A Brilleaux idea

You'll have online petitions shoved at your on an almost hourly basis of course - 'save the pickles!'; 'ban fretwork!'; 'spend taxes on making me pretty!' and so on.

Here's another one for your consideration: Focal Point Gallery are campaigning for a statue of Dr Feelgood's Lee Brilleaux in Southend-on-Sea.

Did I mention it's going to be 300 foot tall and covered in Gold?

[Hat-tip: StereoSanctity]

Gennaro Castaldo Watch: HMV shuts Southend store

It always seemed unlikely that HMV would keep two stores running in those places where it had taken over nearby Zavvis, and so it is proving: the Southend HMV is closing as the HMV-which-was-Zavvi takes over.

Not just any old record store, this, though: it was the record shop in Morrissey's Every Day Is Like Sunday video. It wasn't an HMV back then, though:

Morrissey - Everyday Is Like Sunday
Uploaded by jesus_lizard

At this going down of the POS material, who shall speak for the store? Why, how about HMV's very own talking-talker Gennaro Castaldo?

HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said: “HMV has recently taken on a much larger and better positioned site in the High Street, which has enabled us to extend our music, film and games offers in Southend.

“While we are in consultation with work colleagues based at the old Queens Road site, where the lease has now ended, we’re confident we will be able to find alternative positions for anyone wishing to remain with the organisation – both in the new Southend store and in other HMV stores within Essex.”

Not outside the county, though. Buggered if they're going to let the Southend staff turn up in Suffolk.

You're never alone with The Jam

Hey, don't think that Paul Weller can't still stick it to the man, right: he's gotten The Cliffs Pavilion in Southend landed with a sort-of serious warning after lighting up on stage (not often 'Weller', 'light' and 'on-stage' appear together, is it?). The council are livid.

Well, not exactly livid:

"We think the law was breached so we have issued a warning," Steve Ramm, of Southend Borough Council, said.

"We considered the matter but under the terms of our enforcement policy, we have issued the warning to Southend Theatres Limited at this stage.

"If a similar occurrence were to take place in future, we would be likely to take further action."

That 'further action' could very well include, ooh, further warnings under the terms of the enforcement policy. Surely we can expect a song about this on the next Weller solo record?