Quote of the day

"I regret that ... I should've picked 'Rings Around The World', which would've got more people into them. But they are the natural inheritors of the Beatles' crown."

Alan Johnson on his decision to pick 'Cityscape Skybaby' on 'Desert Island Discs' last year.

That the Health Secretary is a huge Super Furry Animals fan would have been enough of a revelation, were it not for the fact that today's Observer Music Monthly also carried the news that Scarlett Johansson is about to release the fruits of a collaboration with David Siket of TV On The Radio, an album of Tom Waits covers which features David Bowie on backing vocals. It's not April Fool's Day come early, is it?

Rather less unexpected was Andy Capper's interview with Spiritualized's Jason Pierce in which he talks about his near-death experience. Their new album, the superbly titled Songs In A&E, is described as being at least in part "elevator music made for funeral homes". Another one for the shopping list, then.

Best of all, though, was the extract from poet Simon Armitage's new book, which carries the self-explanatory title 'Gig: The Life And Times Of A Rock Star Fantasist'. Sample quote: "I've also mouthed off many times about a band I once played in called the Fabrics, with Terry Towelling on drums, Poly Ester doing backing vocals, Ray On playing bass and me - singer-songwriter Bri Nylon - howling into the microphone and strangling a Fender Strat. But there was no such band. I made the whole thing up." I imagine Armitage would get on quite well with Ian Rankin...