Notebook Letters 9.

I appreciate The Fratellis' fans wish to defend them, but it's cheap to resort to clichés about Radiohead being depressing and their fans "poncey". It's hard to see how they're clones, either. A narrow mind doesn't suit, and I'm not even a big Radiohead fan any more. Silencia Idiota

Nicole Atkins's debut album Neptune City is a breath of fresh air. Thanks to Earls for the recommendation of a fantastic record. Steve Lloyd

The Void; Teletext page 827; 29th of August, 2008; 5/7.

Maybe Keane are being clever with their new '80s-influenced sound. We keep getting told they've listened to by us 40-plus housewives. Our teenage music era was the '80s. Now, I must get myself and my Zimmer frame over to my commode. Karen Cuthbert

I've had the misfortune to see The Fratellis live and I was that bored I wrote a shopping list. Without doubt the worst live band I've ever seen, and I saw an Alisha's Attic gig. Sean O'Neill

The Void; Teletext page 827; 29th of August, 2008; 6/7.

How to deal with children

Grant: Agree with you, we had children spoil our viewing of King Kong, three hours of running about and being noisy. Do what we did and being noisy. Do what we did and complain to the cinema anager afterwards. We received free passes. The following week we went and saw King Kong in peace. Merv, Merthyr Tydfil

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 29th of August, 2008; 1/6.

Star Trek's decline

Star Trek has been on a downward spiral since the original crew handed in their phasers with their final film in 1991 (also the same year Gene Roddenberry died).

The only Star Trek that has been very good since was the Next Generation film First Contact in 1996. Deep Space 9, Voyager, and Enterprise were all techno-babble bores. It was no surprise the last film flopped and the Enterprise TV show was cancelled.

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 29th of August, 2008; 2/6.

Star Trek decline

Star Trek had clearly run out of steam under Rick Berman. (Although the final series of Enterprise was good thanks to it foreshadowing the original series).

JJ Abrams returning Trek to its roots with the orginal crew in a $150 million film (the kind of budget Trek hasn't seen since the first film in 1979) will be the breath of fresh air Star Trek needs. Patrick, Cardiff

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 29th of August, 2008; 3/6.

Mulholland explained

For an explanation for Mullholland Drive, I suggest reading this: www.themodernworld.com/mulholland. Happy reading! Andrew

Forget Tarantino's Inglorious Nonsense, check out H*ll Ride starring Michael Madsen and our very own Vinnie Jones!

Victor Olliver mocking Madonna's age made me laugh. She may be 50 but she's a legend. Rebecca Nahid, Hants

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 29th of August, 2008; 4/6.

Who created cyberpunk?

Re: The person who claimed Blade Runner gave birth to Cyberpunk, I must correct you.

Blade Runner may be the archetypal example of the genre in film but it trades on the Cyberpunk ideas of William Gibson in Burning Chrome and Neuromancer. To ascribe the genre to Ridley Scott is unfair, not least to Philip K D*ck whose book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? forms the basis for the film. JMP, Rochdale

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 29th of August, 2008; 5/6.

Toaster's brill music

The best soundtrack for an animated film has to be The Brave Little Toaster. Has some of the most original and catchiest songs ever! From Bruce Hauer

Best soundtracks are Suburbia, This Is England, SLC Punk. Best film scores are Badlands, clockwork orange, Thin Red Line. Posz, Newcastle

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 29th of August, 2008; 6/6.

I've got back home to Ireland after seeing REM in Southampton. I thought they couldn't get any better, but how wrong I was. What a perfect show. Thank you, REM. Neecy

The furthest I went to a gig was across America to see Murder Junkies, going from Philadelphia to New York and from there to Boston and New Hampshire. The tour ended with a gathering on GG Allin's grave. Now, that was quite a trip. Sean Cooke

The Void; Teletext page 827; 30th of August, 2008; 2/7.

After his lack of anything to offer on Question Time and Have I Got News For You, plus being found out on Maestro, what purpose does Alex James serve for 2008? Tyler Durden

Did those complaining about Reading coverage on BBC3 forget to press the red button? Uninterrupted bands all weekend. My only moan is the Republic stage had limited coverage and Justice only got 15 minutes. BBC3 was worth it for Florence And The Machine. Jamie Green

The Void; Teletext page 827; 30th of August, 2008; 3/7.

I'm a 34-year-old married man with three children and something strange has happened to me: I can't stop listening to kill Hannah. The average age of their fanvase is 14- 16. Am I having a mid-life crisis, or is their album Until There's Nothing Left of Us as good as my brain is telling me it is? Secondalibi

The Cribs got their crowd at Reading to boo Metallica, did they? Jealousy gets you nowhere, fellas. Miffy

The Void; Teletext page 827; 30th of August, 2008; 4/7.

My rant against current music was more of an observation about how music isn't moving forward this decade, but looking backwards, so far.

It used to be that, every few years, a new genre would come along, from rock & roll to house, to shake things up and keep music naturally evolving. This doesn't seem to be happening any more. Perhaps we've exhausted all the possibilities? Has music nowhere now left to go? Discuss! Pineapple Head

The Void; Teletext page 827; 30th of August, 2008; 5/7.

I've discovered recently that The Stone Roses didn't come from Manchester, apart from Reni. Nor did joy division. Manchester's music scene has been exaggerated over the years. Elbow are often labelled as Mancunians, when they come from Bury. Jimmy From Oldham

I'm no killers fan, but their cover of joy division was superb at Reading and the Manics' version of Pennyroyal Tea by Nirvana was even better. Kev Hyland

The Void; Teletext page 827; 30th of August, 2008; 6/7.

Dog Man Star by Suede is indeed absolutely magnificent, if overblown. I was 14 when it came out, and I've loved it ever since. Suede's first three albums, and CD1 of their B-Sides album Sci-Fi Lullabies, contain some of the best music you could ever wish for. I can't wait to get hold of Brett Anderson's new album. The Doc

Kudos to whoever had Frazier Chorus as their great lost band. Typical is one of the great lost '80s singles. TaDa

The Void; Teletext page 827; 1st of September, 2008; 4/7.

I've never bought an album just on the strength of hearing a song on TV, as a Voider asked having bought two Phonics albums from a BBC song. But I recently lost my download after hearing Kiss With A Fist by Florence And The Machine on an ad for Channel 4.

It was worth it, two minutes of skiffle-punk, it's the best thing I've heard all year. And, I admit it, her red undies in the video are good too. Nicko

The Void; Teletext page 827; 1st of September, 2008; 1/7.

Does it matter what people listen to? I love both Radiohead and The Fratellis. They were the main bands I listened to during a recent spell in hospital. Radiohead calms me down when I wait for treatment, and The Fratellis put me in a fighting spirit. Live and let live, life's too short.

Also, is anyone else as disappointed as I am by Channel 4's new music channel, 4 Music? Spiderboots

Void: Get well soon, Dame Diplomacy.

The Void; Teletext page 827; 1st of September, 2008; 2/7.

What a relief to hear AC/DC back on form on their new single Rock N Roll Train. It comes to something when you have to rely on the old guard, Wildhearts as well, for a dose of rock & roll. Rosie Ox

Music just about dancing, it's meant to be heard. It annoys when dance acts "remix" slow songs by adding mechanical thuds. Slow music isn't dull. Beethoven's symphonies dance without any added thud. PK Murphy

The Void; Teletext page 827; 1st of September, 2008; 3/7.

MF Doom's classic 1998 album Operation Doomsday has been unavailable for several years due to legal issues. After the controversy over Black B******'s delayed release, Doom became a release.

It's great to hear him again with his new Doomposter album. It's only out on import at the moment, so I ordered my vinyl copy from New York's Fat Beats, and I'd urge all hip hop heads to seek it out. Rich A

The Void; Teletext page 827; 1st of September, 2008; 4/7.

If, as Andy claims, there were no capitalists in music until 1973, does that mean elvis presley was managed by Oxfam, that Motown was run by nuns and The Beatles' albums came free with packets of Fruit Pastilles? Novapilbeam

I've been into British music for 15 years like My Dying Bride, and they're good now, but newer metal bands are taking metal in fresh places. Moss, Electric Wizard and Pombagria are heavy bands. Cornwall Steve

The Void; Teletext page 827; 1st of September, 2008; 6/7.

New singles by John Earls

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Summertime 4/10

After Take That, it was only a matter of time before their inspiration got back together too. Just as predictably, it's like it's still 1990. This is for you if you want Hangin' Tough. As is medical attention.

THE INCONSOLABLES Hoverfly 5/10

Despite a great riff, the determination to be lo-fi finishes them off: twee "Na-na-na" chorus, irksome buzzing fly FX.

1/5.

DAVID HOLMES I Have Heard Wonders 8/10

Holmes makes a superb start as a singer, sighing like Jason Pierce over Krautrock that Bobby Gillespie would kill for.

SISTERS OF TRANSISTORS The Don 6/10

Graham Massrey oversees an all-girl organ quartet who make an impressive rumble with a riff that doesn't go.

2/5.

AVENUE Last Goodbye 3/10

With pop back on top, it was inevitable that someone would try to launch a new boyband as cheesy as Boyzonw. So it comes to pass that these X-Factor rejects are being tipped for big things in the industry. Risible Eurodisco.

THE LATE GREATS He's Not It 8/10

One of the better anti-scenester rants, it builds into a terrace chant after wonky His N Hers-era Pulp flourishes and vocal charisma.

3/5.

NEIL HAILSTEAD Queen Bee 7/10

We'll forgive the Mojave 3 singer joining Jack Johnson's band so long as he continues to make warm and fuzzy gently hazy pop like this male Mazzy Star lushness. Achingly sweet.

NEIMO The Chalice 7/10

Under the radar, Paris is starting to produce fine bands like this lot, who romp about like a more disco take on The Hives' OTT wails.

4/5.

PAVILION Spoils of War 9/10

Anyone expecting Ryan Jarman's debut as a producer to be similar to The Cribs' punk can firget it: this is a wondrous rock & roll drama similar to Johnny Boy's Bought More Shoes, only with a more Roddy Frame-style vocal. Worthy of a phil spector moment.

MASTER SHORTIE Rope Chain 6/10

London rapper goes for the crunk commercialism, but packs a couple of intriguing FX along the way.

5/5.

Teletext page 823; 1st of September, 2008.

Thanks to occasional Voider Peter Ormerod, who has set up a Planet Sound Facebook group, see Planet Sound Is Great! for an unofficial interactive load more Voidy nonsense. The Void.

The people who gave us elvis, Dylan, The Beatles and Motown were driven by the love of music: Sam Phillips, George Martin, Berry Gordy, Jac Holzman. Nobody knew what cash cows these musicians would become. Capitalists are driven by the love of money. Andy McGarvey

The Void; Teletext page 827; 2nd of September, 2008; 1/7.

Regarding long-distance gigs, I went to New Jersey with my son last year to see Bon Jovi, with a couple of days in New York. An amazing experience. T Baldwin

Void: All that way for Bon Jovi? We're alerting social services for cruelty to your son.

Despite my admiration for edgy comedy and a slight crush on him, how could young alex zane think he could get away with a song about r*pe on his XFM radio show? Vigilante Maelstrom

The Void; Teletext page 827; 2nd of September, 2008; 2/7.

How can Pineapple Head say that house was an example of music evolving? Along with SAW's Hit Factory, house devolved music into the vacuous, chart-obsessed drivel we now have. They both ruined pop in Britain. Ronnie Bradley

Void: Lumping house in with SAW? That's left us speechless.

Santogold is one gorgeously charismatic, beautiful and original artist. Her album's not bad either. Eddie Clarke

The Void; Teletext page 827; 2nd of September, 2008; 3/7.

What's with the assumption that you can't dance at a Radiohead gig? I challenge anyone to see them live and not dance to Idioteque. Cathal McBride

Would Zane Lowe quit The Evening Session and hand it back to Steve Lamacq? He's killing my enjoyment of music. Do as Lamo did, play the song, tell us about it and let listeners decide for themselves if they're so hot. And now Lowe's suddenly an AC/DC fan as they've an album out. Brian Robinson

The Void; Teletext page 827; 2nd of September, 2008; 4/7.

I agree with Pineapple Head that music isn't evolving. It seems impossible to think a new genre will come along that would blow people's minds any more. Everything seems to have been done. Every human emotion has been expressed, every instrument technique has been applied. It's a worried notion, because music has its limitations, A to G, and it'll be harder to write an original song. Verses The Chorus

The Void; Teletext page 827; 2nd of September, 2008; 5/7.