Not really Leeds I guess - Burley in Wharfedale - but she works in Leeds and when I visit we always go out in Leeds.

CLiff - why would you go to the US and ask for a sandwich filled with the vertically challenged bloke from Lethal Weapopn III and IV - or do you mean pastrami.

Arthur, congrats on your babygirl. Hope everything is okay!!!

Nice to see you back Phil, how you're coping? What made you decide to leave Belfast as you were doing quite well at the buscompany, I believe? Clear comment Rick on Prefab Sprout, see it perspective now!! Pressure Drop is a great track, yeah I do like some Clash-stuff!! Bought two second hand vinyl LP's: Eyeless in Gaza and Young Marble Giants, both five guilders each. The Vapors have a good website, it is run by a swedish guy; Derry is getting an arts-influx this summer with all these paintermen and -woman coming over...

We'll done Arthur, Hannah is a nice name.Vinny, I am shocked and stunned (and very impressed)by the wall story. The national monument to the greatest band in the world is in need of a lick of paint - international humdingers to the rescue. Lets see if any of you can get the lobster into the police mugshots!

Hey Julius - where are you based in Holland ? I had a meeting with someone from a Dutch company today and I may have to visit him at work. Probably not until later into August.

Yung marble giants - excellent band

Vinny away down to B&Q for a big brush and a tin of paint. Seriously though I think it a cracker idea. Could be done the day before the Gasyard gig. What do you think Vinny? You could become the musical equivilant of Caker Casey!

Speaking of daughters - I almost called mine Cindy after the Jesus and Mary Chain song "Taste of Cindy". Decided against it in the end up - just as well I think. Congratulations Arthur.

I may beat you to it Liam! Just booked my tickets for Termon Hall (Cliff, I must have been more persuasive than you, the tickets are being posted to me in England). Now just that bloody flight to sort out (Plan is Liverpool to Belfast Thurs pm (yes, surprisingly you all put me off that Derry flight!), staying over in Belfast and visiting the city Friday am, hiring a car and driving up via Portrush to Derry, meeting Cliff and painting wall Sat, more painting (my face) later for night on the town, sleeping Sunday am, Donegal Sunday aft. and then the gig itself SUNDAY pm!). Of course the reality will probably be totally different - best laid plans and all that.

Young Marble Giants, flippin 'eck, stretching the memory a bit: I used to have a superb YMG single, Final Day/Radio Silents. This welsh band featured the Moxhams, who later formed Weekend, members of which were also in The Marine Girls, who included Tracey Thorne and Ben Watt, who later formed Everything But The Girl. I have records by all the above and they're all shite. This was during my dodgy Astrud Gilberto period when I was trying to forget punk ever happened. Dumb schmuck!

Well done Lindsay! I had the feeling you weren't gonna make it.Thursday evening!! blimey thats keen.Maybe we could all make Saturday July 21st the great Wall painting day? Do you want me to book that B&B for you or have you made other plans?

Speaking about those crap bands (Marine Girls etc) does anyone else share my loathing for that mid/late 80s era? For me the darkest period ever, musically speaking: 1986. The only contemporary bands at the time that I quite liked were the Wedding Present, Wonderstuff, My Bloody Valentine and the by then descendent Smiths and Bunnymen. So I went thru a brief bossa nova phase under the mistaken impression it was cool when, in fact, I soon discovered it was rather shite. Thankfully, the Happy Mondays et al soon came along to save the day and we all lived happily ever after.

My daughter who is one today is called Helena which happens to be the name of Billy (DTU)Doherty's wife. I promise it's a coincidence. I was thinking in the car this morning-could The Undertones copyright the term "Teenage Kicks"? like Kenneth Wolsenholme did with "they think it's all over". It's been ripped off so many times they would make a mint.

I know what you mean about that time CR,it was all image,image,image.However for me(being that little bit older)the darkest time was between when glamrock started to fade(74?)and Punk started(77?).These being my early teenage years I was heartbroken that DISCO was taking over,"Saturday Night Fever" and all that cr@p that went with it.Oh thankyou Sex Pistols,thankyou!