because only stone and steel accept my love....

Hello.

I'm determined to get my act in gear this year and actually get around to arranging a few Guest Editors for our regular Friday Earworm slot. It's all very well me having a go every week, but even I get bored by my interminable lists of miserablist indie guitar music... so God alone knows what anyone unfortunate enough to be reading it every week must make of it. I like having Guest Editors and I love hearing what other people have had pinging through their heads all week, so I'm going to make a special effort to get a few more this year.

Having said that, not everyone is as interested in this as me. My wife, for one. C. doesn't really read my ramblings religiously, preferring instead to catch up in big chunks when she remembers - mainly to see what's been going on in my life while she's been swanning working her way around Europe during the week. When she's reading, I don't stand over her shoulder and watch her: I tend to sit on the sofa across the room and act all cool and aloof, as if I couldn't care less what she thinks. Sometimes I get a smile; sometimes a chuckle. Sometimes, I only get a deep sigh and I can see her scrolling her way down the page to get to the next post. Those posts? The Alphabeticon and Earworm posts. Always.

What can you do? I suppose you can't please all of the people all of the time, eh?

Anyway. Back to this week.

This week's Guest Editor has an almost impeccable taste in music... well, fairly similar taste to mine anyway.... That's impeccable, right?

So, without further ado, it is my great pleasure to introduce for your earworming pleasure.....

Earworms of the Week - Guest Editor #75 - Cat

10) Rockstar – Nickelback

This is one weird record. I have yet to hear a version of it which doesn’t have loads of words beeped out – clearly, I listen to too much Radio One – and it has more than a hint of Bon Jovi’s Wanted, Dead or Alive about it. If I hadn’t known who the band was, I’d never have guessed it. It’s been driving my colleagues mad all week, as I warble about becoming a rockstar, so obviously it’s doing something right.

9) Flux – Bloc Party

I used this as a post title earlier in the week, and have been humming it ever since. I missed the chance to see Bloc Party live at the beginning of last year, which I really regret, as I think they’re an excellent band. Apparently not everyone at the gig agreed, as it had to stop shortly after starting due to the lead singer being hit on the head with a coin. Not a sharpened coin, thankfully, but I’m sure you’ll agree, still not entirely cricket.

8) Moving to New York – The Wombats

I don’t much like The Wombats, truth be told. But this is a really upbeat, catchy wee tune which reminds me of Bloc Party, who I do.

7) Kennedy – The Wedding Present

I’ve been a fan of The Wedding Present from way back in the day, and pounced upon Shepherd’s Bush Welcomes The Wedding Present while I was browsing the other day. This takes me right back to discos in the student union. Oh, happy, carefree days, when all I worried about was whether I’d enough money for my next pint of lager and blackcurrant, and if the boy I liked would turn up.

6) The theme from Wizbit

You may or may not recall Wizbit, a rather odd programme which was the brainchild of Paul Daniels, and featured an incredibly sinister, and incredibly large, rabbit, by the name of Wooly. A snippet of this was played on the radio earlier in the week, and has been bouncing around in my head ever since. Inspired lyrics. “Ha ha, this a-way, ha ha that a-way, ha ha this a-way, my, oh my.”

I bet you’re stuck with it now.

5) Black Horse and the Cherry Tree – KT Tunstall

I bought KT Tunstall’s difficult second album, Drastic Fantastic, listened to it once, and was disappointed. I don’t think I’ve played it since. But as I cruised round the shops the other day, I heard this track, which prompted me to whack on Eye to the Telescope. Now, that’s a great album, even though my name would be in the window of my local record shop if I said that out loud.

4) Ready for the Floor – Hot Chip

Hot Chip are not much to my usual tastes, but The Warning’s among the most played albums on my iPod, and has been in heavy rotation on my stereo proper since it was released in 2006. I’ll be nipping out on Monday lunchtime to buy Made in the Dark.

3) Kiss Me – Sixpence None the Richer

No. I don’t know why either.

2) I Can’t Give You Anything But Love – Rufus Wainwright

Yes. I bought the Rufus does Judy album. And I like it. It’s good music for braying along to as I loll in the bath. I have a version of Ella Fitzgerald doing this, but think I prefer Rufus’s voice on it. Regardless, it’s a lovely song.

1) I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris – Morrissey

I couldn’t resist hunting around on YouTube for Morrissey’s new material, especially after seeing the setlists for the aborted Roundhouse gigs and his rather more successful evening in Doncaster. This stands out for me as a goodie. While I may be a loyal – but not obsessive, honest – Morrissey fan, I’m the first to admit to hating his 2006 album, Ringleader of the Tormentors, so it was a lovely surprise to hear a new song – albeit somewhat tinnily – which I very much like. Tomorrow, Edinburgh. Assuming he turns up, of course.

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Thanks Cat... I think.... although I've now had the theme from Wizbit firmly embedded in my brain since you first sent me your list. Grrr. And Nickelback too? Seriously? Sixpence None The Richer? Well, at least I know you haven't been cheating and just creating a list of songs you reckon will make you look cool. And (in my books anyway) you look all the cooler for it......

Thanks for playing! Enjoy Moz and I look forward to reading all about the gig. He's a legend, even if I agree wholeheartedly with you about "Ringleader...". As long as he's got his voice back, he'll be great, I'm sure....

Have a good weekend y'all!

Coming up: Wombat & Jamie S (15/2), Pynchon (22/2), Briskate (29/2), me (7/3 - my birthday!), Craig Cliff (14/3).... you? Drop me an email and it could be you!

[Previous Guest Editors: Flash, The Urban Fox, Lord Bargain, Retro-Boy, Statue John, Ben, OLS, Ka, Jenni, Aravis, Yoko, Bee, Charlie, Tom, Di, Spin, The Ultimate Olympian, Damo, Mike, RedOne, The NumNum, Leah, Le Moine Perdu, clm, Michael, Hyde, Adem, Alecya, bytheseashore, adamant, Earworms of the Year 2005, Delrico Bandito, Graham, Lithaborn, Phil, Mark II, Stef, Kaptain Kobold, bedshaped, I have ordinary addictions, TheCatGirlSpeaks, Lord B rides again, Tina, Charlie II, Cody Bones, Poll Star, Jenni II, Martin, Del II, The Eye in the Sky, RussL, Lizzy's Hoax, Ben II, Earworms of the Year 2006, Sarah, Flash II, Erika, Hen, Pynchon, Troubled Diva, Graham II, Cat II, Statue John II, Sweeping the Nation, Aravis II, Olympian II, C, Planet-Me, Mike, Michael II, Eye in the Sky II, Charlie III, The Great Grape Ape, asta, Ben III, Earworms of the Year 2007]