Steve Temple

8pm - Channel 4 - The Root Of All Evil - the excellent Richard Dawkins trying to argue against some of the most mind-numbingly ignorant individuals on the planet.

I will start watching programmes like this when they stop getting scientists to present them, and start employing theologians, i.e people who have studied religion, and understand its importance, rather than instant skeptics

You're crediting the wrong person for rock's slide into self-indulgence. If someone of Hendrix's talent refused to push themselves as far as they could go into uncharted musical waters would be a sin. It was the people who came after him' date=' hoping to fill the gap he left, that cheapened and spoiled what Hendrix had set out to achieve.

Also remember, as well as the extended solos and waves of feedback, there's a lot of fantastic three minute pop songs in his catalogue, more than you'd find in the average punk band's repertoire.[/quote']

You're right, I probably am. But since we're talking about his impact, I'm sure he inspired young people to pick up guitars and approach them with the aim of being faster and trickier and more impressive. But no more than Jeff Beck or Jimmy Page, i suppose

He does have some songs, but I find that he let most descend into ragas, which were more fun for him and his band than sober punters. The same goes for James Brown and Parliament, but then they influenced punk bands like Josef K.

Lets just agree: punk did it BETTER

I'm totally with you on that last point. I don't enjoy Nevermind the Bollocks by the Sex Pistols but they are still probably the most important band in terms of the effect they had on the music which came after them and which felt the reverberations of the cultural impact they made. But i hate Hendrix totally in that i hate listening to his music. I got the impression you were giving him credit purely in a muso sense in that he was such a gifted guitarist.

I think that's what S o S was doing. But Jimi Hendrix didn't revolutionise "guitar music" (whatever that is) because what he was doing was unnecessary and decadent. Infact, I'd go as far to say his only cultural impact was to lay the foundations for what INSPIRED punk to start as a counter to, ie over-indulgence, showmanship and extended jams at the expense of songs

Mr.Tart' date=' did you try to find it last night? The Westhill contingent's jackets were all put at the back of the booth rather than the usual position beside the bin, so it may be buried under the mess of records and CDs there. I'm still trying to piece together the events of that night...[/quote']

The bouncers last night told me to try during the day, so I asked behind the bar at Triple Kirks today, but it was fruitless. I didn't release our jackets were put in a different place, so I guess it could still be there. Or do you think Doolittle would have moved it somewhere other than the Lost and Found?

Tam, it's quite possible that I was that drunken idiot. But if anyone thinks I've got my comeuppance for being so drunk, it wasnt BECAUSE I was drunk that I lost these things. They were more likely given out to the wrong person, in which case it was probably an honest mistake

On Hogmanay, I lost my coat and a friends camera in Exodus. Both items were put in the DJ booth, as the cloakroom was closed, so the coat may have been given out to someone else, while the camera might have been knicked, or might have fallen out of the jacket it was in, either in the booth or by the chairs at the side. The coat is a Ben Sherman, and it has a brown lining. I got it as a Christmas present last year, so it's a wee bit precious. If you've nabbed it, it's unlikely to fit you, as it's a bit big for me and I'm 6ft 2

The camera is a disposable, so not of any value to anyone other than the person who took the photos. I may be a dick, but she's not, so she doesn't deserve to suffer because of my insistence on putting her jacket in

So if anyone who was there that night and has either of them, or knows who does, could you please let me know?

The Departure - Lump In My Throat

Maximo Park - Going Missing

For those, read: All Mapped Out, and Apply Some Pressure. Infact...

1, Apply Some Pressure - Maximo Park

2, Do You Want To - Franz Ferdinand

3, Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt - We Are Scientists

4, Bottle Rocket - The Go! Team

5, Trippin' - Robbie Williams

6, Munich - Editors

7, Shiver - Natalie Imbruglia

8, Destroy Everything You Touch - Ladytron

9, Galang - MIA

10, All Mapped Out - The Departure

Favourite Single? Apply Some Pressure - Maximo Park

Favourite Album? the very word makes me cringe

Best Night Out? the one date I went on this year

Best Thing You Bought? striped socks

Favourite Tv Show? Peep Show

Favourite Film? Downfall

Favourite Computer Game? Pro-Evs

Favourite Food? Black pudding

Favourite Sporting Moment? Aberdeen 3 Rangers 2

Favourite Celebrity? Pete Doherty (I don't like him, but the world needs him)

Outstanding Memory? the view from the John Hancock tower in Chicago

One Thing That Sums Up 2005: Finding out a girl I was about to ask out today is MARRIED (if indeed an "other half" means a husband). Typical

After half-an-hour of frantic whipping, I realised that single cream CANNOT be whipped. Live and learn

Little bit of advice needed here: I am alone with one mince pie and one carton of single cream. Should I whip the cream up (I've never used a whip before) or just pour it on?

Ian Curtis is my idol, but perhaps the noblest statement of intent ever made was "Kill Yr Idols". So mocking their death is the next best thing, isn't it?...perhaps

Jean-Baptiste Clamence in Albert Camus' "The Fall" drinks gin to alleviate his cold, and I take everything he says as gospel, so I'd go with that. It also provides a handy excuse to drink gin, if ever you should need one

How does one recognise someone who is on pills, rather than just drunk or on some other kind of drug?

Respect to Deviada for using the Aberdonian "bams" rather than the Glaswegian "neds". Disrespect for saying a crowd singing Stand Free makes you feel ashamed to be Aberdonian

That's fair enough. For the first 20 minutes, you were actually the better team. I was tempted to join in when your fans sung "Richie Byrne, you're a wanker, you're a wanker", but I don't believe in barracking home players

In The Bleak Midwinter - Bert Jansch

15 Feet of Pure White Snow (not strictly xmassy, but y'know) - Nick Cave

The Power of Love - Frankie Goes to Hollywood (why is this a Xmas song? I don't know, but it features on "the best Christmas album in the world...ever! Volume 2", so it passes)

To All A Good Night - Arab Strap

Christmas Day - Jim White

That game could have gone on for another 90 minutes and there wouldn't have been a goal etc...Not with Dunfermline doing what every team bar the Old Firm have done at Pittodrie this season and putting ten men behind the ball. It's ridiculous how much respect other teams still have for us. Pittodrie has long since ceased to deserve the "Fortress" prefix

^ that will be bbc interactive' date=' on BBC1 or 2 if you press the red button you can watch their gig at the ULU[/quote']

Aye, that's it. Marvellous...tho Julian does commit the cardinal sin of a frontman: wearing shades. Ok for anyone else in the band, but not the singer, he should have an intimicacy with the audience

I remember reading that Room on Fire was meant to be reggae-inflected. In this gig, they play a song called Razorblade, which is on the new album, and it is totally reggae, and it totally works

It will be as great as their other 2 albums. Juicebox is a quality tune. Reminds me of Dead Kennedys for some reason.

That's who it was! I couldn't put my finger on who it reminded me of

I'd never taken much notice of The Strokes, but while surfing my meagre Freeview channels, I came across one that's been showing a gig of theirs over and over for a few days. I've watched it about half-a-dozen times, and I'm gonna go watch it again, it's that good, "Take it or leave it" in particular

But you were speaking to girls from my school...and I was scared

I struggled to enjoy this gig, as all I could feel was my scene-cred plummeting with every second I stood alone. But, otherwise, it was fantastique. I'd only heard Nine and Thirteen, but every other number was just as disco-tastic. And joining your own mosh-pit is definitely the way to cause chaos

Having seen Niall from Reasons are Red perform acoustic at The Belmont cinema, I had him down as an indie wimp. But on Sunday he was revealed to be a cynical, sarky bastard! And - God knows - pop needs more of them

No, park in Councillor Hutchinson's space in the St. Nicholas House car park! Not any other councillor, only Hutchinson. It's the only rad thing to do, and you'll be following in some illustrious footsteps (and I don't mean Hutchinson)

Holburn Bars not bad but you cant smoke!! I dont smoke myself but a few of my mates do and its shit for them!! I do have an occasional fag when im drinking though!!!

That'll be another reason why I found it so pleasant. But then I too like to at least have the option to smoke a fag or two

I suppose, in fairness, Marc has correctly said that W.A.S. are a great band before. And if Boy Kill Boy resemble them, then I may not avoid them. I don't suppose they're in the NME Cool List too...

Hmm, I've not heard of them, but if Marc and Rowan are creaming their pants over them, then I can presume they're best avoided

I was impressed with the Holburn Bar last time I wandered in there. A bit souless, maybe, but it is room-y, with comfortable seats, live football, and most importantly: pints of Caledonian 80 shilling for under 2.50!

they started to play at about 5.50pm or so

Fucking cock-sucking motherfucking world. I had been waiting since 4.55, and at 5.50 a girl asked if they were still gonna play, and the person behind the counter said they would be in half an hour. So I left, and came back at 6.20, to find they'd started, and wondered how much I'd missed. So, about half an hours worth, then? And I was too far back to a)hear, and b) request The Good Part or Turbulence. Gutted