Another writer has gone to the great library in the sky. David Lodge’s obituary was in Saturday’s Guardian.

His name was a common sight in bookshops from the 1970s onwards, though I confess I haven’t read any of his books.

I did, however, catch the TV adaptation of his novel Nice Work, starring Haydn Gwynne and Warren Clarke, which I enjoyed. His portrayal of the academic world was less than flattering.

David John Lodge; 28/1/1935 – 1/1/20. So it goes.

Another year passes and another begins.

The news rarely seems to get better though.

Happy New Year anyway.

I found out on Saturday that SF writer Barry Malzberg has died.

I knew I had several of his books but hadn’t realised until I checked my records (the actual books are in the garage; after downsizing, our house wasn’t big enough to store them all)  that it was as many as fifteen – though two of those were anthologies edited with other people.

Malzberg was fairly prolific in the 1970s – all those fifteen books have 1970s publication dates,  his was one of the names I looked out for back in those days – but seemed to disappear thereafter.

Though nominated for quite a few SF awards he only seems to have won one, the John W Campbell Memorial Award in 1973 for his novel Beyond Apollo.

Barry Nathaniel Malzberg: 24/7/1939 – 19/12/2024. So it goes.

Lyricist Pete Sinfield died last month.

His most famous work was done with King Crimson for whom he came up with the name and wrote most of the lyrics for the first four albums though he didn’t play on them.

I have featured his work before since he wrote the English language lyrics for Italian group Premiata, Forneria, Marconi (PFM.) The World Became the World is a prime example of Sinfield’s art.

He was also responsible for the words of Greg Lake’s great Christmas hit I Believe in Father Christmas.

Later in Sinfield’s career he moved more to pop and wrote songs for, among others, Leo Sayer, Cher, and even Think Twice for Celine Dion.

This is a haunting piece from King Crimson’s debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King.

King Crimson: I Talk to the Wind

Peter John (Pete) Sinfield: 27/12/1943 – 14/11/2024

I know it’s not Friday but 1960s record producer Shel Talmy died earlier last week; I saw the notice a bit too late for my posting. A Chicagoan, he moved to Britain in 1962. After blagging his way into a job in the record business in London he was in charge of the mixing desk for the first hits of both the Kinks and The Who. He also produced early David Bowie tracks and Friday on my Mind for the Easybeats, the song after which my category is named, plus Mike D’Abo’s debut as lead singer for Manfred Mann, Just Like a Woman.

The Kinks: You Really Got Me

The Who: Can’t Explain

Sheldon (Shel) Talmy: 11/8/1937-13/1120/24. So it goes.

Late era crooner Jack Jones died recently. He was an easy listening fixture on British TV in the late 60s and early 70s but he never had a UK hit as far as I recall.

His style of singing wasn’t to my taste in those far off years but I do remember reading (or was it on a chat show?) that when he started out his agent – or his manager – asked him if he’d ever been in love and he said “No.” “Too bad,” was the reply, since it would make him a more expressive singer of love songs.

Some time later Jones informed his agent he had finally fallen in love. To which the agent replied, “Now, if only she’d leave you.”

This is a reasonably typical example of Jones’s œuvre at that time.

Jack Jones: Wives and Lovers

The following, however, might be more familiar to those relatively younger than me.

Jack Jones: Love Boat Theme

John Allan (Jack) Jones: 14/1/1938 –23/10/2024. So it goes.

Renowned record producer Quincy Jones died during the week.

His CV is beyond compare. He seems to have worked with just about everybody in the music business over the past sixty plus years.

He only had a few hits under his own name, of which this is one.

Quincy Jones (with Dune): Ai No Corrida

Quincy Delight Jones: 14/3/1933 – 3/11/2024. So it goes.

Three days ago Remembrance poppies were on sale in the shop where I pick up The Guardian most days. This was again before I spotted any poppies on TV.

The poppy appeal’s formal launch was yesterday. It makes sense for the shops to have them before then.

I’ve been away over the weekend so wasn’t able to post about this sooner.

The death of former SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, came as something of a shock. He was only 69 and looked as if he still had many years. Then again, his girth suggested he wasn’t averse to the good life.

The outstanding Scottish politician of his generation, it is perhaps safe to say that, without him, the cause of Scottish independence would not have progressed in the way that it did, though that central purpose of his political life now seems as far away as ever – even if almost half of Scots still support it.

It is traditional at times like this not to speak ill of the dead but his reputation suffered latterly from the revelations that twelve women made complaints about his behaviour towards them when he was in office. It was this I suspect that caused the rift between him and his political protégé – and successor in both posts – Nicola Sturgeon.

Alexander Elliot Anderson (Alex) Salmond:  31/12/1954 – 12/10/2024. So it goes.

I saw in Tuesday’s Guardian that Zoot Money has died.  He was one of the most celebrated performers of Rhythm and Blues in the early to mid 60s and a staple of the music press at the time.

His band had only the one real hit, though, Big Time Operator, which I featured here.

This is Zoot and his band playing what was in effect his signature tune

Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band: Barefootin’

George Bruno (Zoot) Money: 17/7 1942 – 8/10/2024. So it goes.