Interviews and stuff which I've signed forms declaring that I won't talk about, which is why i was necessarily vague. However, yes, I do miss question marks, and all sorts of punctuation; if only people's use of the English language were more refined.

PS When you coming down for a curry? Next week sometime?

483. Quiz!

I ran a Hallowe'en quiz a couple of nights back and thought I'd give you a chance to have a go. Click on the pdf at the top of the pic queue for the Table Round - identifying the spookily disguised famous faces. Feel free to add your solutions here. If anyone would like the three written rounds (Current Affairs, Spooky Stuff and Family Fortunes) to run their own Hallowe'en quiz, just e me and I'll pass them on...

Ah Airfix models-memories of stringy glue, realising that pilots were easier to paint BEFORE affixing in the cockpit, building a 1:72 scale Mustang, leaping over my bed and landing on it, trying to elegantly lift transfer roundels off the wet paper without them crumpling in half and sticking togther (or drying out en route to aircraft and thus tearing while being eased into position), the smell of the airfix paint, trying to put the damn guns in the damn housing in the damn warship models and not have them pointing in three different directions...

I just paint warhammer dwarves now...

Anyone else got a wrongly bound copy of this months DWMag? Mine has pages repeated etc. Will accept offers of around £500k from collectors.

As for Airfix-I forgot the joy of trying to glue the transparent cockpit canopies down without streaking them with glue.

Haven't picked up a DWM yet, and will hold off on paying 500K for your 'collector's copy'. Your Airfi memories brought my own flooding back. Liquid Glue - which, though terribly neat and applied by brush, if you please, failed to stick stuff. Humbrol Enamel paints - the smell of matt green. And the 'joy' of opening a new kit to discover proper rubber tyres. Sigh. Must add a kit to my Xmas list.

You boys do know you can get Airfix Doctor Who kits, don't you? There's a Tenth Doctor one with the TARDIS and Martha Jones available...

I didn't! That's one teeny part of my Xmas list sorted. Ta!

What's your favourite pirated Who toy? A local market was selling an 'officially' packaged set with orange coloured Tennant doll with rubber sucker dart gun and darts (presumably to fire at him). Classy.

I'm afraid I don't shop in 'local markets'. Only authorised retailers for me, because I hate to see anyone other than the registered licensee getting the cash. Anyone else?

Bet you find it wearisome shopping at Fortnum and Masons all the time though Nick?

Royston... Actually, that's sidetracked me from my intended glib reply. I've been watching the League of Gentlemen boxset with the wife, since it's a revered comedy (by those in the know) that I somehow missed out on. And it's had some brilliantly funny - and gross - moments. But it's the performances that are perhaps the most impressive, including those of our good friend, Mr Gatiss (having met him a few times, I can confirm that he is indeed a very friendly, unassuming chap, the sort you could imagine boring for Britain over a glass or two of cider, while he was too nice to yawn) - though I'd say that Steve Permberton's probably the best actor of the three. Am currently honing my "You're my wife now, Dave" impression. Is pretty good. Must try it on Mark Gatiss, should we ever meet again - bet he's never heard one before.

Couple of points for Dave Lythgoe - you still there, son? (Is weird typing this knowing it'll be read by at least three people, but neither who they are nor where in the world they are.) Is Gatiss' Auntie Val modelled on Geddy Lee, I keep wondering. And I was hit by a double-whammy of delight while watching Ray Mears' new series, when his birch-bark-caneoing scenes were given a soundtrack of Big Country, from the Restless Natives s/t I believe. Mears and Adamson - bliss.

Hi, Nick. It's been a while. First off, can't wait for November the 15th... although I don't think I'm on my own there!

Secondly, I know from reading DILY how much of an Interpol fan you are. I've just bought their 'Black EP' as well as the Paul Banks solo album 'Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper'. Both awesome. Have you been lucky enough to catch Interpol live? I haven't but am working on it.

Speaking of music, saw Bad Lieutenant (essentially New Order minus Peter Hook) in Manchester recently. Brilliant! As well as the new album, did an Electronic number, 'Out Of Control' (Chemical Brothers collaboration) & 3 New Order songs. And if that wasn't enough... a Joy Division encore of 'Transmission' & 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'. The roof was well & truly raised!

And on that note 'You're my wife now'...

Hi Ade - I love the Julian Plenti album and have tix for him at the Scala early Dec. There are some vids of him playing live at the Guggenheim in NY on YouTube, which are interesting, though you wonder whether he couldn't afford a coloured lightbulb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6m7AFRHmTg

Have seen his house band several times, happily - always amazing. Reckon we're due a new album and tour next year. Also just bagged Editors tix for next March, having not seen live yet, which is a minor crime somewhere between littering and theft from a sweet shop.

Have never been able to get into New Order - picked up double Substance best of for a fiver in HMV, then put it back down - which is a shame. Joy Division, on t'other hand...

PS I used to think Love Will Tear Us Apart was a Paul Young original.

484. Work (groo)

Am in Radio Times this week, so updates to Bob may be sporadic. [Please God no - Everyone in the World]

Did you see the Underworld/Nimon/Time Monster box set due out next Feb? Wahooo!!!

Is that a joke? Or is it under the banner of Some of the Worst Stories Ever?

No joke-available on pre-order on Amazon, due Feb. 2010.

It comes up as a box set called 'Myths and Legends' in my 'personal recommendation' list (as do-rather more excitingly-Masque of Mandragora due Feb. 8th and Peladon Tales Jan. 4th.)

David Tennant, Johnny Vegas & Alison Moyet on The Graham Norton Show = inspired! Oh, & Nick, you lucky bugger for having Julian Plenti tickets! Trade your review of his gig for mine of P.i.L's in Manchester this December?

P.S. Since you mentioned cover versions of 'alternative classics', I always thought that 'Emma' was a Sisters Of Mercy song until I heard the Hot Chocolate original!

Yep, still here. I can see the Auntie Vall/Geddy Lee comparison. I can just see Gatiss' creation belting out Natural Science. As regards Restless Natives...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN6eZOS5wQ0&feature=related ...fucking wonderful!!!

Thanks for the replies, daughter just about to fall off bed. Back soon!

Anyone else really looking forward to The Waters Of Mars this Sunday. Or is it just me?

The aliens alone look completely brilliant. After a couple of so-so specials I reckon this is going to be cracker. Gotta dash again - back to "normal" next week...

485. Phew

Time to breathe at last. I'd forgotten how exhausting, time-consuming, how ghaslty, going to work every day (bar Wednesday, when I looked after the Beegster, which was just as time-consuming) is. Thank heavens it's over. I'm listening to your Big C link now, at it's hard not to get emotional. I can't watch Restless Natives any more without crying - those final scenes, as the bagpipe guitars soar over the Scottish countryside, all that freedom of spirit... Ah, Stuart.

PS Ade, I could try to review Julian, I suppose, I'm not sure I remember how to. Although I do recall the first rule of the school of rock hackism: Always use the word 'eclectic'.

Here Big C here. Love the "What is this? The Grateful Dead?" 3 mins in.

Dave - and any other Big C fans - I've spent the past hour linking Start stuff on YouTube and finally alighted on this slice of genius. The last couple of minutes especially are - say this in Scottish accent in remembrance... brulliant!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXOpZAtgU8Y&feature=related

Finally, on the Stuart front, my favourite comment beneath all the tributes was this one, which so exhibits the Scottish sense of humour as well as the confusion and sadness. Stuart was from Dunfermline, for those possibly bemused:

"dunfermline is pish without you. fucking why m8"

I know what you mean about the ending of the film Nick. I always well up when I hear that song. I wept like a baby a couple of times when they did it in concert. Me and Mrs Lyth watched Restless Natives last week. Here's one of my fave moments. I found myself crying and sing along with it...again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ_Mg7m-ZfY

Well? What did we all think? Enjoyed Tennant getting a bit dark & playing God only to realise he's possibly gone too far this time. Interesting that Ood Sigma turns up at the end - reminded me of The Watcher in Logopolis/Castrovalva.

Big Country! Not a huge fan but Stuart Adamson's guitar playing was every bit as anthemic & unique as The Edge from U2 (whatever happened to them?). Loved the stuff he did with The Skids - even with Jobson's 'individual' approach to coherent singing!

Well it was inevitable that RTD would eventually write a riff on 'Ark in Space', and Waters of Mars was rattling good fun. Now if Colin Baker fans watched the last 10 minutes-that is how to play a barking mad Doctor.

Ta for the Mars comments - keep 'em coming! My enjoyment was greatly hampered by the sound quality of my telly. I heard only about half the lines in the domes because the sound went all, well, "fluffy". (Suspect the telly speakers are blown - it's my parents' old set and boy did they have it up loud, so Mum could hear.) A bugger. I'm going to have to reserve judgement until I can watch it again on iPlayer. Looked great though!

That's interesting re the sound-I too found some of the dialogue difficult to follow and a bit muffled, and I have quite an expensive t.v. I wonder if it was a recording/mastering fault?

Well for once I wasn't disappointed. 'Waters Of Mars' was very good stuff. I love those 'base under siege' stories. It had all the qualities of classic Who. My 6 year old Daughter Aimee was scared silly by the water-infected peopleone minute and then laughing out loud at Gadget racing away with it's arse on fire. She loved it and her Dad loved it. Which is what Dotor Who's supposed to be all about isn't it?

486. Curse you, YouTube

Forgive me for breaking up the Mars comments - and please post again after this tawdry interlude - but I've been stuck in sodding YouTube, wasting time though thoroughly enjoying myself. Somehow linked from Big Country covering Bowie's Cracked Actor to Pink Floyd playing Animals live, at which I spotted one of the funniest run of comments, copied below for your pleasure. (Now, back to Who. Soz.)

grantaldn (3 days ago)

Pink Floyd are the best

seventhskate (5 days ago)

No shit Sherlock.

BrokenChair88 (5 days ago)

Comment removed by author

seventhskate (5 days ago)

wow you actually said something else in a comment, good accomplishment for moving the fuck on.

BrokenChair88 (5 days ago)

Pink Floyd wrote "Dogs".

floydgenesisnut (1 week ago)

How many videos are you going to say that jackass. Brokenchair's name should be BROKENRECORD because you go on Pink Floyd videos and spam with that stupid phrase. No wonder people think you are one stupid asshole! David Gilmour and Roger Waters WROTE "Dogs" and Pink Floyd PERFORMED and RECORDED IT! Get that through your fucking skull jackoff. Now go watch your Beyonce and Paris Hilton videos you dumbass piece of SHIT!

BrokenChair88 (1 week ago)

Pink Floyd wrote "Dogs".

487. One more

Still trapped. I had no idea that Bowie ever performed Teenage Wildlife, prob my fave Bowie song, live. yet here it is. How much have I missed in my life? Wails ad lib to fade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CwCBhwtU1k

488. Back to Mars

Halfway thru second viewing (first hearing) on iPlayer and it is sooooo much more enjoyable when you can understand what's said. Love that early exchange:

Captain: State your name, rank and intentions!

Doc: The Doctor... doctor... fun.

And that name Bowie Base One. Took only a mild spin of the grey matter. Life on Mars? (Note the question mark.) No more mini-spoilers for those abroad, promise, but I'll get back with an overall view tomorrow. Till then...

finally got round to watching 'mars' on the iplayer last night after a weekend in stockholm. i am now broke, so expensive.

i LOVED it. really good show - i just wish the doctor left the 3 of them there and saw through what was meant to happen. i am going to be so so gutted with DT leaves ... he's been my fav dr since I were a wee kiddy .... :(

Personally, I liked the bit after the inhuman snarl over the speaker when Tennant says, all 'here we go again', "I really should go". Perfect!

489. It's a cracker

Just finished rewatching Mars. Yeah, cracking stuff. Couple of minor niggles - didn't they have space suits, or at least cagoules? - but such a classy romp that they pale into insignificance. Can't wait for The End of Time now. Ah, Chrimbo.

Top line whilst watching 'The Waters Of Mars' as a family on Sunday must go to my mum. Picture this, one of the quieter moments, everyone glued to the screen when, apropos of nothing, she turns to me & asks "Does he change tonight then, dear?". Bless!

The interesting thing I find about the Tennant stories is that although I find them enjoyable I rarely watch one more than once, and the odd one's I do rewatch I only really dip in and out of. Whereas I can watch some of the Ecclestone, Pertwee and Tom Baker ones repeatedly.

Lovely set of contributions to the Mars debate, thank you. Also had this via Facebook from Anne: "Two of my mates said the sound was wrong on their TVs for Doctor Who. Too much background. Without prompting. I have an old 'fat' T.V. Mine was ok. So I blame your technology. And the BBC of course." Interesting. Keep this level of critique up and we shall soon rool the wurld (or similar). Chin chin!

490. Weird world

Just skimming through Yahoo News and you couldn't make some of this stuff up:

* I'm A Celebrity star Gino D’Acampo spent two years in prison for burgling Paul Young's house

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1228981/Im-A-Celebrity-star-Gino-D-Acampo-spent-years-prison-burgling-Paul-Youngs-house.html#ixzz0XJx6njN9

Or this from the terrible tale of the young woman murdered in Goa, whose mother (Fiona MacKeown) is now being charged over benefit fraud:

'I don't fully understand the charges against me but my solicitor is confident the amount I am accused of falsely claiming can be reduced,' added MacKeown, who is now breeding dogs and growing willow trees with a view to making fence panels from the branches.

Exactly how many willows is she growing?!

All the rest of the 'news' is X Factor or I'm a 'Celebrity' and I am so heartily sick of it, particuarly fucking 'Jordan'. Bleugh. Our press is dying on its arse in its desperation for 'readers'.

491. Purchase

I've just ordered Barry Letts' Who memoirs, Who & Me, off Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Who-Me-Memoir-Producer-1969-1974/dp/1906263442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258723094&sr=1-1

Odd that it was published in the month after his death, though Letts had been suffering from cancer so perhaps it was a planned epitaph. The man's up there with the Who greats, so I look forward to lapping up his words of wisdom (and anecdotes). I'll let you know what it's like, as it's going straight to the top of my pile (am finding Anthony Beever's Stalingrad rather heavy going - so many blummin' long foreign names).

492. While accepting

that my Stuart Adamson fixation might be a little over-fried, I looked out my old Big Country Steeltown LP earlier, bought on the day of release in the Virgin Megastore back in... 83? 84? Hang on, I'll have to look it up... 1984. Includes some great songs, not least The Girl With Grey Eyes, which was never released as a single. Anyway, I queued in the Megastore for the Big C signing and made bassist Tony Butler write "No. 1 fan". Sad. But here's the great man's monniker, top of the pic queue. Another deep sigh.

493. I've just realised

1984 is a quarter of a century ago. Jesus.

494. Also just realised

that Who Goes There is released today in the Adobe epub ebook format! Which is far better than that funnydnl format linked to down below. American readers can but a copy here (for themselves, or for someone for Xmas, clunking hint): http://www.booksonboard.com/index.php?BODY=viewbook&BOOK=538247

You should worry about age-I saw Def Leppard in 1979 when the average age of the group was around 16. My fav group Deep Purple released their seminal Machine Head album 37 years ago, and reformed after the original break up 25 years ago.

Oh and John Bonham of Zep has been dead for 29 years.

29?! I remember the news blowing around school and Tim Mannings going into mourning. I didn't get into Led Zep until the mid-90s - always last on the bus - so received the news with minor nonchalance.