Royston Vasey

I have heard some wonderful melodic chilled out stuff over the years - Everything But The Girl, some of Van’s classics, ditto Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Khruangbin, Ray Lamontagne, Steve Hiett, Marissa Nadler, The Sandpipers, Kandace Springs, Waxahatchee, Myrkur, Riverside, The XX, the late great Nick Drake and Jonathan Hultén, to name a few......but frankly the bizarrely named band from Texas, Cigarettes After Sex, probably surpass all the above for me. Quite fantastic in my humble opinion. Am years late getting to them but mighty pleased I have done now.

Breaking news : FA announce 4 game ban for Eric Dier. Spurs manager, Jose Mourinho, reacted by telling Sky Sports : “This is a terrific boost for my players in this moment as we approach the final run-in of the season still with a slim chance of making the last Europa League spot. Having Eric now ineligible for the next 4 games will give the whole squad a huge lift”.

Serious question, for once. Assuming the Man City Champions League ban remains in situ even if just for one season not two, does 5th spot qualify for the Champions League this summer.....or will it only be 3 that go forward ?

If true that Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ album being renamed ‘Back to Back’ (and approved by her father), then further evidence that the world has gone mad.

Future sales of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back To Black’ to be renamed ‘Back To Back’. Record company apparently believe most buyers won’t even notice the change. Album cover to retain original colour. Mad really but quite a subtle change. Approved by her father I read.

If the rumour is true that the Black Eyed Peas are changing their name to The Peas, has the world gone mad ?

Just watched it on You Tube.....memory deceiving me ! Great solo half way through......and then the Big Man back in for the finale. Anyway, superb performance of the song. A great night for sure.

What I remember so vividly about the weekend, 2 amazing shows, but during Night 2 and Drive All Night, Clarence stepped forward for the sax solo and it was of course immense. As it was ending, I think Bruce motioned for him to keep it going.....and he did. It was unbelievable. It was, I think, the last time the Big Man would play that song live. Soon after, he had left us.

Do we care ? No.

CC you’re not wrong. Heysel has very much been airbrushed from Liverpool FC’s history.

Just as a heads up in case anyone hasn’t come across it, Max is doing a weekly Q&A from his house. He has done two so far and they come out every Monday. Go to Backstreets.com to find the link, or he has a you tube channel too. Some really interesting stuff being talked about. The questions are varied, some specifically about drumming/drummers but lots obviously about life as an E Streeter since 1974. You can send questions to him at : askmax@backstreets.com Find out how he winds down after a show (eventually gets to sleep at 5.00 am !), the story again of “stick” during the recording of Darkness, the lecture/warning (call it what you will) he got from Bruce during the recording of Out In The Street, favourite all time drummers, the story of how Jay stepped in to the band etc. Well worth a watch. I just sent in a question : favourite European hotel when on tour and ditto favourite arena/stadium in Europe (even though sometimes I remember hearing the band don’t even know what city they have landed in lol).

My view is that any song that is chilled qualifies......apologies, I appreciate that is not too scientific.......but it’s the songs we have heard live when the crowd noise just stops and we sit/stand there ready to take in a beautiful Bruce penned classic...and hopefully there are no nattering casual fans adjacent who sadly see it merely as a chance to catch up whilst they can hear themselves talk. My revised Top 10 are : Racing In The Street Happy Back in your Arms The Promise Point Blank Independence Day One Step Up Valentine’s Day The Wall Drive All Night. Such a difficult choice, leaving out such classics as Meeting Across The River, Streets of Phili, Secret Garden, and so many others......but as they say, it’s a high class problem.

Streets of Philadelphia. Oh my word, what a great song. Surely in any refreshed Top 10.

Damn it, am going to have to go for a refresh. How on earth I omitted Valentine’s Day is beyond me. Surely right up there as one of his most beautiful ballads......however a ‘ballad’ is classified lol.

For me, it’s : 1 Racing in the Street 2 Happy 3 The Wall 4 The Promise 5 Stray Bullet 6 The Wrestler 7 Meeting across the River 8 Drive all Night 9 Factory 10 Nothing Man. Such an extraordinary back catalogue to choose from.