Paul Simpson

Neil Sedaka, “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and “Laughter in the Rain” Singer-Songwriter, Dies at 86 The Brooklynite's esteemed body of work also includes "Calendar Girl," "Oh! Carol," "Love Will Keep Us Together," "Where the Boys Are," "Bad Blood" and "Solitaire."

Neil Sedaka was so talented, and he inspired me to follow my dream of being a songwriter.

With love and gratitude and condolences to his family.

www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-...

YouTube video by Trashcan Sinatras Official Trashcan Sinatras “The Bitter End” Official Music Video

Trashcan Sinatras: "The Bitter End". First new single in a while. Cherished them ever since "Obscurity Knocks" from album "Cake". Memories blasting that out of car stereo in my Triumph Dolomite as we crossed the South Downs to Rottingdean. Just what was needed right now. 🙏 youtu.be/6Z-vo2ksrW0?...

Good evening

I’m so happy with this comp. No acetates or anything recovered from a degrading quarter inch… all songs that will be familiar to anyone who woke up to Wogan/Ray Moore/Steve Jones in the 80s. www.acerecords.co.uk/weds-morning...

Holding up a paperback copy of Wolf Solent by John Cowper Powys, between my thumb and fingers, against a deep red background.

Quite the book. "Wolf Solent" by John Cowper Powys. Took me a little longer than usual reading but magical, earthy with lessons for the soul. A liberation of a true and particular sense of place. 📚

Head and shoulders image of Chris Davids during his interview, against a blue backdrop. Caption at bottom reads: Diagnosed with a brain hernia at the height of my career.

This week's "Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett" podcast: My Brain Surgery with Maribou State's Chris Davids. Had the same surgery for Chiari Malformation almost 30 years ago. Real parallels. Great listen to Chris Davids of the electronic duo. Wish him all the best. 🧠🤕

🎧 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Increasingly, I've had to switchover as much as I can to listen to BBC Radio 3. Eases the pain, even if it doesn't help with trust.

Sir Mark Tully obituary BBC correspondent and author whose sensitive reporting from India made him a revered public figure in the subcontinent

I used to love listening to "Something Understood" I always felt I'd learnt something, or been given a different perspective.
Sir Mark Tully obituary www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...

Sir Mark Tully obituary BBC correspondent and author whose sensitive reporting from India made him a revered public figure in the subcontinent

Very sad to hear about the passing of former colleague Mark Tully, the "voice of India" and also a wonderful presenter of "Something Understood."

www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...

Beautiful news. Huge congratulations!

Top deck of a Glasgow bus, 1995, photo by Martin Parr.

Got hold of some this moquette pattern a few years ago. Had it made into near indestructible dining seat cushions, and a wingback armchair cushion. Texture and look continue to make me smile years later.

On a day full of grey skies and mud, love is still in fashion.
#Wildflowerhour

Making the commonplace moments of magic. RIP Martin Parr - and thank you!

A photo of my rather pale faced great uncle Harry, appearing to wear an orange paper party hat from a Christmas cracker, as well as a shirt and tie with a cardigan.

Your post about many families having an Uncle Harry who doesn't quite fit in, the one daring to be different is spot on. Dad's Uncle Harry in Leeds was what can only be described as 'nocturnal'. On family visits from Hampshire, his exclusively post-midnight appearances both fascinated & unnerved me.

Tale Waves – from Gilly Stewart Tale Waves is brought to listeners by Farnham based children’s storyteller, Gilly Stewart.  Each episode is introduced by the character ‘Hetty Tale Waves’, who hands over to a different storyt…

Supporting Gilly with a new direction for her storytelling onto YouTube gave me a useful distraction from social media, and other noise I wanted to avoid. Think episodes got better as we went along and have a hint of Uncle Mac/Children's Hour vintage radio.
soundvaulthq.wordpress.com/tale-waves-f...

Flver with two colour photos of Gilly Stewart, one top right and one bottom left. and the following text: Tale Waves Gilly Stewart's storytelling podcast for children. Original audio format now reimagined for YouTube. 25 video episodes feat. original writing, classica music. soundscapes. fantasy worlds & life lessons. On YouTube. search for Tale Waves, Sound Vault and Gilly Stewart, or Tale Waves podcast, and find links to all episodes on the original SoundVaultHQ.com website.

"Tale Waves" was Gilly Stewart's storytelling podcast for children, part of Farnham's Sound Vault community project (2017).

Audio format reimagined for YouTube (2025). 25 videos. Original writing, classical music, soundscapes, fantasy worlds & life lessons.

Playlist> youtube.com/playlist?lis...

‘I wish I could say I kept my cool’: my maddening experience with the NHS wheelchair service The long read: After I was paralysed in a climbing accident, I discovered how inconsiderate, illogical and incompetent many wheelchair providers can be

‘I wish I could say I kept my cool’: my maddening experience with the NHS wheelchair service

Radio 3 celebrates the 200th anniversary of the modern railway with an all-day broadcast from the Highland Chieftain Train from Inverness to London Radio 3's Train Tracks includes a whole-day broadcast and five live programmes across the country

#BBCRadio3 is broadcasting from a train for an entire day to mark the 200th anniversary of the modern #railway 🚂

📻 Listen to Train Tracks, live on Saturday 27 September on BBC Radio 3 and #BBCSounds

#trains #music
More 👇🏻

Jimmy Young: Chain Gang Yes, it's that Jimmy Young . The Fifties crooner, turned Sixties DJ. turned public affairs broadcaster, whose Radio 2 show lasted 30 years a...

Chain Gang was released as a single in March 1956, before Heartbreak Hotel reached the UK. And I think it's rather wonderful.

Melvyn Bragg decides to step down from presenting In Our Time After 26 years on the programme, the legendary presenter bids farewell to the series

A huge moment -- Melvyn Bragg steps down from In Our Time after over a quarter of a century. What a programme and what a legacy! Just a model for how to make great, clever, engaging radio, and a twenty-seven-year experiment that proves there's a huge global audience for smart, scholarly programming.

I approve your message...

Too much street furniture/clutter, competing with the pavement parking is a particular joy when a neurological issue impacts on your balance. Still, I'm sure they are impactful... 🤔 Give us back our pavements!

Have been a huge fan of Diana Luke since listening as a teen to my local radio station, Guildford's County Sound, then on Jazz FM and GLR. Now I'm one of the band of "moonbathers & bedwarmers" who tune in avidly to her late night show on @boomradio.co.uk. Thanks @theliveluke.bsky.social 👏👏.

I was sorry to hear that Ray Brooks has died. In 1999 I was involved in making a low budget BBC documentary about Belle & Sebastian and we got Ray to narrate it. We were fans of his work on Mr. Benn. He did a smashing job for us and was pleasant to work with. Here’s a short extract.

Remember buying the 7" single of Mike Oldfield's completed Blue Peter theme, but had forgotten it was as far back as 1979. I was 8 years old when this clip aired. Cheers.

Battersea neighbours campaign to protect grapefruit tree in woman's memory Marline Anderson, who recently died, brought the tree as a sapling from Grenada to the UK in the 1980s.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A black fuzzy felt board with three ballerina figures in pink tutus and dancing poses the middle with a star stuck to her head

A blue fuzzy felt backing board with the felt pieces of clowns and animals from the fuzzy felt circus set stuck to it

Been buying vintage Fuzzy Felt for the art I’m making & it’s so deeply tender & touching finding some still carry ghost traces of the last owner’s play & since the sets are so old, I wonder if these little scenes were made by a child who’s my age now, with fond middle-aged memories of creating them

This makes me feel so special. The texture; the colours. Thank you for sharing - I love it.

Green cover of book with a pineapple on the front, and a sprayed red page edge with pineapples running down it - called The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson.

First book purchase arrived today from @foxlanebooks.bsky.social Beautiful attention to detail in packaging from Kirstie. Will definitely become rpt. customer. ❤️ my signed independent bookshop edition of "The Art of a Lie" by @laurasrobinson.bsky.social Big fan of her other work to date.