Rob Chapman
@scribblerrob.bsky.social
My new novel is called Drum. It's available as a Kindle and Paperback. You can buy it here.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drum-Rob-Chapman/dp/B0G4CQ6FKV/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drum-Rob-Chapman/dp/B0G4CQ6FKV/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
Pinned
Contains; Jazz. Jokes. Nazis. The IRA. More jokes. Kinder Transport. Transport Caffs. Lenny Bruce. Samuel Beckett. Bits. Estate Agents. Harold Pinter. More jokes. Accidentally getting famous. Top of The Pops. Top of The Form. Stanislavski. Peter Cook. Peter Sutcliffe. "I wouldn't open with it".
Just another memory jog that I'm doing a turn here on Saturday night, so all you Sussex by The Sea heads get yourself down there for Syd chat and the inevitable off topic delights.
www.tickettailor.com/events/thepi...
www.tickettailor.com/events/thepi...
Buy tickets – Syd's Last Stand - celebrating Syd Barrett – The Piper
Syd's Last Stand - celebrating Syd Barrett – The Piper, Sat 17 Jan 2026 - Q&A with Syd biographer Rob Chapman.plus DJs and dancingCelebrating 58 years since Syd Barrett's last ever performance wit...
www.tickettailor.com
January 13, 2026 at 11:28 AM
Just another memory jog that I'm doing a turn here on Saturday night, so all you Sussex by The Sea heads get yourself down there for Syd chat and the inevitable off topic delights.
www.tickettailor.com/events/thepi...
www.tickettailor.com/events/thepi...
Magnificent. Looks like it belongs in Nik Cohn & Guy Peellaert's Rock Dreams.
Mark E. Smith at The Foresters in Prestwich, Manchester, photo by Charles Gordon Montgomery, early 1980s.
January 13, 2026 at 8:40 AM
Magnificent. Looks like it belongs in Nik Cohn & Guy Peellaert's Rock Dreams.
Have they put the clocks back again without telling us? #darkmornings
January 13, 2026 at 8:34 AM
Have they put the clocks back again without telling us? #darkmornings
Contains; Jazz. Jokes. Nazis. The IRA. More jokes. Kinder Transport. Transport Caffs. Lenny Bruce. Samuel Beckett. Bits. Estate Agents. Harold Pinter. More jokes. Accidentally getting famous. Top of The Pops. Top of The Form. Stanislavski. Peter Cook. Peter Sutcliffe. "I wouldn't open with it".
January 12, 2026 at 11:03 AM
Contains; Jazz. Jokes. Nazis. The IRA. More jokes. Kinder Transport. Transport Caffs. Lenny Bruce. Samuel Beckett. Bits. Estate Agents. Harold Pinter. More jokes. Accidentally getting famous. Top of The Pops. Top of The Form. Stanislavski. Peter Cook. Peter Sutcliffe. "I wouldn't open with it".
"His death was no different to his life A work of art". Yeah I expect his wife and son said that too when he confirmed his diagnosis. "Ooh David you're a work of art you are." So easy for critics to write dispassionate wank like that isn't it?
January 12, 2026 at 8:12 AM
"His death was no different to his life A work of art". Yeah I expect his wife and son said that too when he confirmed his diagnosis. "Ooh David you're a work of art you are." So easy for critics to write dispassionate wank like that isn't it?
Look, all I said was I'd only just joined the conceptual dots y'know between actual people queuing round the block to see a popular film and the term itself. I didn't say I was the OED or even Eric Partridge y'know. And now it's all this.
January 11, 2026 at 9:56 PM
Look, all I said was I'd only just joined the conceptual dots y'know between actual people queuing round the block to see a popular film and the term itself. I didn't say I was the OED or even Eric Partridge y'know. And now it's all this.
Oh god I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning to Pedantry Central aren't I?
January 11, 2026 at 9:39 PM
Oh god I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning to Pedantry Central aren't I?
I have a massive confession to make. We're watching a doc that mentions that when Jaws opened the queue went round the block. And I have only just realized what 'Blockbuster' actually means. I am 71 years old
January 11, 2026 at 8:41 PM
I have a massive confession to make. We're watching a doc that mentions that when Jaws opened the queue went round the block. And I have only just realized what 'Blockbuster' actually means. I am 71 years old
30 years old and still sounds mighty fine. Pisses on the Smiths.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV_w...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV_w...
McCarthy - Should The Bible Be Banned?
YouTube video by Cathode Ghosts
www.youtube.com
January 11, 2026 at 7:50 PM
30 years old and still sounds mighty fine. Pisses on the Smiths.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV_w...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV_w...
One of the most joyously oddball discoveries about David Bowie's reliably eclectic favourite albums list was his love for this LP. A record close to my heart for many reasons.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDQ9...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDQ9...
All I Want Is Out Of Here
YouTube video by Daevid Allen - Topic
www.youtube.com
January 11, 2026 at 12:32 PM
One of the most joyously oddball discoveries about David Bowie's reliably eclectic favourite albums list was his love for this LP. A record close to my heart for many reasons.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDQ9...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDQ9...
Anyone seen that amazing interview with The Internet where it predicts David Bowie?
January 11, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Anyone seen that amazing interview with The Internet where it predicts David Bowie?
Nothing like laying in bed in the 7am gloom and suddenly solving a plot cul-de-sac in your next book.
January 11, 2026 at 8:38 AM
Nothing like laying in bed in the 7am gloom and suddenly solving a plot cul-de-sac in your next book.
Can't Help Thinking About Me
The Gospel According to Tony Day
Please Mr Grave Digger
Memory of A Free Festival
Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud
#alreadythere
The Gospel According to Tony Day
Please Mr Grave Digger
Memory of A Free Festival
Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud
#alreadythere
January 10, 2026 at 11:10 PM
Can't Help Thinking About Me
The Gospel According to Tony Day
Please Mr Grave Digger
Memory of A Free Festival
Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud
#alreadythere
The Gospel According to Tony Day
Please Mr Grave Digger
Memory of A Free Festival
Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud
#alreadythere
WKCR have been playing Max Roach all day on his birthday anniv. They've been playing some fantastic stuff. I realise I should have mentioned this hours ago but then you should all have internet radios anyway. #mildscold
January 10, 2026 at 6:24 PM
WKCR have been playing Max Roach all day on his birthday anniv. They've been playing some fantastic stuff. I realise I should have mentioned this hours ago but then you should all have internet radios anyway. #mildscold
When they did the awesome lengthy intro live version of this at Early Court in 78 atm Bowie went to sing the opening line my mate turned to me with an impish grin and sang "I was walking down the high street." His timing was immaculate and it was a moment of comic genius.
Sometimes I listen to the opening of Station to Station and imagine Bowie coke transfixed by the train fx. "David, we really need to get to the song". "No. Let's have 18 minutes of this!"
January 10, 2026 at 5:37 PM
When they did the awesome lengthy intro live version of this at Early Court in 78 atm Bowie went to sing the opening line my mate turned to me with an impish grin and sang "I was walking down the high street." His timing was immaculate and it was a moment of comic genius.
Nuts In May. The Sequel. Candice Marie is now a committed eco-warrior and Green councillor. Earned her activist stripes at Greenham. Petra Kelly poster on the wall. Keith (divorced) is now a raging Brexiteer with a restraining order on him and a penchant for conspiracy theories. (98m PG)
January 10, 2026 at 1:31 PM
Nuts In May. The Sequel. Candice Marie is now a committed eco-warrior and Green councillor. Earned her activist stripes at Greenham. Petra Kelly poster on the wall. Keith (divorced) is now a raging Brexiteer with a restraining order on him and a penchant for conspiracy theories. (98m PG)
These are also the kids who went to those Iggy and Lou Reed midnight shows at Kings X when neither man was remotely trendy. Gigs that loads of people (including journos) said that they were at and weren't because the place was barely half full.
A Bowie story. When I was retaking my O levels at Tech in 1973 there were some wild ex-comp kids there, kids off the estates, screamingly out. They went to that Ziggy retires gig at Hammersmith and came back with tales of utter debauch, stuff you never read about in the pop mag reviews believe me.
January 10, 2026 at 1:10 PM
These are also the kids who went to those Iggy and Lou Reed midnight shows at Kings X when neither man was remotely trendy. Gigs that loads of people (including journos) said that they were at and weren't because the place was barely half full.
Sometimes I listen to the opening of Station to Station and imagine Bowie coke transfixed by the train fx. "David, we really need to get to the song". "No. Let's have 18 minutes of this!"
January 10, 2026 at 12:49 PM
Sometimes I listen to the opening of Station to Station and imagine Bowie coke transfixed by the train fx. "David, we really need to get to the song". "No. Let's have 18 minutes of this!"
A Bowie story. When I was retaking my O levels at Tech in 1973 there were some wild ex-comp kids there, kids off the estates, screamingly out. They went to that Ziggy retires gig at Hammersmith and came back with tales of utter debauch, stuff you never read about in the pop mag reviews believe me.
January 10, 2026 at 12:15 PM
A Bowie story. When I was retaking my O levels at Tech in 1973 there were some wild ex-comp kids there, kids off the estates, screamingly out. They went to that Ziggy retires gig at Hammersmith and came back with tales of utter debauch, stuff you never read about in the pop mag reviews believe me.
Psychiatrists at annual convention discover that Grock impersonator says that to all of them.
January 10, 2026 at 10:17 AM
Psychiatrists at annual convention discover that Grock impersonator says that to all of them.
Times headline. 'Why Bowie Is Bigger Than Ever.' He isn't. All the other pop stars just got smaller.
January 10, 2026 at 9:37 AM
Times headline. 'Why Bowie Is Bigger Than Ever.' He isn't. All the other pop stars just got smaller.
"It's a crash course for the Ravens".
I once saw sheet music for Young Americans that had the opening lyric as "He pulled in just behind the fridge". Cannot now unhear this
January 9, 2026 at 4:32 PM
"It's a crash course for the Ravens".
I genuinely had to Google this to verify it wasn't an AI spoof. Who was it in NME bitd who said he was now a series of Russian dolls inside of which was yet another even smaller Morrissey.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp7U...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp7U...
Morrissey - Make-up is a Lie (Official Visualizer)
YouTube video by Warner Records
www.youtube.com
January 9, 2026 at 4:05 PM
I genuinely had to Google this to verify it wasn't an AI spoof. Who was it in NME bitd who said he was now a series of Russian dolls inside of which was yet another even smaller Morrissey.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp7U...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp7U...
All proper Bowie analysis should begin with my 1969 mishearing of 'the papers want to know whose shirts you wear' as the papers want to know who shirts you where'. I thought it hip slang. 'Who shirts you man?' I thought it must be something Mods said in that London.
January 9, 2026 at 3:16 PM
All proper Bowie analysis should begin with my 1969 mishearing of 'the papers want to know whose shirts you wear' as the papers want to know who shirts you where'. I thought it hip slang. 'Who shirts you man?' I thought it must be something Mods said in that London.
Reposted by Rob Chapman
I'm not reading any of the Bowie stuff pouring out over this weird Janniversary (I watched The Final Act; it was terrible). He has all but disappeared under an avalanche of sentimental post hoc analysis which seems determined to render him less and less interesting. He left. We didn't catch him.
January 9, 2026 at 3:08 PM
I'm not reading any of the Bowie stuff pouring out over this weird Janniversary (I watched The Final Act; it was terrible). He has all but disappeared under an avalanche of sentimental post hoc analysis which seems determined to render him less and less interesting. He left. We didn't catch him.