I can't remember the last time I ever put on an album and just sat back, listening, without 4 pairs of ears on:- "Is this (track) good for a film?", "How about an advert?", "What about my radio show" or "This'll be killer in a club." If hobby = business and the workaholic in you can't switch off, that's when music's in the blood.

Occasionally, I'll hammer a banger on repeat play/ad nauseam like this one from Clinton Sparks, or have the random shuffle ting going on the Windows Media Player, enjoying what's thrown at me, though at the back of the brain, there's nearly always the thought of where and how to get those sounds 'synced' somewhere.

Particularly with the radio show, I'll listen to an album, then slap a Post-it on the CD with noteworthy tracks to play. Rarely does an album of average 14 tracks get more than about 4-5 possibles to play. Recent exceptions pretty much getting ALL tracks as firm thumbs-up are:

Kanye West's 'Late Registration' (the guy maybe arrogant as f*ck but it's backed up on his follow up to 'The College Drop-Out'; can't wait 'till graduation.....!!)

Then 'Verve Unmixed 3', lush class toons from the likes of Nina Simone, Billy Holiday, Sarah Vaughan & Shirley Horn. Don't get duped by 'Verve Remixed 3', I found the 2005 make-overs gratuitous; make way for the originals!!

Scorsese's 'Raging Bull' soundtrack took over 20 years to make it to the CD player; Why? Rights/clearance issues? Slackness? Bootross? Who knows - whatever, well worth the wait - a double-CD of diamond doozies - everything from The Ink Spots 'Whispering Grass', Gene Krupa's 'Drum Boogie', Nat King Cole's 'Mona Lisa' and Bobby De Niro himself doing stand up from the film for, 'That's Entertainment'. By the way, get the fresh Region 1 of 'Raging Bull' with Marty commentary presshah!!

Finally, Pet Shop Boys going under surnames, Tennant/Lowe for their re-scoring of 'Battleship Potemkin' (from last year's Trafalgar Square event where they played the score to a screening of Eisnestein's film surrounded by a crowd of 40,000, Nelson's Column and 'nuff pigeon poo!). CD nearly got full marks on the little yellow sticky, taking time to warm up with 'Night Falls', classic PSB's.

The Post-it note system for Rinse Radio seems to reflect for one obvious reason why i-Tunes has so rinsed it, recently surpassing 500 million downloads in about 2 years!!!!! It's the old addage of countless product released with no real quality control. However much you like an artist or the look of a certain compilation, how often is every track a winner with no filler? - Rare as steak tartare. So obvious when you think about it - at a restaurant, when ordering that steak, are you forced to eat......oh you get the picture, needn't spell it out - when you can pick & choose what you want rather than have it forced on you, it's another natural piece of media-evolutionary Darwinism.

Now I'm really looking forward to playing 'All Time Top 100' in October. The night reminds me a bit of the '6Ft. Stereo' night where punters were given 15 minutes of fame to spin what they liked, the motto of 'Top Tunes, Shite Mixing' was hilariously spot on!. So, 'All Time Top 100', can't wait. What can you expect to hear? Well, it'd be a crime if I didn't drop some Beatles and a song so close to my heart it hurts......A-Ha's 'Sun Always Shines On TV'; maybe on repeat play/REWIND!!!

If a film or doc's ever made about my life, that's the opening and/or closing credits - one of the f*cking best pop records ever made, in my, er opinion. Hope to see you down there.

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