ONE “A MILLION CANDLES BURNING FOR THE LOVE THAT NEVER CAME…”
As he leans out of a frame with a glowing cigarette, Len lets life (or the Lord) have it with both barrels in the first song released from his new album, You Want it Darker. “If you are the dealer, I’m out of the game / If you are the healer, I’m broken and lame / If Thine is the Glory, mine must be the shame / if you want it darker, we kill the flame.” Carrying on from the sound of Popular Problems, riding on a disco bass and a ticking hi-hat and underpinned by a synagogue choir, Len’s as compelling as ever.

TWO THE DRUM THING
From Dierdre O’Callaghan’s new book, The Drum Thing, excerpted in Guardian Weekend. “Each is photographed in their private rehearsal space – from studios, bedrooms and basements to garages and gardens.” Here’s Bobbye Hall, percussionist extraordinaire: “I would be lulled to sleep by listening to the blues. I knew that instead of using words I wanted to play and, being an only child, I had a chance to do that… I came to Hollywood on 15 January 1970. I had a 30-day ticket: either I make it or I’m gone. And I’m still here. I stayed at a residence for women in the industry. I had a friend, and I would come home and she would ask: “How was your session?” And I would say: “Well, I was working for this group, they call ’em the Doors, I think.” And she’d go: “Oh my God, you’re kidding me.” I had not a clue. When you play, there is a place you go. It’s not something you do: it happens to you. It’s almost like abduction: you came back and you looked at your watch and it was a different time.”

THREE GUITAR OF THE WEEK

Courtesy of Drowning in Guitars, a 1966 Japanese Guyatone with a pickup that rotates. “This guitar reminds me of the old pinball machines, because when you banged on them and tried to manipulate the trajectory of the ball, a sensor inside the machine would recognize your caveman attempt and stop play with a lighted “TILT.” But this guitar might have been the first to encourage the “tilt” by offering a moveable pickup. In fact, this Guyatone may have been the first solid body electric guitar to offer this novel idea.”

FOUR THERE IS A FOOTBALL STADIUM…
that has been the ruin of many a poor fan, and, for me, it’s Leyton Orient’s at Brisbane Road. Last week at half-time the tannoys blared out The Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun”, when it should, of course, have been the same band’s “We Gotta Get Outta this Place”, such was the abject ineptitude of the current team.

No tactics, an inability to pass with any precision, the hoofed-upfield-ball straight to the opposition – there was no end to the misery, which culminated in the home team being booed off, the victorious away team applauded, and a group of supporters bellowing their displeasure at the Director’s Gallery. Still, always optimistic about the next game, eh?

FIVE LOVE THE DESIGN…
Of these Afropunk festival posters, from last week’s event, and their excellent rules.

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