Greece and Italy battle for the last semi-final place. Listen to the tracks, vote in the poll, click below the cut for analysis, comment and previews.

How to vote: Just pick the track you like best! Please don’t download the tracks unless you[…]

The edition of Top of the Pops on the 8th November 1979 featured The Specials (A Message To You, Rudy), Madness (One Step Beyond), and The Selecter (On My Radio). UK pop buyers officially loved the “2 Tone” label. The distinctive checkere[…]

War is not among my favourite genres, but it has been the subject matter for some great comics over the years. It’s also been the genre for probably the most successful British comics over the years, the apparently endless Commando series, whic[…]

The cover shows Deighton stirring a pot of spaghetti while a woman runs her hands suggestively through his hair. He’s got a gun hanging loosely by his side and is looking out at the reader with the kind of knowing glance that’s usually accompanie[…]

France take on Russia for the third semi-final place: listen to the tracks, vote in the poll.

How to vote: Just tick the track you like the most. Because I’m going on a mini-break at the end of the week this poll will be up until Monday 16th. […]

As someone with a sickening obsession for all things Jin Akanishi J-boyband/tat related, I often find myself spending disgusting amounts of money on Japanese teen fash/music mags. Quite a few of these run large advertisements for new Nintendo DS game[…]

Not exactly a style or genre, but this is one guy who is huge enough to need his own entry. In Japan he was called “the god of comics”, and his output and impact is unrivalled anywhere in the world. He produced over 150,000 pages in his l[…]

With the knockout stages of the Europop tournament well underway, I asked a few managers – for their highlights of the game so far (these interviews conducted before the Switzerland-Germany result):
Who do you think will win? (more…)[…]

Poland take on Portugal for a place in the semis. Play the tracks, vote, and look below the cut for managerial comment, track ID, analysis, results and previews. Please don’t download the tracks unless you intend to vote – thanks!

How to[…]

While Marvel was going for huge, powerful stories plus soap elements, DC kept on their own way for a while. They aimed at a younger market, and even issue-length stories were an exception, let alone any continuity between issues. They were also a muc[…]