David Belbin
@davidbelbin.bsky.social
Nottingham novelist. Poetry reader. Music nerd. Movie lover. From October 25-March 26, I'm publishing 'Greeneland' a serial novel set 100 years ago, covering Graham Greene's 4 months in Nottingham davidbelbin.substack.com. A dog, a job, a woman & a church.
Reposted by David Belbin
I like this glorious list poem from Martin Stannard’s forthcoming Collected Poems.
January 24, 2026 at 11:05 AM
I like this glorious list poem from Martin Stannard’s forthcoming Collected Poems.
The Old Guys. Last year I wrote about what turned out to be one of Martin Carthy's final shows. How can you tell someone to stop doing the thing they love doing? www.davidbelbin.com/blog/2025/03...
The Old Guys: Martin Carthy, John Cale & Van Morrison – David Belbin
www.davidbelbin.com
January 23, 2026 at 4:55 PM
The Old Guys. Last year I wrote about what turned out to be one of Martin Carthy's final shows. How can you tell someone to stop doing the thing they love doing? www.davidbelbin.com/blog/2025/03...
Bowie evidently used to avoid getting recognised in New York by tucking a Japanese newspaper under his arm. He also made this video to show what would happen should he pick up the wrong newspaper by mistake.
January 17, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Bowie evidently used to avoid getting recognised in New York by tucking a Japanese newspaper under his arm. He also made this video to show what would happen should he pick up the wrong newspaper by mistake.
Reminds me of the late '90s Sunday afternoon when four of us got four stereo set ups aligned in my sitting room to listen to a borrowed copy of The Flaming Lips' Zaireeka so that we could listen to all four cds simultaneously. Worked a treat.
With some time on my hands I’ve finally got around to playing this weird LP I own: Listen With(out) Piano, a companion piece to Alexis Taylor’s solo album Piano. It’s an ‘overdub’ record by various artists to play alongside Piano, which I’m playing from my phone on a smart speaker.
January 17, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Reminds me of the late '90s Sunday afternoon when four of us got four stereo set ups aligned in my sitting room to listen to a borrowed copy of The Flaming Lips' Zaireeka so that we could listen to all four cds simultaneously. Worked a treat.
The end of January is about to get very busy for young Mr Greene in Nottingham. First, here's a bonus post about a novel that Greene abandoned, began again, got rejected, and nearly forgot. It's time for 'THE EPISODE' EPISODE (no major spoilers if you're behind btw) open.substack.com/pub/davidbel...
BONUS POST: 'THE EPISODE' EPISODE
Greene's forgotten novel
open.substack.com
January 17, 2026 at 12:32 PM
The end of January is about to get very busy for young Mr Greene in Nottingham. First, here's a bonus post about a novel that Greene abandoned, began again, got rejected, and nearly forgot. It's time for 'THE EPISODE' EPISODE (no major spoilers if you're behind btw) open.substack.com/pub/davidbel...
Good list with eccentric number one, which I applaud. Good to see Nina (I'd go Emergency Ward!) & Van in the top 10. Think Neil Young's Time Fades Away would be in mine. If official bootlegs allowed I'd add Little Feat's Electric Lycanthrope & DB's Thin White Duke www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...
From Dylan to disco, Beyoncé to Bob Marley: the 30 best live albums ever – ranked!
Peter Frampton’s Frampton Comes Alive!, one of the bestselling live albums of all time, is turning 50. You won’t find that on this list, however: instead there’s metal, soul, and an ‘indecently exciti...
www.theguardian.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Good list with eccentric number one, which I applaud. Good to see Nina (I'd go Emergency Ward!) & Van in the top 10. Think Neil Young's Time Fades Away would be in mine. If official bootlegs allowed I'd add Little Feat's Electric Lycanthrope & DB's Thin White Duke www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...
Welcome @imcmillan.bsky.social What took you so long?
January 16, 2026 at 11:04 AM
Welcome @imcmillan.bsky.social What took you so long?
Reposted by David Belbin
Been so many Bowie tenth anniversary tribute posts, I only just got round to checking out this one - and it's the most fun of all.
He was a silly guy in a lot of ways despite all the artistic seriousness he used to sell himself. Here's an outtake of Bowie impersonating Springsteen, Neil Young, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, and others. It's always made me laugh.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyuU...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyuU...
David Bowie impersonates Springsteen, Neil Young, Tom Waits in old Recording
YouTube video by Lim Yong
www.youtube.com
January 14, 2026 at 11:30 AM
Been so many Bowie tenth anniversary tribute posts, I only just got round to checking out this one - and it's the most fun of all.
Been so many Bowie tenth anniversary tribute posts, I only just got round to checking out this one - and it's the most fun of all.
He was a silly guy in a lot of ways despite all the artistic seriousness he used to sell himself. Here's an outtake of Bowie impersonating Springsteen, Neil Young, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, and others. It's always made me laugh.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyuU...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyuU...
David Bowie impersonates Springsteen, Neil Young, Tom Waits in old Recording
YouTube video by Lim Yong
www.youtube.com
January 14, 2026 at 11:30 AM
Been so many Bowie tenth anniversary tribute posts, I only just got round to checking out this one - and it's the most fun of all.
It's a big week in Greeneland, with Graham's girlfriend due to visit Nottingham & him planning a novel about chess: one that, had he published it, would have predated The Queen's Gambit, The Royal Game, Intermezzo & many more I've yet to read. Recommendations?
davidbelbin.substack.com/p/twenty-two
davidbelbin.substack.com/p/twenty-two
TWENTY-TWO
Wednesday, January 13th
davidbelbin.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 1:51 PM
It's a big week in Greeneland, with Graham's girlfriend due to visit Nottingham & him planning a novel about chess: one that, had he published it, would have predated The Queen's Gambit, The Royal Game, Intermezzo & many more I've yet to read. Recommendations?
davidbelbin.substack.com/p/twenty-two
davidbelbin.substack.com/p/twenty-two
I'll have a go at this. Favourite Bowie (today) 10 in no particular order.
Drive-In Saturday
Station to Station
Can You Hear Me?
Five Years
Space Oddity
Sweet Thing/Candidate/ST reprise
I Can't Give Everything Away
Modern Love
Everyone says Hi!
Where Are We Now?
tempted to include Holy Holy 1/2
Drive-In Saturday
Station to Station
Can You Hear Me?
Five Years
Space Oddity
Sweet Thing/Candidate/ST reprise
I Can't Give Everything Away
Modern Love
Everyone says Hi!
Where Are We Now?
tempted to include Holy Holy 1/2
Favourite Bowie 10, usual caveats
Always Crashing in the Same Car
Everyone Says Hi
Wild is the Wind
Station to Station
Sound and Vision
Joe the Lion
Subterraneans
Moss Garden
“Heroes”
Up the Hill Backwards
Always Crashing in the Same Car
Everyone Says Hi
Wild is the Wind
Station to Station
Sound and Vision
Joe the Lion
Subterraneans
Moss Garden
“Heroes”
Up the Hill Backwards
January 11, 2026 at 6:11 PM
I'll have a go at this. Favourite Bowie (today) 10 in no particular order.
Drive-In Saturday
Station to Station
Can You Hear Me?
Five Years
Space Oddity
Sweet Thing/Candidate/ST reprise
I Can't Give Everything Away
Modern Love
Everyone says Hi!
Where Are We Now?
tempted to include Holy Holy 1/2
Drive-In Saturday
Station to Station
Can You Hear Me?
Five Years
Space Oddity
Sweet Thing/Candidate/ST reprise
I Can't Give Everything Away
Modern Love
Everyone says Hi!
Where Are We Now?
tempted to include Holy Holy 1/2
Liverpool Empire, where I saw my first gig, the Meddle tour, on which they debuted Eclipse (later retitled Dark Side of the Moon) on February 13th, 1972 (tickets were a 14th birthday present). We moved in 1974 but I was also to see Focus, Jeff Beck, Leonard Cohen, The Faces, ELP & Cat Stevens there.
January 11, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Liverpool Empire, where I saw my first gig, the Meddle tour, on which they debuted Eclipse (later retitled Dark Side of the Moon) on February 13th, 1972 (tickets were a 14th birthday present). We moved in 1974 but I was also to see Focus, Jeff Beck, Leonard Cohen, The Faces, ELP & Cat Stevens there.
Look forward to seeing Stewart Lee interviewing Sleaford Mods @roughtrade1976.bsky.social Nottingham on Tuesday. If you missed out on tickets, a recording of the Nottingham interview will be available free exclusively for members of the Nerve, where SL has a column. www.thenerve.news/p/stewart-le...
Stewart Lee: Nakedly imperialist oil wars just aren’t what they used to be
Call me nostalgic, but didn’t the US used to have a cover story for invading South American countries – or at least have a president who could remember what it was?
www.thenerve.news
January 11, 2026 at 11:45 AM
Look forward to seeing Stewart Lee interviewing Sleaford Mods @roughtrade1976.bsky.social Nottingham on Tuesday. If you missed out on tickets, a recording of the Nottingham interview will be available free exclusively for members of the Nerve, where SL has a column. www.thenerve.news/p/stewart-le...
Siri, show me some good news*
* extended online version in alt text.
* extended online version in alt text.
January 10, 2026 at 11:44 AM
Siri, show me some good news*
* extended online version in alt text.
* extended online version in alt text.
Reposted by David Belbin
Us trying our best to remind everyone to add alt text.
Be a guaranteed alt text hundy. It’s very easy to start adding. After you’ve uploaded your image, click "Alt", write a short description and post.
Be a guaranteed alt text hundy. It’s very easy to start adding. After you’ve uploaded your image, click "Alt", write a short description and post.
January 8, 2026 at 6:53 PM
Us trying our best to remind everyone to add alt text.
Be a guaranteed alt text hundy. It’s very easy to start adding. After you’ve uploaded your image, click "Alt", write a short description and post.
Be a guaranteed alt text hundy. It’s very easy to start adding. After you’ve uploaded your image, click "Alt", write a short description and post.
New Prynne alert. Face Press. Edition of 100.
January 8, 2026 at 5:54 PM
New Prynne alert. Face Press. Edition of 100.
My serial novel about a 21-year-old Graham Greene's pivotal four months in Nottingham enters 1926, when a young GG has a day off and goes to see two movies, one of them since lost. davidbelbin.substack.com/p/nineteen
NINETEEN
1926
davidbelbin.substack.com
January 8, 2026 at 12:10 PM
My serial novel about a 21-year-old Graham Greene's pivotal four months in Nottingham enters 1926, when a young GG has a day off and goes to see two movies, one of them since lost. davidbelbin.substack.com/p/nineteen
This terrific 2006 South Bank Show profile of JG Ballard saw me through six miles on my exercise bike. Bragg gently draws out a novelist (and short story writer) whose work seems more timely with every year that passes. Must read Super Cannes. www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Los...
J G Ballard Documentary
YouTube video by matley virgo
www.youtube.com
January 7, 2026 at 10:59 AM
This terrific 2006 South Bank Show profile of JG Ballard saw me through six miles on my exercise bike. Bragg gently draws out a novelist (and short story writer) whose work seems more timely with every year that passes. Must read Super Cannes. www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Los...
In tribute to the late Rob Reiner, been watching the 4.5 hour This is Spinal Tap workprint on The Internet Archive during my morning exercise bike ride. Ten twenty-five minutes episodes of top grade humour. Only a couple of duff scenes & lots of interest in how he cut it: archive.org/details/this...
This Is Spinal Tap Workprint : Slanderbob : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
This Is Spinal Tap 4.5 hour Workprint
archive.org
December 28, 2025 at 10:54 AM
In tribute to the late Rob Reiner, been watching the 4.5 hour This is Spinal Tap workprint on The Internet Archive during my morning exercise bike ride. Ten twenty-five minutes episodes of top grade humour. Only a couple of duff scenes & lots of interest in how he cut it: archive.org/details/this...
Reposted by David Belbin
Reading the excellent second volume of James Hamilton's Disco Pages, expertly reassembled by @whichdecadetops.bsky.social, and although he's into the '80s now it's still startling, though amusing, to see how much my Young Punctum writing seemed to have been influenced by his reviewing style!
December 26, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Reading the excellent second volume of James Hamilton's Disco Pages, expertly reassembled by @whichdecadetops.bsky.social, and although he's into the '80s now it's still startling, though amusing, to see how much my Young Punctum writing seemed to have been influenced by his reviewing style!
BBC2 has a seasonal sense of humour, showing The Great Escape at 445 today, then The Great Escaper at 930. The latter, written by my pal Billy Ivory, is a lovely, heart warming 90 minutes, with the final film performances of both Glenda Jackson and Michael Caine. Recommended.
December 26, 2025 at 12:24 PM
BBC2 has a seasonal sense of humour, showing The Great Escape at 445 today, then The Great Escaper at 930. The latter, written by my pal Billy Ivory, is a lovely, heart warming 90 minutes, with the final film performances of both Glenda Jackson and Michael Caine. Recommended.
A rather cool entry from Chris Rea, RIP, in the final edition of the Guinness Book of Hit Singles, which has long been my bible.
December 23, 2025 at 2:26 PM
A rather cool entry from Chris Rea, RIP, in the final edition of the Guinness Book of Hit Singles, which has long been my bible.
The lovely tribute from Richard Williams I was quoting from: thebluemoment.com/2025/12/22/t...
December 23, 2025 at 11:37 AM
The lovely tribute from Richard Williams I was quoting from: thebluemoment.com/2025/12/22/t...
RIP Chris Rea. Richard Williams says Chris told him he wrote the first few lines of It Started With a Kiss by Hot Chocolate (for lots of cash rather than a credit). Whatever they paid him was worth it. Their quintessential, most memorable song, brilliantly reimagining the subject of earlier HC hits.
December 22, 2025 at 8:44 PM
RIP Chris Rea. Richard Williams says Chris told him he wrote the first few lines of It Started With a Kiss by Hot Chocolate (for lots of cash rather than a credit). Whatever they paid him was worth it. Their quintessential, most memorable song, brilliantly reimagining the subject of earlier HC hits.
Went to a furniture restorer earlier and, while dropping off a damaged desk drawer, ran into this old friend, who was waiting to be repaired after flood damage. He's an original and insured for 16k evidently.
December 22, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Went to a furniture restorer earlier and, while dropping off a damaged desk drawer, ran into this old friend, who was waiting to be repaired after flood damage. He's an original and insured for 16k evidently.