Do you find this happens all the time?

Gideon Coe continues to provide wondrous value with his 9pm BBC 6Music show. Listening to at least half an hour a night is a fine habit to get into as the courteous host proffers a superb mix of hip new sounds and old beauties. For example, the first half hour of Monday’s programme proved a sublime listen. Martin Carthy’s version of January Man (very different and understated compared with the Rachel Unthank interpretation that I know) kicked proceedings off classily before some epic Power, Corruption and Lies era New Order created an acoustic/electronic compare and contrast pause for thought. I really liked the electro-pop of First Aid Kit and ‘twas mighty to listen to some old Chameleons. A track from mid-eighties outfit 14 Iced Bears sounded wonderful. They must have slipped under this radar. The whole tracklisting is available here. I salute Coe.

Naturally thoughts turn to Sunday and a key rugby union fixture. Gloucester host Cardiff in a Heineken European Cup qualifier that the Kingsholm outfit need to win, hopefully with a yummy four-try bonus point. Injuries cast a shadow over my favoured team; our finest back and forward will probably be missing although the young prince, Simpson-Daniel, and the Fijian flyer, Qera, are apparently approaching fitness. I am disappointed to reflect on injuries, sustained last weekend, to elegant full-back Morgan (my player of the season thus far) and burly midfielder Michael ‘Mike’ Tindall although both may still make the fifteen. I note that Cardiff are languishing near the bottom of the Magners League and I hope this poor form continues when the blue-clad Welsh fellows enter the Kingsholm bearpit. I tip the home side to win but much depends on the form of young Ryan Lamb and his inconsistent and erratic kicking game; I would give anything for a ‘Steady-Eddie’ type like Glen Jackson or Jonny Wilkinson in a cherry and white ten shirt. Good luck all.