No Rock And Roll Fun

LIFES A RIOT WITH LUVVIE VERSUS LUVVIE: We're excited as squezy bottles made into spaceships to hear that a Billy Bragg best of is due on the sixth of October, and, him being democratic and all that, he's giving you a chance to help out with the tracklisting. The bb website has all the details. Please, though: Don't suggest he takes up valuable space with that Woody Guthrie stuff.

Talking of Billy, we were a little bemused at the quote of his on the back of that John Harris Britpop, Blair and The demise of English Rock book. We were hobbling round Borders wondering if we tried to go to the Starbucks toilet we'd get an electric shock off the stair rail handle, so we weren't able to write it down, but it was along the lines of "Huh. Of course it went sour, all them bands sniffing round politicians. Why didn't they think it would go wrong?" - (if anyone has the exact quote and would like to ease my tight shoes on this one, you'll be doing me a favour). From a man so firmly involved with Red Wedge, who - had Kinnock taken Downing Street - would certainly have been having canapes and fruit teas with Neil and Glenys, this does seem a little rich, and not a little bitter.