The Sainted One turns 60 this week and as a devotee who was nearly near enough to touch the hem one night in London, no further excuse is needed to dive back into a glorious evening of the music and mind of Kate Bush. When Ms Bush returned to the stage in 2014m after a mere 35 year absence - the same stage where she had finished her previous tour though the venue had had a name change - some of us did whatever it took to get there for one of the 22 shows. The show was astonis

First, but not last, end of year thing from this pen/keyboard. A summation of a year dominated by people who won't be making music again but not ruled by it because it was also a year driven by people who made music socially and politically relevant again, Also a top 10 that somehow doesn't include Nick Cave's Skeleton Tree. Still not sure how that happened. Can I have a Top 11 please? (I'll be writing about the top 10, or 11, or 20, elsewhere soon.) BLACK DAYS, BLACK STAR

The second half of the near impossible task of pulling 50 songs from 50 years. A mad idea, filled with frustrations at all the ones I couldn’t pick. But, yeah, fun nonetheless. 1990: Sonic Youth – Kool Thing The year I finally got Sonic Youth, or they crossed over to my side. Droll, sexy and sung by one of my favourite bassplayers (along with Tina Weymouth, Bruce Thomas, Paul McCartney & Andy Rourke). Found out recently she’s a pretty cool interview too. 1991: Joni Mitchell –

The brief was 50 songs from the past 50 years – easy, right? The truth was pain, existential angst, dark nights of the soul and the boredom of anyone who asked what I was doing and got the very full answer, complete with lines like “but my favourite jazz albums are pretty much pre-65 and those after run into Beatles etc and then what could I do?” Did I say boredom? I meant shrieks of agony, a lot of tearful begging and “please Hammer, don’t hurt them”. (I can give you an earl