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Clip of the Week

When I first encountered Franz Ferdinand in early 2004, they were already on their way to becoming icons. Alex is inseparable from the identity of the band. The fact that he recently appeared in a soft drinks ad supporting Scotland in the football World Cup, for me, cemented the fact they’ve sustained that iconic status for over two decades, releasing six albums in the process. They were the closest thing I got to seeing excellence in British guitar pop executed live around the time of its conception. I was too late for the Beatles, Kinks, Oasis, and Blur – but I was there for Franz Ferdinand… (READ ON)

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This Week’s Book Choice

“Tonight The Music Seems So Loud” by Sathnam Sanghera (Picador, 2026)

Wham, bam! I am a man
Job or no job, you can’t tell me that I’m not
Do you enjoy what you do?
If not, just stop
Don’t stay there and rot

Lyrics from Wham’s social commentary rap pop crossover song that helped announce George Michael to the world. Historian and George Michael superfan Sathnam Sanghera’s wonderful dive into the life of one of the biggest pop stars of all time proves these lyrics from an 18-year-old Michael to be remarkably profound.

As the book veers between early shyness and awkwardness through success, mega success, stratospheric success, ultimate fall from grace and the climb back to acceptance, the question “Do you enjoy what you do?” is never far away from your thoughts. The answer sadly is probably not. His drive for fame, perfection (12 sax players tried for Careless Whisper?) under the cloud of his hidden sexuality leaves you with a sense he may well have been happier in the shadows.

The author, also being from an immigrant family, confounds those who would mock him about his love of such a throwaway pop star. A tangible, genuine affection for George Michael despite his many faults lends an endearing angle to a complex and at times disturbing story. His public outing is still shocking in its self-inflicted brutality. The starkness of the years before his death quite shattering. Thankfully there are also wonderful reminders of George Michael’s extraordinary self-taught gift for singing and song writing to lift the mood.

Sanghera gives a real insight into what this frankly unbelievable life must have been like which confirms my long-held belief that I’ll take the fortune but you can keep the fame. A remarkable book that I highly recommend. Dave Ross

Read all our previous book reviews here.

Toppermost Recommends

Pye Corner Audio returns on Sonic Cathedral with More Songs About The Sun, a companion to Let’s Emerge! that continues its hazy, Balearic-tinged electronics. Martin Jenkins expands the palette with saturated tones, motorik rhythms and a brighter, more direct nod to influences like Stereolab and Harmonia. Opener Euphoria sets the tone, featuring guitar from Andy Bell, while vocals appear across the record, including a spoken-word contribution from Ian Rankin on The Breath Of Now, introducing a darker edge beneath the glow. Throughout, the album balances light and shadow, with Jenkins framing it around a steady sense of optimism.