Day 245 The Happy Mondays "WFL"

Hands down the best band to come out of that Manchester thing (miles better than the wussy Roses). Shaun Ryder's lyrics back then were some of the best and weirdest around - on a par with John Lydon's for the Pistols or Salford's own MES.

244 Madness "Disappear"

"Absolutely' - my favourite Madness album. Much underrated song this one...

Day 243 The Williams Fairey Brass Band "Voodoo Ray"

Slightly arch idea - one northern working class cultural style interprets another - that works really well. Especially on this tune, taken from Hulme to the hills of Yorkshire...

Day 242 Lee Hazlewood "The House Song"

Thinking about property today - as we've found a (hopefully) great flat in Istanbul -made me think of this. I'm shocked and disappointed in myself that this is the first Lee Hazlewood tune on here...

Day 241 The Wiseguys "The Sound You Hear"

Great little track - loads of samples (including, of course, Marlena Shaw) all knitted together wonderfully. This would still get me on a dancefloor if the old war wound would allow it. ..

Day 240 Dr Octagon "Earth People"

Kool Keith's finest moment (of many fine moments)

Day 239 George Jones "He Stopped Loving her Today"

By George, this is a killer...

Day 238 15.60.75 (Numbers band) "Jimmy Bell"

Eternal thanks to Crayola for introducing me to this lot - unlike anyone else I've ever heard, they're incredibly underrated. They're like Can re-imagined as a Cleveland bar band...

Day 237 Gillan "New Orleans"

I remember this explosion of hair and bad riffing from TOTP a very, very long time ago. The bass player in particular fascinated me - bald, beard, shades, white jacket - you didn't get much of that in the suburbs of Chester in 1981...

Day 235 The Heliocentrics feat. Nico "Winter Song"

It snowed hard in Istanbul today - it's a magical place in the snow. Or it was, until a power cut stopped the trams and we had to trudge miles home through the snow. We did get to see Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque through the fattest, wettest snowflakes I've ever seen, though...

Day 235 The Smiths "Unhappy Birthday"

I've had the opposite today, by the way - thanks for the greetings

Day 234 Mark Kozeleck "Follow You, Follow Me"

Silk purse/sow's ear...just wonderful. He did a great album of AC/DC covers too - equally unlikely and nearly as good.

Day 232 Colorblind James Experience "A Different Bob"

Dredging the brain for the name of this lot this afternoon - another Peel favourite enjoyed by me and, oh, about 20 other people...

Day 232 The Wolfhounds "Anti-Midas Touch"

Staying in Manchester with my mum brought to mind the many great gigs I saw there as a wet behind the ears 17 year old in 1986. This lot were great..."you pray to the Sun, and worship the dirt". Great riff too - were Nirvana listening?

Day 230 The Pretty Things "Rosalyn"

So the Dame's got his bus pass, then? Never been a fan (*dons tin hat*), though I did hear his version of this first. This one is, of course, better...

Day 230 The Youngbloods "Darkness, Darkness"

Brilliant - shame they decided to fade it just as the guitar really wigs out at the end...

Day 229 The Unthanks "Here's The Tender Coming"

It's been a while...

Thanks to Paul and Julia for introducing me to this wonderful band - they were the soundtrack to a trip around the old country - and giving me hope that British music has not disappeared up its own X-factor.