New book about the Flamingos?

 
Well, actually ... no. But in my defence there is no mischievous intent in the above mock-up. I simply want to alert new readers to this blog's song-by-song survey of the Flamingos' recordings for their first two record labels, Chance and Parrot, several years before they cut I Only Have Eyes For You.

Music for Pleasure: Holding My Own (Peter Skellern)

[read details about kickstarter campaign for new Peter Skellern CD here - 8th March 2024 is last day to pledge]

A memory which lingers, rather pointlessly, from schooldays is of the moment an elderly invigilator was presented with a cup of tea while we were toiling over an exam. "For me - not for you," he announced - which was a) distracting and b) not very funny, even though it had probably been c) conceived as a friendly sort of thing to say to a group of nervous scribblers rather than d) an attempt to gloat about the pettty privilege thus afforded him.

Radio play about Tony Hancock on BBC Radio 4 Extra on 3rd April

The radio play Hancock's Ashes, a neatly executed and witty piece about bringing the great comedian's remains back home from Australia, is about to be repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra. If you are unaware of it, it's well worth catching. Here's what I wrote after its original broadcast in 2014: