THE EDITOR

WATCHING: A View To A Kill. For a long time, I've supported the theory that this is the worst of the official Bond films, but after watching it again, I've decided that it's a bit unfair. Sure, there's some bad moments, and Roger Moore was much, MUCH too old by this stage to be convincing in the role, but it's a lot more fun than the frankly dull Octopussy, so moves above it in my rankings. And it's got a good theme tune, though it's clear at this stage that 007 needed a massive overhaul, which he got with the excellent The Living Daylights.

LISTENING TO: As usual, a real mixture. Third Eye Blind's debut album brought back lots of happy memories and still sounds very fresh even ten years (or so) on. On a more recent tip there's Viva Voce Loves You, a small collection of great tracks from Viva Voce's albums, taking the cream of the crop and reminding us just how good they are. Hopefully enticing some new people in as well, and there'll be a full review at the weekend. What else? Oh yeah, My Morning Jacket rule, and I've just been introduced into frankly scary world of Dan Deacon by a work colleague...

READING: Lisey's Story by Stephen King. He doesn't bring out books at quite the pace he used to, but his 'retirement' hasn't exactly slowed King down much, this being his second book in as many years, with a couple more already scheduled for release. Lisey's Story is a twist on his frequent theme of tortured writers (ie, himself), with the tale focusing on the writer's widow Lisey, who is going through his possessions and uncovering a dark and mysterious world. Not read much so far, but it looks like a good mix of genuine pathos and love with the usual 'ordinary life is scarier than vampires' King fantasy/horror magic.


THE WRITER

WATCHING: How I Met Your Mother. Despite being tossed around the BBC schedules last year, this superb romantic sitcom from producers Craig Thomas and Carter Bays is well worth getting into on DVD. Following twenty-something singleton Ted as he attempts to find 'the one', it's understandably been compared to Friends. However, HIMYM is actually superior to its 90s counterpart thanks to its superb cast, sharp wit and ability to be genuinely touching without being cloying or insincere.

LISTENING TO: Bloc Party, Silent Alarm. Bloc Party are one of those frustrating bands who are oh-so-nearly perfect. Lyrically and musically, they excel themselves and can justifiably be regarded as the next Radiohead. However, I struggle with Kele Okereke's voice. While it's suitably intimate, it's also tough to take in over the course of a whole album. Stuck on an MP3 player, dispersed with other songs though it works well and Banquet, This Modern Love and Little Thoughts really are sensational tracks.

READING: Bruce Campbell, If Chins Could Kill. My trawl through the world of Sam Raimi continues with this autobiography of his 'muse' Bruce Campbell. A real B-movie legend, Campbell may never have hit it big in Hollywood (well, unless you count all his cameos in Raimi's films), but his self-deprecating humour and incredible physicality make him one of a kind and his book a ripping good read.