Well that escalated quickly.

Couldn’t care less what Alex thinks really, but wouldn’t assume he’s centre right necessarily, although he clearly is happy to socialise with the Tories in his social circle! Up to him.

Labour voter and member of over 20 years here but can’t do it while Corbyn is leader, so going Green this time.

I might be imagining it but I seem to remember Graham providing a 'what I'm listening to' list in one of the issues of Blurb. If I recall correctly it was a mix of US punk (Nation of Ulysses etc) and jazz. Was probably '96 or later. I found this later quote from him, referring back to the recording ...

No, it’s an interesting question!! I’d really like to get more of a sense from artists on who they’re listening to when they do new stuff. It’d be great if each new LP a band presented came with a little bibliography of stuff that was on it the background at the time. Pretty unappealing from a band’...

Seen a few things that imply Graham got into US indie rock though Jo from Huggy Bear and stuff like that and that the influence was felt post '95 etc, but it's never sounded credible to me that the band only heard Pavement in the mid-90s. Trigger Cut and Summer Babe were getting endless rotation on ...

They sound fantastic

Would love to say I did, but no, not really. Two States is a lovely track but it's Scott doing straightforward Fall worship and I don't think Damon was ever really mining The Fall as an inspiration - at least not as early as Parklife. I guess there's not a million miles between The Fall and Wire, bu...

Really enjoyed last night's show too. Thought they were pretty crap for the first 20 mins or so, when they were just a bit too downbeat, sombre and dark for a disinterested seeming audience, but as usual Damon grabbed the show by the scruff of the neck and - through sheer force of will - dragged eve...

I think it's a lovely record. Really super. Humility and Lake Zurich are on constant rotation already. Thanks Damon!

I can't help thinking that the lack of choruses in latter years is a problem borne of writing alone. There's something contradictory about a great chorus; it fits with the song but it snaps away from what came before in some subtle and magical way. It might just be the use of an unconventional chord...

I really think the LP is beautifully considered and sequenced; it sounds like one long song to me, which evolves in all sorts of different directions - some of my favourite bits are the connecting parts - that mini-melody at the end of Moments which references the Kool Klown Klan has been stuck in m...

Faves since 2005.

1. Humanz (at the moment, might just be the excitement of the new)
2. Plastic Beach
3. TGTBATQ
4. Magic Whip
5. The Fall
6. Rocket Juice & The Moon
7. Everyday Robots
8. Dr Dee

I think Ascension is sensational - best beat and instrumental track that Gorillaz have done in an age and Vince sounds awesome and focused (for once); Andromeda is v v good but (particularly on the live recording) has a slightly underwhelming chorus. Saturnz Barz I love. Jury is out on We Got The Po...

Lt Pinkerton wrote:So we can all agree on Andromeda being Damon's best song this decade, right?

Stylo sneaks it courtesy of being right at the start of the decade, but it's definitely up there.

Trying to work out what people mean when they say 'song-based' music? Has to have a verse, a chorus and a middle eight? Has to have a story or a narrative theme? I hate to disappoint, but a lot of rap music does all those things very precisely (alright, middle eights aren't that common). But in term...