Notebook Letters 9.

So mark chapman 'didn't appreciate the life he was taking' and is a changed man. Lennon's still dead, chapman still killed him, so where is the change? He should shut up and rot slowly. Negative creep. Jane Doe

Now that Reading tickets are going for over £600 on eBay and various scam companies are ruining people's summer, isn't it time promoters started doing something to protect customers? Come on, show some integrity. DJ Dave

The Void; Teletext page 827; 23rd of August, 2008; 4/7.

I also find it strange how obsessive Oasis fans can be. The formula has not changed for years, a 'wall of guitars' and the same chord progressions on different songs (well done Mark Ronson for pointing that out) meant they were always going to go downhill. Terry Brum

RIP, Jerry Wexler, involved in an inconceivable number of great records. With thanks for hours of listening joy. Kevin Lee

The Void; Teletext page 827; 23rd of August, 2008; 5/7.

Anyone wanting to study the rare nocturnal species known as The Goth should visit the bi-annual Whitby Gothic Festival. Twice a year up to 8, 000 of the species descend on this sleepy Yorkshire town to engage in strange rituals such as drinking cider with blackcurrant and mating in graveyards. Ron Nonymous

Thank you for sharing honey and the bees! I checked them out and they're insane!! Fred W

The Void; Teletext page 827; 23rd of August, 2008; 6/7.

I notice there are similarities between the choruses of Ne-Yo's Closer and 1973 by James Blunt. I shudder to think there may be a mash-up of those two songs somewhere. Dionne Jones

I agree with Pineapple Head's rant about the lack of good new music, but I don't blame the kids. The music industry is controlled like everything else, run by capitalists who like genres they can market and where creativity equals danger. Andy McGarvey

The Void; Teletext page 827; 25th of August, 2008; 1/7.

If the new Manics album really is produced by Steve Albini and is still boring, they should give up.

Nicky Wire should admit that he's been trading off his missing friend richey edwards's talent for a decade with little or no return. Or he could get Bob Fairfoull to be the new bassist and retire, before he ends up being remembered with no fondness, only as the sniper with verbal diarrhea that he's become. Andrew Blair

The Void; Teletext page 827; 25th of August, 2008; 2/7.

The Fratellis make lager-lout music for students to get drunk to, who everyone knows are generic at best.

I can go to a Radiohead concert and applaud, or I can lie in bed and let their music work in a deeper way. If I did that with The Fratellis, especially while sober, I'd be more depressed than I ever would be like Radiohead, due to the predictability of it. M Goulden

The Void; Teletext page 827; 25th of August, 2008; 3/7.

I was looking forward to seeing QOTSA on BBC3's Reading coverage, only for them to cut back to the studio after one song with Zane "Awesome song, dude" to show some Radio 1-friendly rubbish. What next, interrupting Metallica for The Hoosiers? Noname

Just when I thought the world was safe, Dido re-emerges after five years to unleash her bile on us once again. What's next, Enya? ID

The Void; Teletext page 827; 25th of August, 2008; 4/7.

Modern music is rubbish? Well, to get me through a terrible year, I've had Foals, Thecocknbullkid, Metronomy, The kills and Mystery Jets. Ella Glasgow

Sad to see Pineapple Head's rant against new music. Didn't we have this debate a year ago when Earls hit out st those who claim new music is stale? Just because the things you like aren't getting into the mainstream, there's stuff for your taste out there somewhere. Ian Holmes

The Void; Teletext page 827; 25th of August, 2008; 5/7.

I didn't say that no one could tell the difference between the large amount of metal's genres, just a lot of people. Did Tyler Durden really think I didn't know already how touchy and humourless some metal fans are? His manners are below average, not my ears. Still, if you poke the chimp with a stick. Rob Hunt

My lost gem is Mazzy Star's album Among My Swan, full of gorgeous songs, especially I've Been Let Down. Craig N

The Void; Teletext page 827; 25th of August, 2008; 6/7.

New singles by John Earls

GLASVEGAS Daddy's Gone

Sounding as heartrenching now as on its limited release last year, James Allan has had a full life before turning to music, going from the wise defiance in his vocals. That it's set to an equally dramatic clash of girlgroup and feedback is remarkable.

BEC & BETH Bec & Beth 6/10

A side project of Hot Puppies, a covers EP takes their budget-spector dramatics to fragile heartbreak.

1/4.

BIFFY CLYRO Mountains 4/10

A one-off non-album single is laudable, but it sees Clyro blander than ever. Washed-out AOR would-be anthemics are in place as Si Neil hilariously blusters "I am a mountain" over a song that barely qualifies as a molehill.

RED BLOODED WOMAN You Made Your Bed 4/10

They're trying to reinvent the girlband, apparently. Lacking a writer as good as Xenomania, their screeching electro sounds garish and shrill.

2/4.

FEEDER Tracing Lines 7/10

More of their return to the buzzsaw attack of their early days, Grant Nicholas is an underrated guitarist and this is the equal of those early stomps. A shame the new album has been neglected, as it's full of such gems.

ALPHABEAT Boyfriend 7/10

Forget notions of being a guilty pleasure, this may have been chemically tested to get the right pop formula, but it's so bright it works.

3/4.

THE MAYBES? Summertime 9/10

Anyone who saw them at Reading Festival will realise they do indeed know how to encapsulate the magic of summer into a three-minute pop song. Golden melodies and a chorus that could bring the sun out on Christmas Day.

FRIENDLY FIRES Jump In The Pool 7/10

Taut dramatics, its spy film air is bolstered by guitars that thwack about with glee behind the vocals' purpose.

4/4.

Teletext page 823; 25th of August, 2008.

My worst film

Worst film ever? Big Momma's House. Fails to inspire a single laugh. Matt, Sc*nthorpe

Can anyone help? Looking for a film from late '80s/ early '90s about a retired ira hitman. Think it was called A Prayer For The Dying. M, Woburn

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 26th of August, 2008; 1/6.

Halloweens not all bad

So you think all of the Halloween sequels were rubbish. I don't think so. Only Halloween 3, 4, 5 and Resurrection are terrible, but the rest are brilliant. As for freddie Vs jason, it's a superb film made for the fans. Dabion, Elmsall

What about JJ Abrams's Star Trek? Like Potter, it got moved to next summer. Wrath of Khan is the best Star Trek film. The rest, best to worst, are 3, 8, 4, 6, 1, 7, 10, 5, 9. Paul, Lancs

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 26th of August, 2008; 2/6.

You know this film?

I watched a film a while ago which was good. It starred Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio Del Toro. Jones plays a cop and is trying to get Del Toro who is a criminal.

At the end he and Jones are on rocks with waterfalls around and they make their own weapons and fight each other. Does anyone know what this film is called as I'd love to watch it again. Layla, Newport

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 26th of August, 2008; 3/6.

Horror remakes

Has anyone heard any news of the supposed remakes of evil Dead, Elm Street, Friday The 13th and Child's Play? Hollywood is so deserted of talent they have to rifle through the best horrors of the '80s and ruin them. Hollywood is dead of talent and originality. MWR, Thornaby On Tees

I enjoy the soundtrack to Donnie Darko. It fits the mood and tempo of the film perfectly. Marc Dunlea, Southport

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 26th of August, 2008; 4/6.

And yet more remakes

I'm all for recycling. I just wish that Hollywood wasn't so keen. I see that Papillon, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Poltergeist are just three of the latest in a long line of films getting the remake treatment. Are there any other Vortex readers fed up with this? Someone tell Hollywood that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Merv, Merthyr Tydfil

tr, Blade Runner is not visionary. The ham-fisted treatment is a crime. Read the book instead. Jenna, Brum

Vortex; Teletext 817; 26th of August, 2008; 5/6.

Trek was always funny

Anyone dreading Simon Pegg introducing humour to Star Trek must've watched a different series to the one I remember. The original Trek was full of comedy, most of it intentional though some ham-fisted, with Tribbles, I Mudd and The Shore Leave planet all raising laughs.

Do the doom-mongers not recall the extended sequence in which Scotty and a hostile alien drink each other under the table? "It'sh, er, green!!" Tim Ruffle, County Durham

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 26th of August, 2008; 6/6.

If there are such strict sound lists at Reading Festival, they should think about moving the site. It's hard to rock when you can't hear the music, only the people around you. Lindsay S

BBC3's coverage of Reading was rubbish. Most of what they showed was typical "edgy" bands. Listening to Edith Bowman and Zane Lowe was cringeworthy. Lowe knows nothing about music. GT

The Void; Teletext page 827; 27th of August, 2008; 1/7.

I can't understand Earls's problem with Newton Faulkner. I find him useful. When I have something I don't want to do, like gardening or DIY, I put his album on and promise myself I can't turn it off until I'm finished. I can now mow an acre in under 30 minutes. Dante Banks

REM were excellent in Manchester, with a great setlist including 7 Chinese Brothers and Pretty Persuasion. Anyone with an interest should go. Mark Warden

The Void; Teletext page 827; 27th of August, 2008; 2/7.

Keane's new single is rank. I was driving along happily when it came on the radio, and I thought I'd entered an '80s timewarp where such awful songs belongs. Also, I can't wait for Glasvegas's album, but I wonder what non-Scottish fans think of James Allan's heavy accent? Col The Doll

On the subject of Daniel Johnston, The Twilight Sad do a cover of Some Things Last A Long Time on their mini-album, and it's majestic. Loz Oldbury

The Void; Teletext page 827; 27th of Aigust, 2008; 3/7.

BBC3's coverage of Reading was dreadful. There were too many festures on dull, non-music matters, plus shots of the toilets, burger stands and snogging couples when they were supposed to be showing bands. As for Zane Lowe: why? Sarah Sutherland

Thank goodness for robert plant and jimmy page for leaving led zep with some credibility, unlike jimmy page. What was he thinking with that Leona Lewis duet? Keyto

The Void; Teletext page 827; 27th of August, 2008; 4/7.

Manic Street Preachers rocked at Reading, but they should have got a female singer from that day's bill to do Nina Persson's vocals on Your Love Alone. For a brief moment I thought, "What about Katie White?" Two hours later, I stopped laughing. Ramsay

The music industry has always been run by capitalists. Is Andy saying there's no creativity in all time? I agree with Ian that there's good music if you look for it. Gazzoir

The Void; Teletext page 827; 27th of August, 2008; 5/7.

I stood agape in rage at Scouting For Girls glibly oozing out a perverted, soul-eating cover of London Calling for the pointless Olympic ceremony. They twisted as vision of fear and impending apocalypse into an impossibly shallow three-minute celebration. I suppose that disgusting punks is very punk rock. Scumbag Gav

I love both Radiohead and The Fratellis. I hate lager louts, but I also hate music snobs. Ann Booton

The Void; Teletext page 827; 27th of August, 2008; 6/7.

Brett Anderson/ Wilderness

Reviews by John Earls

In which Anderson imposes rigid White Stripes-style rules on himself. The only instrumentals are piano and cello.

That it works so well is down to Anderson dropping his usual lyrical conceits to be an unabashed romantic.

Anyone who remembers the splendour of Suede ballads like Europe Is Our Playground is advised to investigate, as Anderson has never sung better. Beautiful. 8/10

1/6.

Bloc Party/ Intimacy

Blimey. Having lost their way with dance singles Flux and Mercury, it turns out they knew what they were doing all along.

Forget its download rush-release, what's most modern here is the music.

It's a thrilling, confident record that sees them outgrow indie shackles to conquer pop music. Even Mercury, so harsh and cold as a single, fits in.

2/6.

Bloc Party/ Intimacy

The opening venom of Ares sets the agenda, Matt Tong's fizzing drums, a theme of the record, relentless in pinning listeners to the wall.

Kele Okereke furthers the last album's imposing vocals throughout, by turns bitter and defiant, through his quiet desolation on the beautiful Biko is his best vocal performance to date.

What initially seems dissonant is revealed as powerful, stern.

3/6.

Bloc Party/ Intimacy

Okereke's lyrics are its one minor drawback, the questions too oblique for music demanding attention and answers.

That's forgiveable when, whatever he's singing about, Better Than Heaven ends on a celestial, moving gospel finale, or One Month Off's tribal power.

Just when it looked liked the band were subsumed in dance anonymity, they roar back. At all turns, a bold album that sees them outstrip most peers.

4/6.

The Chemical Brothers/ Brotherhood

There's little arguing with the music, which has aged superbly.

But the need for a second Best Of in five years is debatable at best, especially when any Best Of that fails to include Private Psychedelic Reel is pretty much redundant straight away.

The two new songs are decent, and giving away their rare EBW club songs on CD2 is heady. But it reeks of a stopgap and doesn't serve them well.

5/6.

Little Jackie/ The Stoop

Imani Coppola makes the vibrant pop record she's always been capable of, as doolally as early Kelis.

Whether it's deliberately aiming for the mainstream or finding the right Partner in Adam Pallin, Coppola lets loose on what could be a follow-up to Back To Black.

A little glib in parts, but there are half-a-dozen top-notch soul-pop record, as cool as her insults. 7/10

6/6.

Teletext page 824; 27th of August, 2008.

Bond date is wrong

Just to let you know that you've got the release date for Quantum of Solace listed incorrectly. The UK release date for the film is October 13. Only the US release date has been changed. If you want to check this, visit www.007.com or www.mi6.co.uk for more details. Jack Woodman

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 27th of August, 2008; 1/6.

H*llboy is great

Having seen H*llboy last night I disagree with your review. It is no disappointment, and to compare it to a Michael Bay film is an insult. This has more flair, originality and excitement than all of his films put together.

Even with all the effects thrown at the screen you can still see what's going on, rather than the hyper-kinetic editing of Transformers for example. Andy, Chelmsford

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 27th of August, 2008; 2/6.