Alex Needham

Fascinating interview with Shabaka Hutchings on his decision to set aside his saxophone and study the shakuhachi, by Alexis Petridis: theguardian.com/music/2024/mar…

In a slight rage over the moral panic that that a certain aspect of the British public have frothed up around Black Out Nights, two nights out of over a hundred, that have seen audiences members of all race in attendance over the last four years since its inception on Broadway.

The reactionary replies are depressing. But the idea of “radical invitation”, or making a proper effort to encourage an an audience that previously felt excluded or unwelcome is not new, nor should it be controversial - even if a “Black out” night is - props to @jeremyoharris 👏

The culture minister attacks the BBC - without evidence - for supposed impartiality failings. Meanwhile the prime minister stands in for Jacob Rees-Mogg on the entirely impartial GB News. Thank heavens we have a tough media regulator .

prepare to have your heart ripped out (in the best possible way)

@missbarton Gorgeous piece Laura x

Hello, I wrote about becoming a mother at 700 years old (approx) for today’s Guardian theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2…

@Chris_Creegan I did, and I was very moved by it. Thanks Chris

@Chris_Creegan Thanks Chris - happy new year

@LizTray Thanks Liz. It definitely is wonderful

Gorgeous interview with the great Andrew Haigh by @alexneedham74. theguardian.com/film/2023/dec/… The film looks wonderful. These are the stories I want to see.

@rwilliams1947 Yesterday was 20 pages of photos

Today’s edition of what was once the Evening Standard: 18 pages of restaurant coverage, four pages of property, one page of puzzles, a full-page M&S ad, and… er, that’s it.

Benjamin Zephaniah: 'I thought, OBE me? Up yours, I thought' theguardian.com/books/2003/nov…

@johnmerro1 @JoshHalliday Quite.

@alexneedham74 @JoshHalliday

Delighted to report nursery fees are up again - this time from £69 a day to £75.90 from next month. An extra £1,344 a year if my daughter’s ‘free’ 30 hours didn’t begin in April. Also just renewed car insurance: up £270 despite reducing cover. Next: mortgage renewal in May! 🫤

Santana, my friend’s granddaughter, is still missing from Ladbroke Grove. She’s only 12. Please keep a look out around London for her and please share this x @missingpeople

‘O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done..’

@Andr6wMale @dickon_edwards Yes, thanks Dickon

As dictated to @dickon_edwards

"In Irish pubs where they still sing together, Fairytale of New York has become as much a standard as Danny Boy. So I'm now like the writers of those other traditional standards, except I'm not anonymous. Or dead. The best surprises in life are the ones you never dream about."

Not long after I joined the Guardian, I managed to get Shane MacGowan to write three short but beautiful pieces for what was then the arts blog. You can read them here theguardian.com/profile/shanem…