Friday night’s alright for… watching John Betjeman being melancholy on a branch line railway (incidentally the train passes through what is now the Glastonbury Festival site), on iPlayer at the moment.

This is immense news. As we've been rewatching the entire #Bergerac back catalogue recently, there is now a LOT of pressure on Ingrid to get a part in this.

The best radio-making advice I was ever given was to love the people you make programmes about, with and for. (Or to seek out people you love to make programmes with). At its best - and least cynical - I think this work is a sort of holding and cherishing.

What happened to Allison Pearson? I remember her, decades ago as an urbane, vaguely left of centre columnist, married to respected film critic Anthony Lane, on BBC's Culture Show. Then, at some point she turned into this. Why? Money alone? Why destroy your decent self like this?

goodnight and sweet dreams x

Don’t tell anyone but I will bring you a song tomorrow (bandcamp Friday) and delete it 24hrs later. I’ve been looking forward to this for months.

Rima Anna Derbyshire Laura Barton Cecilia Fage Robyn Vinter Daniel Benneworth-Gray James Payne Guy Hornsby Neil Jones Chris Parker thom fell Caroline Hollick Andrea Mann Jason Regan Missed the Mondo Pop Europop special? Desperate for two hours of the finest Euro joys? Fear not, it's now available to stream! soundcloud.com/altoradio/mond…

Really looking forward to this one. Should be a powerful evening.

Anytime Beyoncé releases a record there's this weird rockist faux-outrage that she didn't create the whole thing alone in some basement somewhere. IMO, being able to curate and collectivise like this is a pretty specific creative talent in itself

Went to The London Library today for the first time in ages and really enjoyed the names of the new returns trolleys

So this is what I've been up to for the last few months, a pursuit that's taken me from an ice cream factory to the boardroom of EMI, via Florida, California, Norway... and Dudley.

Really worth reading this thread if you are scandalised by the ever-increasing flow of sewage into our waters. All outdoor/wild swimmers should prepare cases. My son was sick as a dog after swimming in the Cam RiverActionUK Feargal Sharkey Surfers Against Sewage

Delighted that The Guardian and the Royal Photographic Society have joined forces to launch a photography bursary in Eamonn's memory. So proud that his passion for helping aspiring young photographers will continue...

theguardian.com/artanddesign/2…

Which band has the worst fans? For example, I find it difficult - though not impossible - to enjoy the music of Townes Van Zandt because the late and occasionally great troubadour’s admirers discuss him with such sanctimonious earnestness it makes me want to listen to Aqua.

In my view, there is no more plangent everyday sound than the big milk fridge at the supermarket. My local one sings a great, hollow major third. 🥛

More searing insights from “famous” music industry “analyst” E Forde. Laura Barton perspectivemedia.com/raye-against-t…

Booking is now open for In The Dark's 4 month Short Feature Course. Weekly from Sat 4th May to Saturday 24th August 2024. The course is suitable for beginners, migrants from other mediums and producers wanting to make creative work for the first time.
inthedarkradio.org/short-feature-…

I’ve watched a lot of shit on Netflix (yes, including both series of Sex/Life and anything remotely resembling a Hallmark movie) but nothing is so bafflingly, needlessly terrible as Gray.

I am always drawn to Nick Cave's reflections on loss – & this moved me greatly. The idea that grief can alter your chemistry, can alter your experience of joy itself, is a profound observation that gently challenges the parameters of bereavement discourse: theguardian.com/artanddesign/2…

God, I love Nick Cave. Interviewing him was both heartbreaking and life enhancing. I'm not sure how he manages to pull both off
theguardian.com/artanddesign/2…