So it wasn't the disaster foretold, after all, was it. In fact, it was my best ever.

Mr Jeremy-Zed was apparently rather good (I was watching Massive Attack), Neil Diamond was a huge singalong, and Elbow are now STARS!! Whether they like the idea or not. Their set on the Saturday afternoon was a triumph. You can still see most of it on the BBC website. I was at the front and didn't realise until seeing it afterwards that the Other Stage field was absolutely bursting. The then played a more acoustic set in the frankly tiny Queens Head (not much bigger than a pub) and again, a triumph. Going to add Guy Garvey to the Gallery forthwith. Should have done it ages ago.

Saw Billy Bragg wondering around enjoying the site. As far as the weather went. Sunburn on Wednesday and Thursday. 2 hours getting soaked on Thursday night followed by dry sunny weather. It was beautiful.

Hugh F-W became a shareholder in Tescos in order to bring up their treatment of chickens at the shareholders meeting, and so Tescos presented him with a bill for £80,000. Hugh put up £30,000 of his own money, and then set up an auction site for donations etc. He received more than the £50,000 that he needed in 36 hours. What a wonderful country we have here. Almost as wonderful was the episode of Dr.Who on Saturday, with his wife!

Victoria Wood was v.funny on the final "Apprentice", and Alexei Sayle's documentary about Liverpool has been excellent - this coming from someone with no real interest in Liverpool. The cartoon of him in The Sunday Times Culture is marvellous, and I will try and remember to put it on the site.

Try and catch Elbow and Richard Hawley on Mark Kermode's Culture Show.

There's a big article and interview with John Martyn in The Word.

And he doesn't live here, but I met Max von Sydow on Monday. I know.

Took my son to Wembley for his first ever game, and we won!! Beautiful day.

Very disappointed that the Sex Pistols aren't playing Glastonbury, as we'd been led to believe. Actually, apart from Elbow... I'm sure it'll be fab, as usual, and since I'm going with many friends...Going to Latitude too. Not been before, so looking forward to that. Will be at Wembley on Saturday for the mighty Ebbsfleet Utd game against Torquay Utd. Myself and 29,000 others bought the club at the beginning of the year (MyFootballClub.co.uk), and we're at Wembley already. Then, the Champions League final!!

I'm in the process of building Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's pizza oven in my garden. Slightly worried that the clay doesn't appear hard enough after 20 hours, but hopefully...

Got my ticket for Killing Joke with Geordie in October.

And I've asked my wife to take me to Heston Blumenthal's restuarant as my 40th Birthday present in August. You can only book within 2 months of going, so I hope that we get a table. If we do, I'll tell you all about it.

Michael Palin was 65 at the weekend.

Lots of Mark E Smith in the media at the moment, as, apart from a new Fall LP, he has an autobuiography out, which a mate who's seen The Fall over 30 times says is very funny. So, down to Waterstones with you all!

Got my ticket and looking forward to Neil Diamond

Sorry it took me a while, but last years National Treasure Of The Year 2007 is (drumroll) Simon Munnery!

A fine person suggested Suggs as a National Treasure, and, of course he is, and thus he is now in the gallery.

Well...last night I sat in the best seat in the house to see something I knew for a fact I never would - Led Zeppelin. I have never smiled so much for so long. I'm amazed that my face doesn't ache. National Treasures were there too, of course, not least, er...Jimmy Page, who played magnificently. Also saw Peter Gabriel, and Mark Kermode was there somewhere. Sat next to Whispering Bob Harris. Also spied Kevin McNally, Martin O'Neill, Alan Curbishley with his Icelantic Chairman, Jamie Cullam, Richard Ashcroft, Bobby Gillespie, and had a piss next to Paul Morley.

Didn't know whether I was going to have a ticket until 6.45, and it was distinctly possible that I would have to watch everyone going in, and then go home, but...They even did "For Your Life", which they had never played live before. Apparently, Jason Bonham had a terrible attack of nerves just before they went on, and who could blame him, but he was superb, and it felt like he had always been there. The whole thing was just meant to be.

Chris Morris wrote an article attacking Martin Amis attitudes to muslims in the Observer at the weekend.

Yesterday I became an equal shareholder in Ebbsfleet Utd through my membership of MyFC. Bizarre, as I'm pretty sure I'd never heard of the team before. I'm delighted. Having no idea where it is, it was truly a pleasure to discover I live about 45minutes away by car. From 2009, there will be a train to 500m from the stadium from St.Pancras, taking only 15 minutes!

So I have yet another passion. Come on the Ebbs! Or the Fleet! Or...I don't know.

I'm reading Bobby Charlton's autobiography at the moment, and then when I saw it is his 70th Birthday today. Once more, it takes a few prompts for me to see the bleeding obvious.

Jose Mourinho for England  - well no-one wanted that. Anyone want to bet against him taking over from Fergie in a couple of years.

Been fannying around with the background on the site, and I'll change the subject of the background every now and then, when I feel like it.

I was at BBC Elstree yesterday, and saw the railway bridge over Albert Square covered in christmas decorations - its on its way.

Didn't try and get tickets for the one-off Sex Pistols gig at the Brixton Academy, but only because I'm still hoping to get a ticket for Led Zeppelin. I don't think I will, of course. 25 million people from across the globe tried to register for the ticket lottery in the first 24 hours alone. John Lydon referred to the lead singer of the freshly reformed Police as Stink, which I enjoyed.

Enjoyed last weeks Michael Palin programme. There is also new series of QI, and Alexei Sayle has completed filming a documentary on Liverpool.

Suddenly stuck me as I watched him on the news last night that Henry Olonga lives here, and thus is definitely a man who whom I see as a National Treasure. I hope the situation in Zimbabwe changes soon, and I will have great delight removing him from the site as he returns home. Until then, it is an honour to have him here.

Tried to email the Zimbabwe Emabssy to tell them, but their webmail is structured so that truth is disabled.

Obviously, the most extraordinary cultural event announced this week is the one-off Led Zeppelin concert in November. The wierdest aspect of all this for me was that I finished reading "Hammer Of The Gods" the morning I heard that the gig was happening. That book had sat on my shelf, studiously ignored for 10 years before I sighed and choose it, fairly unenthusiastically. A great read was bettered only by the possibility of seeing them.

I received an email from Michael Palin the other day, as you do. I'm sure it was just for me anyway. His new programme on the former Soviet Bloc countries starts on Sunday, and I'm sure it will be fascinating.

Big Brother has been evicted by a 100% vote. Not surprised.

I walked past Jonathon Miller just off St.Martin's Lane in London yesterday. He looked at me as if I'd done something to him, but he didn't know what.

Can I take this moment to recommend the new Tunng album, "Good Arrows", which I can't stop playing.

Particularly enjoyed the Stephen Fry weekend on BBC4  -I'm sure it will be repeated throughout the week if you missed any of it.

Apparently, Michael Caine has been making compilation tapes for his friends for years, and has now released a CD of his favourite tunes for the wooing of ladies called, I kid you not, "Cained". When I read this a couple of days ago, I did have to stop and check it wasn't April 1st. As someone who bores people with his choice of music, I feel a kindred feeling with the man.

The attack on Glasgow Airport has been voted 100% "Terribly Funny". Quite right, too.

I was very happy to see a run through of a new play written by Stewart Lee (Jerry Springer - The Opera etc) with Simon Munnery, and the national treasure to be, Miles Jupp. Its going up to the Edinburgh Festival, and it'll take it by storm. They are both doing a stand-up show up there too. I saw Miles' show on Monday, and laughed so much I was told off. Please go and see him.

John Smeaton is a baggage handler (?) at Glasgow Airport, and it was he, along with others, of course, who tackled the two men who tried to drive a 4x4 filed with petrol and whatever into the airport last weekend. if you go to:-

http://www.johnsmeaton.com/

you can buy him a pint, as I have. What an excellent idea. He currently has 1,400 pints lines for him at the bar in Glasgow Airport.

How he managed to steal himself and remain calm and focused as he faced something so inept and hilarious, I just don't know.

I forgot to mention seeing Elephant Man Elvis on the Saturday night. Please got o the link on the Links page and check this genius. Please. Oh, Please.

Well, not only survived, but thrived. Saw some extraordinary performances, from so so many, some expected some I did not. I do think Glastonbury is series of wonderful moments, so here's a few. A marching kazoo band, John Otway doing a cover of "I Will Survive" in the style of Bob Dylan, asking the somewhat dazed gentleman next to me in the Leftfield Tent who the aging Clashish rockers were and being told they were "Billy Bragg", Lily Allen bringing on Terry Hall and Neville Staples for "Gangsters", discussing The Fratellis with the delightful Dara O'Brian, The Arctic Monkeys doing "Diamonds Are Forever", Iggy not being able to get the 200 people he'd invited onto the stage off again, leaving Eat Static being banging in the Glade, only to return 25 minutes later to find them doing the same song, Potatoes dauphinoise for breakfast, being complemented by dozens of people on my shirt on Saturday.

Fantastic sets from The Who, Maximo Park, The Super Furry Animals, Tunng, The Arctic Monkeys, Iggy & The Stooges, and so many others.

Very high quality National Treasure spotting too. Michael Eavis, Pete Townshend and Simon Munnery (who was great), although Damon Albarn, Billy Bragg (disguised as 5 aging Billy Duffy types) and Bill Bailey (apparently) were also there. I can't imagine Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall wasn't there, either.

One massive downer was the size of the tents people brought. Halfords and Millets etc were doing deals were you could get a 6-man tent, blow-up beds, sleeping bags, lamps and probably the unfunny flags that cretins use to further obscure view of the bands, all for £100. So couples brought them and filled space that could have been easily filled by 4 other people too. We had great difficulty finding anywhere on Thursday night, and I saw a very forlorn couple Friday afternoon who looked like they had been searching in vain for hours, carrying all their stuff.

A fabulous experience once more. A word of advice - all you need to enjoy Glastonbury is lightweight waterproof clothing, easily removed when the sun comes out, which it always does. As Billy Connolly once said, There's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes.

I'm as exited about getting to Glastonbury on Thursday night as I was at the age of 5, Christmas Eve 1973. Nice to see Michael Eavis getting a CBE (one short of a knighthood). Never wanted to know next week's weather forecast quite so much before. When I arrived at Glastonbury at lunchtime on the Friday 2 years ago, it was as dark as night - lights were on everywhere (the ones that hadn't been shorted out, anyway). I wondered what the hell I was doing there. Then the sun came out, and all was just perfect...

Last time I was there I saw Simon Munnery for about the 5th time. I saw him again in Northampton a couple of months ago; indeed, chatted and bought his book (produced by Banksy - only a fiver and highly recommended). Then I got a flyer from the Soho Theatre where he is playing soon, and thought, hang on... Of course. His Wikipedia site is worth checking, as is his own site - see Links.

Just as Glastonbury finishes, its Wimbledon. We're pretty good, aren't we?

I went to see Bristol Rovers v Shrewsbury Town at the new Wembley Stadium last weekend, as a Bristol Rovers fan who had never seen them before. I grew up in Bristol, or didn't, depending on your point of view. Whilst feeling a slight fraud alongside all these people who had been genuine fans from childhood,   it was an exordinary day. The two sets of fans exchanged nothing but funny songs and banter, and the uninvolved commuter on the Metropolitan Line would never have felt intimidated. The need to sing about everything and anything was total - the chant of "We beat the City 1-0", was followed by a gentleman chanting "We lost to Doncaster 3-2". My favorite was the man who entered the toilet, both arms aloft in triumph, singing,"Toilet!, Toilet". And Rovers won, which helped our day, immeasurably, of course, but the Shrewsbury fans were superb.

The next day we had planned a garden party, and we were faced with not just abismal weather, but also the closure of the tube line to our part of London, and the two alternate overground lines too. People weren't going to spend literally hours coming to us to huddle in our kitchen, we thought. So wrong. Everyone who I thought would come made it, plus more people who I didn't think could. We had a very special day, and all because they all went above and beyond.

As I am writing this, I've just heard Richard Fairbrass (Right Said Fred) on the radio saying that being anti-gay was like being anti-clouds or anti-grass. Absolutely.

Finally, Frankie Dettori was magnificent yesterday, winning the Derby under so much pressure. The delight as the live BBC cameras followed him into the changing rooms as he swore loudly and the camera lingered on a penis will stay with me for a good while yet.

Well, interest has been spurred by Elton John's appearance. There's a bit of a chat starting on his website, and on the forum. Very pleased to see it.

Been off to sunny Northampton doing something rather special, so I haven't been near a computer for long enough to keep as up to date with the site as I would like. Back fully next week.

Well, Blair is finally on his way. Can't imagine him appearing on these pages, but you never know. Very strongly in favour of Gordon Brown. We'll see if I'm just as wrong as I was about Blair.

Delighted that Elton John has finally appeared.

On the news this morning, a child of 7, who is possibly HIV+, and his parents, who are HIV+ are being threatened with expulsion from this country. This child will be an orphan in a matter of weeks. Some people calling the BBC 5 Live phone-in this morning actually supported this, indeed, one lovely gentleman offered to throw them out personally, as we have to "protect ourselves".

Most of the people calling were very supportive, however, and were certainly in the great majority. This is a fine country, but only because we have consistantly had people who were not born here coming and making these islands better than when they arrived.

The words "asylum seekers" have become a sound; a response. An instinctive, gutteral hiss. People are seeking asylum - and we should provide it.

Yep, got a ticket. Wasn't very confident this morning, but as I juggled two phones and a PC I got the call to say we had been successful. Very sad for all the people who failed, and it's easy for me to say because we got through, but I do think it's a better system than before. However, a fairer system would be a lottery among those that register. A friend who went with last time, and is coming with us again this time suggested that they should sell tickets for the next year to people as they leave - a marvellous idea.

Just wanted to share this extraordinary photograph of last night's lunar eclipse. It's from the BBC website.

So I was delighted to be wrong about Helen Mirren not winning the Oscar. Very great shame about Peter O'Toole, though Forrest Whittaker does deserve it. Wonderful speech from Whittaker, too.

Kaiser Chiefs "difficult" second LP is better than their first.

Pete Townshend is publishing his autobiography online in chapter bursts at

http://www.petetownshend-whohe.blogspot.com/

No-one seems to want Genesis to play Glastonbury this year, not even with Peter Gabriel. Don't fancy a bit of "Selling England By The Pound"?

Mark Lawson interviewed Ken Russell on The Culture Show last week. They are inviting people to suggest places of cultural interest, hitherto ignored or forgotten. They were placing a plaque on Russell's childhood home, where he would project German Expressionist films in his garden - this was during the early '40s, of course. You can make your own suggestions to them by emailing:

cultureshow@bbc.co.uk

And putting "Cultural Plaques" in the subject box.

Helen Mirren won the Bafta, obviously. I hope it doesn't put the kybosh on the Oscar.

Bill Bailey is performing a collection of sketches by Harold Pinter in London's West End.

Morrissey wants to be Britain's entrant in the Eurovision Song Contest. Oh  please, oh please. Radiohead swore blind they were going to do it a few years ago.

Finally, Alastair Gray has contributed lyrics and designed the cover for an album bringing together a number of Scottish bands and singists, called "Ballads Of The Book"..

One of the best three days I have ever spent were at Glastonbury a couple of years ago. Like Wimbledon, its one of those distinctly British occasions that really puts a smile on my face. Now the registration has begun, and the rumours of bands are starting, I'm becoming exited already. What a child. The Who have been comfirmed, as have The Arctic Monkeys and Bjork. Wonderful.

One big rumour is that Genesis will be playing. If that will include Peter Gabriel, then that will be an event. If not...

I know some will argue about me including Jamie Oliver, but I'll happily debate that one with anyone until the cows come home, to be bolted through the temple, gutted, hung and roasted.

Helen Mirren, Judy Dench, Kate Winslett & Peter O'Toole have all been nominated for Oscars, and are all, of course, National Treasures. I hope Helen Mirren wins, but I've got a feeling that because she's won all the other awards, she might miss out this time.

The first time Peter O'Toole was nominated was 45 years ago. This is his 8th nomination, which would be a record if he, again, misses out. He was given a "special" Oscar a couple of years ago, but still wants to "win the bugger". It'll probably be Forest Whittaker, and that's fair enough, but here's to the greatest actor ever finally being recognised.

It's easy to mock Gordon Brown for talking about Big Brother this week, but he was in India, trying to keep our mutual relations with an extremely important country as friendly as possible. But aside from merely doing his job, I'm sure that his comments about British people bringing the rest of us into disrepute were from the heart.

Any of us who by our actions or comments detract from this country disgrace us all. Remember how it used to feel to see Brits smashing up bars and cafes across Europe, just because some football was happening too. This is how I feel when I see pictures like the ones we've seen this week, knowing that people around the world are seeing them too. We're all tainted, and we all have a responsibility do whatever we can to show that the vast majority of people here are good, fine people, and that we know that virtually everyone else from everywhere else are good and fine too.

Ken Russell has entered Celebrity Big Brother!! Genius. I still won't be watching though. I did watch I'm No Longer A Celebrity, Make Me Eat Retinas religiously when John Lydon was on, but that's my lot I'm afraid. It said in The Independent that he was naked within a couple of hours of going in. For any new Ken Russell fans, may I recommend his critique of '70s Politics, and how The Who will save the country in "The Kids Are Alright" - DVD available from all good shops of that nature today.

Talking of politics, no-one at all voted for either Brown or Cameron, which I find rather comforting, frankly.

In Mojo this month, Alex Turner, lead singer of The Arctic Monkeys, given the opportunity by the magazine to meet anyone he liked, chose to interview John Cooper Clarke. looking forward to reading that.

Well, 2007 has arrived, and Michael Palin ended the year with the most votes, despite a rearguard action from the followers of Cliff Richard. His last vote arrived too late to tie for the lead.

It was a landslide for The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.

I'd like to thank everyone who contributed to this site in 2006, and look forward to the word being spread accross the next year.

Just wanted to wish the world a very merry christmas, and, I do hope, an extremely blissful new year.

David Attenborough has been voted National Icon or whatever by viewers of The Culture Show - a very good choice, I believe. Still mildly pieved that they would not respond to me, but never mind.

Davids Gilmour & Bowie releae their Syd Barrett tribute single next week, I think.

I'm currently enjoying the holidays with half my family on the Isle Of Skye, and will enjoy new year with the other half in darkest Wiltshire.

Hope you're smiling.

No-one voted against pubic topiary! Hurrah, and quite right too.

Added Jarvis Cocker and Michael Caine this morning - no arguments from anyone there I'm sure.

David Walliams has been winning all sorts of awards in the last couple of weeks, some for comedy, but mostly for swimming the channel. It's worth saying that only about 10% of people who try actually reach the other side, apparently, and he did it in the 23rd fastest time ever.

Charlotte Church won the best female newcomer at the Comedy Awards on Thursday. Helen Mirren is nominated at the Golden Globes for playing both Elizabeth I and Elizabeth II, as well as Prime Suspect. Greedy but fair.

Well, beards are very popular indeed. It was a landslide. 4:1 in favour.

Delighted to see Gary Numan being nominated. First gig I ever went to, 1979, aged 12. At the beginning of "Down In The Park" the stage opened up and he emerged singing in a little hovercraft. Doesn't get any better than that for a 12 year old. M'colleague Dor also nominated John Cooper Clarke, someone I know very little about, and looking forward to finding out more.

We have the second nominee that I've never heard of before - Stuart Hall. No, the other one. Wonderful; thank you. Also over-the-moon that the other Stuart Hall now has his deserved place in the pantheon. Your collective voting against him just proves that democracy is flawed, frankly.

The Culture Show now have their final 3: David Attenborough, Paul McCartney & Morrissey.

You want Stuart Hall and then two come along at once.

According to your good selves, David Beckham IS Paul Michael Glaser by a ratio of almost 2:1.

Kate Winslet's womanbits apparently informed and inspired the design of the new Jaguar. I feel that even in this age of celebrity freebies, she should be given one. And so should I.

Please try and see the Damien Hirst exhibition at The Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park. It's a tiny fraction of his collection of other artists' work; Warhol, Bacon, Sarah Lucas, of course, Banksy, and so on. Best of all, though, Jeff Koons. Hysterical, particularly the full-size nasty-ceramic Dray Horse & cart outside.

Apologies for the enormous, pisspoor phone camera shot, but you get the rather splendid idea.

David Gilmour is releasing a single of "Arnold Layne" that he did earlier this year with David Bowie as a tribute to Syd Barrett.

Just occurred to me that with 50 odd people in the gallery, we have no sports-persons. I think that's quite extraordinary, and perhaps very telling. Nothing against sport, at all, but to have received no nominations for sportists is a bit odd.

With the direction and tutoring of my exiled computer-things guru, Sarah, I have added links from the names on The Chart to their respective Wikipedia pages.

I'd also like to thank my homefellow, Alex, for suggesting it to me in the first place.

Sadly, Stuart Hall has not won the little poll this week, I'm afraid. Very cruel. It was 43% in favour.

How about the Starsky & Hutch look David Beckham adopted for his journey to Tom Cruise's wedding?

Mark Kermode shed a small tear during a clip of "The Sound Of Music" on Newsnight Review last night. What a gent.

What a delight to check the site this very morning and discover that it was, by far, the best in terms of the amount of people checking in. Had two nominations - BOTH for Morrissey. Delightful. Also, there's a wonderful near-essay on David Bowie on the forum. Beautifully put.

The nicest thing on the site was a comment that the thing that pleased most about the site was it's "positivity". That's my aim. Thank you.

Very surprised to see that Stuart Hall isn't doing very well in the user poll. I thought he would be a shoe-in. All I can suggest is that patrons listen to his football summaries on Radio 5 Live on Saturday afternoons.

Had all sorts of stupid problems on the site this morning. I've been given help by my friend Sarah regarding adding and "Email this page to a friend" link, but all it did was to remove the jukebox! It's not her info, but problems with MrSite who I used to create this site. I had all these ideas and intentions, and I've not really been able to do any of them.

Did think I'd start having mini-polls. Please check out the front page. I hope to make these polls increasingly silly, but at the moment I'll keep it closer to the point of the site.

Had to add Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. I was a vegetarian for 20 years until a couple of years ago, and I've learned so much from him and his books, not just regarding recipes, but the wellfare of animals. That doesn't make him a National Treasure, of course. His manner does.

The Culture Show have finally revealed their shortlist of 10 "Living Icons". Surprised, but pleased to see Kate Bush in there. No Michael Palin, though. And two people from the fascinating and worthy world of fashion.

I can't believe it took me so long to remember Michael Eavis. What an extraordinary man. Exactly sort of person I've been wittering on about.

The Culture Show's Living Icons continues apace, and despite my efforts to contact them, I have received nothing but silence. A shame, I think. On last night's show they even had a shot of Stephen Fry, David Attenborough and Michael Palin together - currently the top three nominations on this site.

It's very unlikely - although, of course, possible - that this is an extraordinary coincidence, but I do think that some return of email would be reasonable, even if it was just to tell me to get lost. One reason I think this is all a shame is that it's a great programme. Mark Kermode, after all. Beryl Cook was wonderful on it last night.

I offered to link up in some way with the Living Icons, which would benefit the site a great deal, but they don't have to contact me, so they haven't.

What an extraordinary coincidence! Less than a month in on this site and already someone else is doing the same thing. The Culture Show on BBC2 is running a carbon copy of this site. Flattered or furious - not sure which. I have contacted them in the hope of getting together; we are doing the same thing after all. Hope to hear from them soon.

Been mulling over Helen Mirren for a while (careful at the back), but having seen Prime Suspect last night I don't know what I was thinking. What was there to think about? When has anyone seen her anything less than perfect.

The Who are performing on Sunday night for the BBC Electric Proms, and I assume it will be live (BBC3?).

Ian Hislop was in the Independent yesterday discussing his 20 years editing Private Eye - if you're not buying it you really are missing a fortnightly treat. I remember when Diana died, I really thought I was the only person not going mad, but then Private Eye came out and it was such a relief to realise not everybody had forgotten the real world.

Clare Short has finally left the Labour Party to sit as an Independent in the House. As someone who left the labour party a couple of months ago myself, I completely understand. I wish her all the very best.

Banksy has sold some pictures of Kate Moss in the style of Andy Warhol's images of Marilyn Monroe at auction for £50,400. Nice.

Please check out

www.waronterrortheboardgame.com

and also

www.ebaumsworld.com

and search for "Snakes On A Plane Audition". Very good.

The Nominees reflect an interesting spread so far:-

Comedians               10

Writers                      9

Musicians                 14

Artists                       2

Politicians                  2

Actors                       6

Presenters                 2

and Karl Pilkington

Some people are, obviously more than one. We also have 5 Knights of the Realm (if Harold Pinter accepted a knighthood - anyone know).