LILY ALLEN, YOU'RE THE DUCK'S GUTS DARLIN'!

EVERY NOW AND THEN MY DAUGHTER PARTIALLY RESTORES MY FAITH IN CONTEMPARARY MUSIC. THE LAST TIME, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, IT WAS DRESDEN DOLLS. SHE LEFT A CD IN MY CAR THE OTHER DAY BY YOUNG LONDON SINGER/SONGWRITER, LILY ALLEN, WHICH I HAVE PLAYED, AND REALLY LIKE IT. MUSICAL SONGS WITH VERY CATCHY HOOKS, CLEVER, EARTHY LYRICS WITH A NARRATIVE DELIVERING SOME VERY FUNNY LINES AND SOME INTUITIVE OBSERVATIONS ARE DELIVERED IN DIVERSE STYLES FROM REGGAE, RAP AND POP. HER SWEET, ALMOST BLOSSOM DEARIE VOICE DELIVERING HER SONGS SHOWS INFLUENCES RANGING FROM IAN DRURIE AND THE BLOCKHEADS TO BLONDIE.

DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE COVERS FEATURING ROLAND KIRK

I'VE BEEN QUIET FOR A WHILE

REGULAR READERS WHO KNOW ME, I HAVE RECENTLY HAD A SPINAL FUSION OPERATION WHICH HAS KEPT ME QUIET FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS. THANKS FOR THE GOOD WISHES FROM THOSE OF YOU WHO KNEW, MUCH APPRECIATED. THE OP WAS A SUCCESS, BACK PAIN AND SCIATICIA THAT I HAVE HAD FOR A LONG TIME HAS GONE. THE NEURO SURGEON, DR MARC COUGHLAN AT PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL IN SYDNEY IS A GENIUS, AND I THANK HIM FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

BARRIE MCASKILL AND LEVI SMITH'S CLEFS

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO R&R SCARS, BARRIE MCASKILL HAS A FANTASTIC WEBSITE PACKED WITH HISTORY AND PICS. CHECK IT OUT AT www.mcaskill.com.au

MILESAGO

IT HAS BEEN REMISS OF ME NOT TO HAVE PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED A LINK TO THE MILESAGO WEBSITE WHICH PROVIDES A HUGE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION ON AUSTRALIAN ROCK HISTORY. THE ADDRESS IS http://www.milesago.com