Justin Lewis
@whenisbirths.bsky.social
Author/editor/'cultural historian'/carer, S Wales, probably autistic:
NEW BOOK!: Into the Groove, OUT NOW.
Textcast archive: https://firstlastanything.co.uk/about/ (back on 9 Nov)
Email: whenisbirths@yahoo.com
ko-fi.com/firstlastanything
NEW BOOK!: Into the Groove, OUT NOW.
Textcast archive: https://firstlastanything.co.uk/about/ (back on 9 Nov)
Email: whenisbirths@yahoo.com
ko-fi.com/firstlastanything
Pinned
OUT NOW, my month-by-month guide to 1980s pop, from ABC to XTC, and from Madonna to Neneh. #IntoTheGroove, published by @eandtbooks.bsky.social.
‘Recycling By’
A radio programme like the Shipping Forecast but it’s called Bin Day and it just reads out every single council in the country’s bin schedule
November 11, 2025 at 12:16 AM
‘Recycling By’
Reposted by Justin Lewis
The Arena documentary about the Ford Cortina is just starting on BBC4 #WeirdCarBS
November 10, 2025 at 11:32 PM
The Arena documentary about the Ford Cortina is just starting on BBC4 #WeirdCarBS
Exactly what happened with the 'misleading editing of the Queen' nearly 20 years ago. Again, it was an independent production (RDF in that particular case).
One strange thing about the BBC/Trump row is that the programme in question was actually made by an independent production company. Yes, the BBC producers and Panorama’s editor should have checked everything before it was broadcast. But…
1/3
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November 10, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Exactly what happened with the 'misleading editing of the Queen' nearly 20 years ago. Again, it was an independent production (RDF in that particular case).
I suspect if you can't even wash your hands after using the toilet, you're unlikely to EVER wash your hands. (When the pandemic kicked in and we were told to make sure we did this as often as possible, I wondered what HAD people been doing before.)
November 10, 2025 at 11:12 PM
I suspect if you can't even wash your hands after using the toilet, you're unlikely to EVER wash your hands. (When the pandemic kicked in and we were told to make sure we did this as often as possible, I wondered what HAD people been doing before.)
A couple of nice reviews on Amazon for books of mine, one in particular involving a cat, which frankly will always spark my interest.
November 10, 2025 at 11:04 PM
A couple of nice reviews on Amazon for books of mine, one in particular involving a cat, which frankly will always spark my interest.
'DO HOTLEGS'?
November 10, 2025 at 9:42 PM
'DO HOTLEGS'?
Reposted by Justin Lewis
A perfect thing to read on your journey home, although maybe not if you're driving. #FirstLastAnything is back.
NEW! #FirstLastAnything Ep 32: We are back each Sunday, till Christmas, and my guest today - versatile and fascinating music writer and musician Joanna Wyld (@joannawyld.bsky.social) - talks about bellringing, Queen, liner notes, Molly Drake and much more. firstlastanything.co.uk/2025/11/09/f...
FLA 32: Joanna Wyld (09/11/2025)
Of all the guests I’ve had on First Last Anything so far, Kent-born Joanna Wyld might have worn the most musical hats. Writer, musician, composer, librettist, teacher and administrator, she’s playe…
firstlastanything.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 5:24 PM
A perfect thing to read on your journey home, although maybe not if you're driving. #FirstLastAnything is back.
Reposted by Justin Lewis
It doesn't have to be this way. Even if it is trending downwards (and I'm not sure whether I agree it is or not, overall) it can't trend upwards if it doesn't survive, and it's certainly too valuable and worthwhile to slaughter, disregard or take for granted.
November 10, 2025 at 9:12 PM
It doesn't have to be this way. Even if it is trending downwards (and I'm not sure whether I agree it is or not, overall) it can't trend upwards if it doesn't survive, and it's certainly too valuable and worthwhile to slaughter, disregard or take for granted.
My god, that Goodall piece is scathing and then some.
November 10, 2025 at 9:04 PM
My god, that Goodall piece is scathing and then some.
Reposted by Justin Lewis
This is full of mildly astonishing revelations about right-wing influence at the BBC, but foremost among them is the fact that he was advised that writing for the New Statesman was effectively unacceptable but doing so for the Spectator was fine - indeed, advisable. I am flabbergasted.
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:29 PM
This is full of mildly astonishing revelations about right-wing influence at the BBC, but foremost among them is the fact that he was advised that writing for the New Statesman was effectively unacceptable but doing so for the Spectator was fine - indeed, advisable. I am flabbergasted.
I've had people tell me they used to go to these, and I've been so envious.
Good God, someone's just uploaded to YouTube a nearly 2-hour long video of one of the original Vic Reeves Big Night Out live shows at the Albany Empire from 1989. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKPU...
Vic Reeves Big Night Out - 30 April 1989
YouTube video by Peter Brooke Turner
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:29 PM
I've had people tell me they used to go to these, and I've been so envious.
And also books occasionally - yes, look impressed - though coincidentally they're always ones about how to make somehow yet more money.
Joyce Carol Oates owned Elon so hard he's spent the last day posting about movies he hasn't seen in 15 years
November 10, 2025 at 8:17 PM
And also books occasionally - yes, look impressed - though coincidentally they're always ones about how to make somehow yet more money.
Reposted by Justin Lewis
Love it. Thank you both
That Jonathan Harvey piece... OMG ❤️
(Not allowed to listen to 4 Last Songs if Mr S is in the house. Too beautiful to be actually played out loud)
That Jonathan Harvey piece... OMG ❤️
(Not allowed to listen to 4 Last Songs if Mr S is in the house. Too beautiful to be actually played out loud)
November 10, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Love it. Thank you both
That Jonathan Harvey piece... OMG ❤️
(Not allowed to listen to 4 Last Songs if Mr S is in the house. Too beautiful to be actually played out loud)
That Jonathan Harvey piece... OMG ❤️
(Not allowed to listen to 4 Last Songs if Mr S is in the house. Too beautiful to be actually played out loud)
Reposted by Justin Lewis
Going to put this on front of you again. The news moves on, but the problems faced by those living in Jamaica are still there.
I know many of you will already have done something to help the people of Jamaica, but if you felt like helping a specific family, this is the GoFundMe set up by my son’s girlfriend for her relatives, who find themselves in dire straits. Every bit helps, shares appreciated. gofund.me/9b5b74984
Donate to Hurricane Melissa: Please help support our family in Jamaica, organized by Taylor Mitchell
Hello everyone,
Many of you have heard about Hurricane Melis… Taylor Mitchell needs your support for Hurricane Melissa: Please help support our family in Jamaica
gofund.me
November 10, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Going to put this on front of you again. The news moves on, but the problems faced by those living in Jamaica are still there.
A perfect thing to read on your journey home, although maybe not if you're driving. #FirstLastAnything is back.
NEW! #FirstLastAnything Ep 32: We are back each Sunday, till Christmas, and my guest today - versatile and fascinating music writer and musician Joanna Wyld (@joannawyld.bsky.social) - talks about bellringing, Queen, liner notes, Molly Drake and much more. firstlastanything.co.uk/2025/11/09/f...
FLA 32: Joanna Wyld (09/11/2025)
Of all the guests I’ve had on First Last Anything so far, Kent-born Joanna Wyld might have worn the most musical hats. Writer, musician, composer, librettist, teacher and administrator, she’s playe…
firstlastanything.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 5:24 PM
A perfect thing to read on your journey home, although maybe not if you're driving. #FirstLastAnything is back.
Reposted by Justin Lewis
This weird (bootleg?) Spanish Velvet Underground comp has the most demented/brilliant track sequencing I have ever seen in my life.
November 10, 2025 at 4:46 PM
This weird (bootleg?) Spanish Velvet Underground comp has the most demented/brilliant track sequencing I have ever seen in my life.
Trouble is, as ever, I’d like the BBC to survive but some of the ppl in charge of it are the very ppl who would like it to crumble.
November 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Trouble is, as ever, I’d like the BBC to survive but some of the ppl in charge of it are the very ppl who would like it to crumble.
Keep thinking of when Disney tried to sue the BBC when Alexei Sayle’s Stuff parodied Snow White and the BBC legal person was heard to say, ‘Fuck Disney, we’re the BBC.’
November 10, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Keep thinking of when Disney tried to sue the BBC when Alexei Sayle’s Stuff parodied Snow White and the BBC legal person was heard to say, ‘Fuck Disney, we’re the BBC.’
Reposted by Justin Lewis
When I was on @looksunfamiliar.bsky.social I chose this sequence from a 1979 Sesame Street episode - probably the first time I ever heard Philip Glass was this exclusive piece he wrote for this animated sequence, Geometry of Circles. It's never appeared anywhere else.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JWw...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JWw...
Philip Glass - Sesame Street - Geometry of Circles.mp4
YouTube video by SamCam2011
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:46 AM
When I was on @looksunfamiliar.bsky.social I chose this sequence from a 1979 Sesame Street episode - probably the first time I ever heard Philip Glass was this exclusive piece he wrote for this animated sequence, Geometry of Circles. It's never appeared anywhere else.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JWw...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JWw...
Reposted by Justin Lewis
Happy birthday to Sesame Street, which began exactly 56 years ago on the NET network. Possibly the most important programme ever created by American television.
Such trippy pre-titles. It really is a product of the late sixties.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPMA...
Such trippy pre-titles. It really is a product of the late sixties.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPMA...
Sesame Street: Episode 0001 (HD) (1969)
YouTube video by Treble Gnocchi
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Happy birthday to Sesame Street, which began exactly 56 years ago on the NET network. Possibly the most important programme ever created by American television.
Such trippy pre-titles. It really is a product of the late sixties.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPMA...
Such trippy pre-titles. It really is a product of the late sixties.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPMA...
If you could isolate one person in journalism (apart from Murdoch) as the one who encouraged and egged on lying on a daily basis in their profession, Kelvin Mackenzie would be the one. I do hope he gets stuck in a pothole being eaten by tigers one of these fine days.
November 10, 2025 at 1:04 PM
If you could isolate one person in journalism (apart from Murdoch) as the one who encouraged and egged on lying on a daily basis in their profession, Kelvin Mackenzie would be the one. I do hope he gets stuck in a pothole being eaten by tigers one of these fine days.
Reposted by Justin Lewis
This is a brilliant idea dreamt up by our mates @pigsx7.bsky.social . If you have any old instruments or kit knocking about then please see below!👇🏼 Thank you.. and thanks to them for being such great people. ❤️
November 10, 2025 at 12:22 PM
This is a brilliant idea dreamt up by our mates @pigsx7.bsky.social . If you have any old instruments or kit knocking about then please see below!👇🏼 Thank you.. and thanks to them for being such great people. ❤️
And that GB News is only a ‘news channel’ when it suits it. It exists purely to react with cynical opinions against other news outlets’ hard work.
Incredible that Robbie Gibb - most influential person on BBC board by many accounts and from journalists I speak in BBC - was involved in setting up GB News.
GB News of course has breached Ofcom rules on *multiple* occasions - no sign of resignations though
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
GB News of course has breached Ofcom rules on *multiple* occasions - no sign of resignations though
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘Enforced veganism’: Ofcom lets GB News flout accuracy rules, say climate campaigners
Exclusive: Regulator has received 1,221 complaints about UK broadcasters since 2020 but found no breaches of its code
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:19 PM
And that GB News is only a ‘news channel’ when it suits it. It exists purely to react with cynical opinions against other news outlets’ hard work.
I check amaz*n rankings a few times a day just to see how the book's doing, and I can't make head or tail of how it's been at around #15,000 for days on end (it's never the same exact figure, it's 15 thousand and something).
November 10, 2025 at 11:34 AM
I check amaz*n rankings a few times a day just to see how the book's doing, and I can't make head or tail of how it's been at around #15,000 for days on end (it's never the same exact figure, it's 15 thousand and something).
Reposted by Justin Lewis
I confess I knew nothing of Swedish composer Elfrida Andrée’s (1841-1929) music until producer Luke Whitlock suggested her. But then I went down an #Andrée rabbit hole - and what riches! Join Donald Macleod for Composer of the Week 4pm Mon-Fri @BBCRadio3 #classicalmusic www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
November 10, 2025 at 11:27 AM
I confess I knew nothing of Swedish composer Elfrida Andrée’s (1841-1929) music until producer Luke Whitlock suggested her. But then I went down an #Andrée rabbit hole - and what riches! Join Donald Macleod for Composer of the Week 4pm Mon-Fri @BBCRadio3 #classicalmusic www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...