Jeff Stein

Let's Do It: The Birth of Pop by Bob Stanley. The St Etienne member's sequel/prequel to his history of popular music post Elvis and the rock'n'roll explosion, this book covers popular music from the turn of the 20th century taking in at the beginning sheet music and the beginning of recorded music to rather strangely past the starting point of his other book. Apparently there were areas such as easy listening (kudos for bigging up Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass), 60s balladeers (likes Engelbert Humperdinck; thinks Tom Jones overrated) and musicals (hysterically damning of Lloyd Weber/Rice). Stanley has a very easy to read writing style and it is in no way an academic tome, rather being packed with anecdotes. I did find at times I struggled to keep interested, but I think that is more because of personal taste. I found the chapters on blues, country and jazz much easier to get through than those on the Great American songbook, 30s and 40s British dance bands and operetta (my abiding dislike for this coming from having to endure the Radio 2 Sunday night showcase when being driven back from from my Grandparents' house in Milton Keynes to Essex in the pre-M25 days - conversely prior to that Alexis Korner's Radio 1 show would be on which possibly helped for guiding me to music I liked). One thing I would have liked a greater explanation of is Louis Armstrong, who Stanley describes as the most important popular musician, but dies not really explain why. He just jumps from Armstrong's early years to his post-Bond "crooning". the book is also predominantly about Anglo-American music, but that can be no surprise I suppose. I don't mean the above to be too negative. If you have an interest in music and the roots of popular music, it's definitely worth reading.

Cowboys, Roosters 105 Roosters

Panthers, Storm, Cowboys, Bulldogs 210 3

Storm, Tigers, Roosters, Dragons, Cowboys, Panthers, Sharks, Knights 420 4 Dragons v Raiders

Storm, Bulldogs, Panthers, Dragons, Broncos, Sharks, Knights, Roosters 420 5 5

Sea Eagles, Bulldogs, Broncos, Panthers, Storm, Knights, Roosters, Dragons 420 5 Tigers v Sea Eagles

Panthers, Sea Eagles, Roosters, Bulldogs, Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Sharks 420 7 5 games

Storm, Titans, Panthers, Sea Eagles, Cowboys, Dragons, Dolphins, Knights 420 5 home wins 6 by more than 13

Joe Calzaghe

Cowboys, Warriors, Roosters, Titans, Storm, Sharks, Panthers, Bulldogs 420 2 Warriors v Eels

Warriors, Storm, Broncos, Cowboys, Roosters, Panthers, Dolphins, Raiders 420 6 Dolphins v Titans

Excellent choice

John Mayall, 90, bluesman. Still gigging until recently

Sugar Pie DeSanto, R'n'B singer, 88, possibly best known for "Soulful Dress"

Raiders, Rabbitohs, Knights, Storm, Panthers, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs 372 1 Storm v Roosters

Recreating the sound of pre-defeat South Vietnam

Norm Hewitt, All Blacks hooker in the 90s, 55 from MND

James B Sikking who played Lt Howard Hunter in Hill St Blues, 90

Rabbitohs, Sharks, Titans, Dragons, Sea Eagles 225 3 1 team

Never fancied it but got it thrown in when I had a renegotiation with Sky about 18 months ago. Haven't regretted it. Lots of Thai language movies and series for the wife which are considerably better than what is on TV there

Presently in the excellent Stax: Soulsville USA documentary being shown: Carla Thomas

Rabbitohs, Sharks, Panthers, Bulldogs, Storm, Cowboys, Roosters, Raiders 420 3 Rabbitohs by 1 to 12

Sir Jack Petchey. East End boy made good and philanthropist. Seem to recall getting grants for rl junior sides from his foundation 20 years ago

Kong Nay, 80, master of the chapei, a Khmer lute. Survivor of the genocide and Cambodian icon.