Thursday conundrum

My grandmother is 98 at the weekend, and I'm stuck for a present. Last year's was, frankly, a disaster. Who knew that a skateboard was considered 'inappropriate'? She never got the hang of grinds though her lip tricks were coming on nicely until, well, let's not go into the 'until'.

So - your suggestions please?

Meanwhile, treat yourself to the sounds of Zoot Horn's guitar licks as part of Cruel Brother - now with Myspace and a producer.

The future of music

I know that many of you are, or will become, fans of Cruel Brother, Wolverhampton University's second best band (only joking Zoot - it's a Flight of the Concords reference). Fret no more: you can listen to them all day by clicking here.

Crueller Brother

An anonymous source sends me this snatched footage of Cruel Brother's latest performance. Go mad in the comments section, groupies.

O Cruel Brother, Where Art Thou?

Our conference finished with a bravura performance from Cruel Brother - Richard Thompson, REM and Michael Jackson covers performed brilliantly under the stern critical gaze of their colleagues. Here are a few pictures and more posted here. Gerry's slide guitar was particularly great.

Now the day is ended…

Finally, our reward for the day - a speech from the Dean (ahem) and a performance by our house band, Cruel Brother, unfortunately sans Deer Friend, who has decamped to Berlin and then Egypt. Perhaps some beer may be forthcoming too.

Everybody's a critic

So, if you were at Cruel Brother last night, post your reviews here. If you weren't, why not? According to Neal, the room fell silent when The Deer Friend sang Joni Mitchell's A Case of You. I'm assuming that this is a positive response! How I wish I'd been there.

They're doing a short set at the Newhampton tonight if you just can't get enough.

Thursday's Friday Conundrum

I'm off to Cardiff tomorrow, and so rather depressingly missing Cruel Brother Featuring The Deer Friend, but I urge you to attend. I don't know if I'll be online tomorrow or over the weekend as the posh hotel charges extra for wi-fi, the skinflints.

So Friday's Conundrum will have to go up early.

What words would you take back, and what words should you have said? What have you said/written/hinted to someone that you regret? What have you failed to say to someone that may have changed your life, their lives, or simply been the right thing to come out with? Feel free to post anonymously! I'll think about mine for a little longer, as I've only just come up with this one.

(I've only just popped into the office after a full day in Walsall: well worth it - remastered double CDs of Slanted and Enchanted and Terror Twilight).

A quick plug

For two events: Cruel Brother (named after an old ballad, or the mirror of Pentangle's 'Cruel Sister' album, or Rachel Unthank and the Winterset's album of the same name?) and the Deer Friend are performing this weekend, at the Chindit on Friday night, and supporting an ex-member of Fairport Convention at the Newhampton Inn on Saturday. Highly recommended folk/rock stuff, everybody. I'll hopefully be at the Chindit, depending on whether I have to go to Cardiff that day or early on Saturday.

Before that, however: please vote tomorrow. As long as you aren't planning to vote UKIP, Tory or BNP. If you are, the elections are on Friday. I always try to vote at 7 a.m. so that the Tories are losing straight away.