Confused? You will be...

Not much in the way of new blog entries from yours truly of late - the disappointment of the Netherlands entry not actually making the Eurovision final after all obviously must've hit me harder than I first feared. In fact, I've not really got anything new to offer today either (why change the habits of a lifetime? etc).

I have, however, been watching the odd music vid on YouTube over the past week or so, including these two largely forgotten (at least by me - until last night) 80s classics from Womack & Womack, 1984's Love Wars and 88's Teardrops. And who knew that Linda Womack was actually Sam Cooke's daughter? Not me for one. Linda married Cecil Womack, who'd previously been married to Motown's own Mary Wells. Linda and Cecil's marriage created controversy as Cecil's brother Bobby (of Bobby Womack fame) had himself married Sam Cooke's widow Barbara just three months after the legendary crooner's murder in 1964. (Seldom has Soap's trademark "Confused?" line seemed so apt.)

Anyway, yes, love wars and teardrops all round I'd imagine!





In other eighties-related news, Rick Astley was a guest on Jonathan Ross's Radio 2 show this morning. What a thoroughly likeable, down-to-earth chap he comes across as. Modest too, insisting that he'd never really cracked America, despite having enjoyed two number ones on the Billboard singles chart and a few more top ten hits besides (we only learnt this information at all because Ross had to shoehorn it in amidst Rick's protestations of failure).

I also love the fact that that supposedly ironic but actually quite snidey "Rickrolling" campaign is what seems to have thrust our man back into the spotlight, as evidenced by his current unexpected comeback. Anyway, hurrah. Whatever you think of Rick's music - and no one's ever been more withering on this particular subject than the late, great Bill Hicks - it's refreshing to see someone with a bit of humility getting on well in the business of show. The new single's bloody awful though.