it justice. But I won't because who gives a
January 4, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Radio currently playing Heal The Pain by George Michael. I could usefully go back and rewrite the TPL entry on Listen Without Prejudice because I was consumed by external demons at the time and didn't do it justice. But I won't because who gives a
I remember Jo Whiley premiering the title track of blackstar on Radio 2 and both she and the listeners who contacted her were thoroughly befuddled. One week later it was R.I.P. what a masterpiece. You people just wanted Bowie to be your glam nostalgia butler.
January 4, 2026 at 7:22 PM
I remember Jo Whiley premiering the title track of blackstar on Radio 2 and both she and the listeners who contacted her were thoroughly befuddled. One week later it was R.I.P. what a masterpiece. You people just wanted Bowie to be your glam nostalgia butler.
Currently playing on the radio: Kitsch by Barry Ryan from 1970. Minor top 40 hit here, huge on the Continent and what a f*cking record; over the top and absolutely unashamed about it. If Geordie Greep doesn't know it I'm Graham Kerr the Galloping Gourmet.
January 4, 2026 at 7:11 PM
Currently playing on the radio: Kitsch by Barry Ryan from 1970. Minor top 40 hit here, huge on the Continent and what a f*cking record; over the top and absolutely unashamed about it. If Geordie Greep doesn't know it I'm Graham Kerr the Galloping Gourmet.
Reposted by DJ Punctum
Happy 90th birthday to the very wonderful John Gorman. Thank you very much. Thank you very very very much. I met him once. Genuine oddball.
January 4, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Happy 90th birthday to the very wonderful John Gorman. Thank you very much. Thank you very very very much. I met him once. Genuine oddball.
Reposted by DJ Punctum
In 15m (7PM UK) i'm in the cool seat again for Weekend Wind-Down, join me for two hours of the cool. tunes, i mean. yeah. Listen via Alexa, myTuner Radio or Radioline, internet radio, or via the website at noiseboxradio.com @noiseboxradio.com
January 4, 2026 at 6:45 PM
In 15m (7PM UK) i'm in the cool seat again for Weekend Wind-Down, join me for two hours of the cool. tunes, i mean. yeah. Listen via Alexa, myTuner Radio or Radioline, internet radio, or via the website at noiseboxradio.com @noiseboxradio.com
It was...once.
January 4, 2026 at 1:54 PM
It was...once.
Looks more like the Black Abbots/Gerry Monroe era. Just in time for Peter Webster's Discoveries.
HAVING A GREAT TIME SO FAR, HOTEL RIGHT ON SEA FRONT, FOOD GOOD WITH CHOICE, CABARET IN HOTEL TONIGHT TUES, BOOKED FOR CANNON & BALL, AND LES DENIS & DUTIN GEE SHOWS
January 4, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Looks more like the Black Abbots/Gerry Monroe era. Just in time for Peter Webster's Discoveries.
Big up to the UCL massive!
This is from Sept 25, but I somehow missed it. Medical science, eh?
Meanwhile, on Tw***er (don't look, trust me on this) people claim that routine vax are more damaging than the highly infectious diseases they prevent. And the sun is white rather than yellow because Soros or something.
Meanwhile, on Tw***er (don't look, trust me on this) people claim that routine vax are more damaging than the highly infectious diseases they prevent. And the sun is white rather than yellow because Soros or something.
January 4, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Big up to the UCL massive!
For the first retro Top 40 singles chart countdown of 2026 I'm taking a bit of a break from the British lists and looking at Billboard, because this chart is too good not to do. Week ending 4 January 1969!
January 4, 2026 at 12:02 PM
For the first retro Top 40 singles chart countdown of 2026 I'm taking a bit of a break from the British lists and looking at Billboard, because this chart is too good not to do. Week ending 4 January 1969!
Been out of the FLA loop for a bit so am catching up with this now; looks promising.
#FirstLastAnything, my music textcast (ie you read it rather than listen to it, but there's a playlist that accompanies it) returns in the spring. In the meantime, for the next dozen Sundays, let's revisit series 3, beginning with this chat from last summer with @matthewjrudd.bsky.social. Please RT.
NEW! Beginning Series 3 of my music textcast #FirstLastAnything, broadcaster/writer Matthew Rudd @matthewjrudd.bsky.social talks about his ace long-running Sunday radio show #Forgotten80s, his home city of Hull and its fourth best band, and much more besides. firstlastanything.co.uk/2025/08/02/f...
January 4, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Been out of the FLA loop for a bit so am catching up with this now; looks promising.
Approximately 200,000 books were published in Britain last year. Nobody has enough time in their life to read all of them. Here's my tip. Don't bother writing that novel. Nobody will read or review it or even knows it exists. Do something else with your life instead.
January 4, 2026 at 11:48 AM
Approximately 200,000 books were published in Britain last year. Nobody has enough time in their life to read all of them. Here's my tip. Don't bother writing that novel. Nobody will read or review it or even knows it exists. Do something else with your life instead.
Nah, I'd be happy with a common-garden old-style HMV or Virgin Megastore with special offers at the front, Top 75 singles behind the counter so you have to ask for them and one copy of nice interesting things that they only ordered in because they knew I'd come in and buy them.
Record shop dream, kiosk half a floor above street you could climb up a couple of steps under the canopy, go up further if you wish, and amongst the extremely selective LPs, enormous colourful dice, martial arts vids, place to play air hockey, unusual beer, fluoro lighting, cool hang, odd biz model
January 4, 2026 at 11:42 AM
Nah, I'd be happy with a common-garden old-style HMV or Virgin Megastore with special offers at the front, Top 75 singles behind the counter so you have to ask for them and one copy of nice interesting things that they only ordered in because they knew I'd come in and buy them.
As opposed to Thailand's Alex Ross?
This is really good. A history this size is always going to be pretty superficial, but I like how he's plotted a course that's allowed him to go a bit deeper on certain key (historically resonant) themes.
January 4, 2026 at 11:39 AM
As opposed to Thailand's Alex Ross?
I posted a few things on Facebook as a New Year's resolution to get back into the swing of things but with minimal response so I probably won't continue posting there. Can anybody see what I'm posting there or are they so numbed by what FB has become that they just don't bother saying anything?
January 4, 2026 at 11:36 AM
I posted a few things on Facebook as a New Year's resolution to get back into the swing of things but with minimal response so I probably won't continue posting there. Can anybody see what I'm posting there or are they so numbed by what FB has become that they just don't bother saying anything?
Reposted by DJ Punctum
How I wrote ‘Nothing Ever Happens’ by Del Amitri’s Justin Currie
www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/songs/nothin...
www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/songs/nothin...
How I wrote 'Nothing Ever Happens' by Del Amitri's Justin Currie - Songwriting Magazine
Del Amitri's Justin Currie explains how their biggest UK hit 'Nothing Ever Happens' was written in a room above a Glaswegian chip shop
www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk
January 3, 2026 at 9:03 PM
How I wrote ‘Nothing Ever Happens’ by Del Amitri’s Justin Currie
www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/songs/nothin...
www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/songs/nothin...
I knew nothing about this! Typical BBC; plugging lowest common denominator garbage to death and hiding the good stuff. Will check out.
Found out thanks to Cookdandbombd that there's a new series 'just dropped' of Things You Should Have Done, with reportedly absolutely zero BBC promotion. I really enjoyed the first series, it had an inspired level of daft to it. Anyway, it's here: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
Things You Should Have Done
Get a job! Pay the bills! Clueless Chi is forced to fend for herself when her parents die. To get her inheritance, the ultimate stay-at-home daughter has to step it up.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 3, 2026 at 8:12 PM
I knew nothing about this! Typical BBC; plugging lowest common denominator garbage to death and hiding the good stuff. Will check out.
Just been listening with L to Geordie Greep's The New Sound. A first time listen for L and we were both agreeably stunned. This is the best album of the 21st century so far. An absolute classic. Up there with brat. L described "Holy Holy" as a hand grenade being thrown into the metaphorical room.
January 3, 2026 at 3:26 PM
Just been listening with L to Geordie Greep's The New Sound. A first time listen for L and we were both agreeably stunned. This is the best album of the 21st century so far. An absolute classic. Up there with brat. L described "Holy Holy" as a hand grenade being thrown into the metaphorical room.
Yes, 1990, Madchester rave baggy you could walk through central London so many record shops sun always shining even though winter was terrible went out and got drunk with friends at work when I had actual FRIENDS at work and we LOVED each other 26 years old what happened
January 3, 2026 at 1:34 PM
Yes, 1990, Madchester rave baggy you could walk through central London so many record shops sun always shining even though winter was terrible went out and got drunk with friends at work when I had actual FRIENDS at work and we LOVED each other 26 years old what happened
Reposted by DJ Punctum
Good Morning From The Drummer, My Friends.
Losing My Edge
YouTube video by LCD Soundsystem - Topic
youtube.com
January 3, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Good Morning From The Drummer, My Friends.
Enjoying the second James Hamilton anthology but it has to be admitted, from mid-1988 onwards there's more than a touch of the Alan Greens about his writing, particularly when it came to acid house, New Beat and especially the Wild Bunch/Bristol, and he was slow to catch up with Soul II Soul...
January 3, 2026 at 10:36 AM
Enjoying the second James Hamilton anthology but it has to be admitted, from mid-1988 onwards there's more than a touch of the Alan Greens about his writing, particularly when it came to acid house, New Beat and especially the Wild Bunch/Bristol, and he was slow to catch up with Soul II Soul...
Reposting because a lot of people here need reminding.
New year, new stance; muting all politics-related stuff. Get out and do something that helps to change things, then come back and talk about it. Your cooperation will be appreciated.
January 3, 2026 at 10:23 AM
Reposting because a lot of people here need reminding.
For Saturday readers!
The Young Punctum blog reaches December 1977, the end of a remarkable year (despite the impression you might have got from last week's TOTP rerun). It was Christmas, so strange things made themselves commercially known. Lots of long abstract content here:
funthirty.blogspot.com/2026/01/dece...
funthirty.blogspot.com/2026/01/dece...
DECEMBER 1977
It snowed. Note on Text I couldn't find the exact 45 mix of "As Time Goes By" on YouTube; that was a curious blend of semi-random di...
funthirty.blogspot.com
January 3, 2026 at 10:12 AM
For Saturday readers!
Reposted by DJ Punctum
A galaxy here; pulling this way and that but towards the future as ever and in particular the collective experience, though there is alienation and oddness and defiance too. Nostalgia? Nod at it and push on #noboringoldfarts #standingontheoutside #andsoyoudotheimpossible
The Young Punctum blog reaches December 1977, the end of a remarkable year (despite the impression you might have got from last week's TOTP rerun). It was Christmas, so strange things made themselves commercially known. Lots of long abstract content here:
funthirty.blogspot.com/2026/01/dece...
funthirty.blogspot.com/2026/01/dece...
DECEMBER 1977
It snowed. Note on Text I couldn't find the exact 45 mix of "As Time Goes By" on YouTube; that was a curious blend of semi-random di...
funthirty.blogspot.com
January 2, 2026 at 11:05 PM
A galaxy here; pulling this way and that but towards the future as ever and in particular the collective experience, though there is alienation and oddness and defiance too. Nostalgia? Nod at it and push on #noboringoldfarts #standingontheoutside #andsoyoudotheimpossible