iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 03/10/2026

Difficult. (Had to substitute a different Aretha compilation as the budget 80s compilation from Stylus that had a much more profound effect wasn’t listed.) #MusicSky www.my9albums.com/s/bvZ6gaVFeI

“MY9ALBUMS: The sound that made @endaguinan.com”, showing nine album covers in a 3×3 grid: Cupid & Psyche 85 by Scritti Politti, Jordan: The Comeback by Prefab Sprout, And the Glass Handed Kites by Mew, Greatest Hits by Aretha Franklin, 3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul, The Visitors by ABBA, Behaviour by Pet Shop Boys, Waltz Darling by Malcolm McLaren and the Bootzilla Orchestra, and Now That’s What I Call Music 4 by Various Artists.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 02/10/2026

Thank you, @brighterdayvinyl.bsky.social for the bonkers discotastic Beatles medley 7". There are, count 'em, 34 Beatles tracks thrillingly flung together. And to think Giles Martin went to such bother with Love... #vinyl

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 26/09/2026

Picked up The Sound of McAlmont & Butler vinyl. Finally on 2LP after years of being squished onto 1 disc. Sounds suitably EPIC.

A close-up of a vinyl record cover for "The Sound of McAlmont & Butler". A gold hype sticker on the shrink wrap reads: "Newly mastered version of the 1995 classic. On 2LPs for the first time Blue & Green Vinyl. Limited edition with print signed by David McAlmont and Bernard Butler. Contains the singles 'Yes' and 'You Do'."

The album cover for "The Sound of McAlmont & Butler" featuring two men looking up towards the sky.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 21/09/2026

Badai Pasti Berlalu is a landmark of 1970s Indonesian pop: a film soundtrack that became bigger than the film. To Western ears it lands somewhere between lush art-pop, prog, soft rock and disco, with big keyboards, and slightly OTT dramatic arrangements. #Vinyl

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 21/09/2026

Home from Indonesia with a few (!) records in my hand luggage. Bagged #1 and #2 in Rolling Stone Indonesia’s 2007 greatest-albums list: Badai Pasti Berlalu and Guruh Gipsy. Yanti Bersaudara isn’t on it, but look at that sleeve; how could it not contain a banger? #Vinyl

Vinyl copy of Badai Pasti Berlalu resting against the same green tote bag. The yellow-toned cover shows a woman running, with text crediting music director Eros Djarot and vocalists Chrisye and Berlian Hutauruk.

Vinyl copy of Guruh Gipsy resting against the same green bag. The sleeve is dark brown and minimalist, with a small ornate gold figure in the centre and a cream information label in the upper left.

Vinyl copy of Yanti Bersaudara propped against a bright green record-shop bag. The vivid blue sleeve features three circular portraits of the three women in the group, with the title in large pale-blue lettering.

Bright green record-shop tote bag on a black leather seat, packed with several vinyl records bought in Indonesia.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 16/09/2026

Macklemore’s Hind’s Hall currently no 3 on UK iTunes. The title comes from Hamilton Hall at Columbia University, which student protesters occupied and symbolically renamed after Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza alongside relatives and the paramedics sent to rescue her.

Screenshot of the iTunes Store showing song search results, including “Movin’ To The Sun,” “Joseph,” “HIND’S HALL,” “Boston” and “Babydoll,” with prices or a Play button.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 28/08/2026

Turnstiles’ very satisfying reswizzles of last album; Dolly (obviously); an astounding ‘cover of Since I Left You; and the gayest side of a Now album evah (disc 2, side b). #last4albums

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 27/08/2026

The NOW people are having a tasty sale: lots of Yearbooks and Vaults available. #vinyl nowmusic.com/collections/...

Screenshot of the NOW Yearbook online shop showing eight discounted vinyl compilations, including Vault editions for 1980, 1981, 1983 and 1984, and Yearbook editions for 1973, 1978, 1987 and 1992. Each is shown with colourful triple-vinyl records and priced at £17.99.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 22/08/2026

Sooo many choices, but probably these as they work so well as complete listening experiences.

Chic: Album cover for Chic’s Greatest Hits, showing the five members of Chic laughing and posing together in 1970s formalwear against a pale background. Large burgundy lettering spells “CHIC” across the top, with French and English greatest-hits titles above and below.

Prefab Sprout: Album cover for The Best of Prefab Sprout: A Life of Surprises. A distressed yellow, red and dark blue design resembles a painted or stitched fabric panel, with “PREFAB SPROUT” in large red letters surrounding a small oval black-and-white band photograph. A red sticker notes that the edition is remastered from the original masters.

Sinéad O’Connor: Album cover for So Far… The Best of Sinéad O’Connor. A close-up, softly coloured photograph of Sinéad O’Connor’s face fills the cover, focusing on her eyes, nose and lips. The album title appears in small lettering across the top.

Aretha Franklin: Album cover for Aretha’s Greatest Hits. Aretha Franklin, wearing a red dress, sits on a red-carpeted staircase with mirrored or metallic surroundings. The title appears in large black script above the photograph, with a list of featured songs printed across the top.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 18/08/2026

Prince’s Batman soundtrack in a metal can. Bought in Switzerland in 1989 when I was au pairing for a summer in Zurich (as you do). Still have it too!

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 14/08/2026

#5DebutAlbumsSF3 5 pts: Since I Left You - The Avalanches 4: 3 Feet High and Rising - De La Soul 3: Moon Safari - Air 2: For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver 1: case/lang/veirs Don't know what this is all about? See @richards7370.bsky.social pinned post.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 14/08/2026

Love Sensation is a new entry at no. 8 in the UK today which takes them to: * Madonna: 65 UK Top 10 singles * Kylie Minogue: 37 UK Top 10 singles Impressive.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 13/08/2026

We’re getting a NOW Vault ‘86 and it looks pretty decent. (Live link on Amazon but not on official site yet.)

Back cover of NOW Yearbook Vault ’86, showing the full 76-track listing across four CDs in four columns on a black background. Artist names appear in purple and song titles in white. Artists include Paul McCartney, Eurythmics, Chris Rea, Belinda Carlisle, David Sylvian, Talk Talk, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Communards, Grace Jones, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Tears for Fears, Wang Chung, Boston, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. Sony Music and EMI logos and copyright information appear along the bottom.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 13/08/2026

And gave us this *wild* pronouncement?

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 12/08/2026

Devoured @nigetassell.bsky.social Truly Gifted Kids. A personal, nimble, idiosyncratic account of the Prefab Sprout story. Lots of flashes of recognition: that first listen to Jordan: The Comeback on cassette; the initial disappointment of hearing ‘supper-club sax’ on Andromeda Heights

A hand holds a copy of Nige Tassell’s Truly Gifted Kids: A Book About a Band Called Prefab Sprout, featuring a black-and-white photograph of the band on its pale blue and red cover, in warm afternoon sunlight.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 11/08/2026

Some kind of flash fitness business kicking off at the back of the building… #London

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 10/08/2026

Two grails popped up on my @discogsofficial.bsky.social wantlist. Talk about vinyl albums that are overdue a repress! Anybody at Sony or Universal up for making a quick buck while making some fans very happy? #vinyl

Screenshot of a Discogs notifications page showing two “New Wantlist items for sale”. The first is Destroy Rock & Roll for £450 from UK seller Pharce, and the second is Nuyorican Soul for £200 from UK seller mattstroud. Both listings include album artwork, condition details and green “Add To Cart” buttons.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 10/08/2026

"You sure you can mix Summer Madness into a Van Morrison song?" Not entirely. But let's have a go.... New summer #DJMix on YouTube and Mixcloud: 📺 youtu.be/jygBsVDcYPY?... 💽 www.mixcloud.com/Enda_Guinan/...

Promotional thumbnail graphic on an off-white background featuring text on the left and a black-and-white photo collage of featured musicians on the right.

Text on the left reads:

"Let There Be Music" in large bold black text

"Just Bees and Things and Flowers" in large bright orange text

"Summer Soul, City Pop & Global Grooves" in smaller bold black text below

Top right reads "with Enda Guinan" ("Enda Guinan" highlighted in orange).

On the right, a composite black-and-white collage displays various artists from the broadcast, including Roy Ayers smiling at the top, members of Sister Sledge and Quarteto Em Cy, and City Pop and sophisti-pop artists grouped together.

A 12-inch vinyl record in a plain white sleeve with a center cutout displaying a tan De-Lite Records label for "Summer Madness" by Kool and the Gang. At the top of the sleeve, a bright red sticker reads "Delite Records Original Classic: KOOL AND THE GANG / SUMMER MADNESS".

Front picture sleeve for Van Morrison's 7-inch single "Warm Love". It features a black-and-white photo of Van Morrison crouching on the left, surrounded by high-contrast yellow folk-art illustrations of flora and a four-legged animal against a black background. "VAN MORRISON" is written along the top and "WARM LOVE" on the right in white typography.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 06/08/2026

“…inspired by the simultaneously magical and insidious ways that advertising and name-brand technology wraps itself around our memories." Forthcoming from The Avalanches: No Bad Memories out 16 October.

3D digital artwork of an anthropomorphic classic white iPod and a blue floppy disk standing side-by-side as friends against a plain white background.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 31/07/2026

To ensure the Top 40 continues to reflect genuine, active pop momentum (and be less boring) rather than algorithm defaults, chart rules need recalibration - perhaps by introducing weighting for active choice over passive background streams. 5/5

Screenshot of an Official Charts entry showing position number 20 with a pink upward-pointing triangle beneath it. The track thumbnail shows a couple dancing in silhouette against a giant glowing moon in a starry night sky. Next to the artwork, the song title "ORDINARY" is printed in bold uppercase above the artist name "ALEX WARREN". To the right, text details the song's chart stats: "LW: 23" in pink, "Peak: 1" in blue, and "Weeks: 76" in pink, followed by an information icon and a play button.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 31/07/2026

The @officialcharts.bsky.social’s Accelerated Chart Ratio (ACR) was designed to phase out lingering hits. However, passive stream volume from major editorial playlists seems to overwhelm ACR penalties, giving older tracks momentum that new releases struggle to match. 4/5

Vinyl single sleeve for Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'". A black-and-white photograph of the five band members stands in the foreground against a large red and blue circular emblem. The band name "JOURNEY" is printed in bold black letters at the top and vertically along the left edge, with the track title "DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'" highlighted in red in the top right corner. The paper sleeve shows slight wear and creasing around the edges.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 31/07/2026

And I'm not being an old 'the charts are shit nowadays' git - it’s the methodology. Currently, a passive stream (e.g. a song auto-playing on some moods playlist in a gym) carries the same chart weight as an active stream (a user searching for a track). Algorithmic inertia now skews chart tenure. 3/5

CD single cover for Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten". The cover features a portrait of Natasha Bedingfield looking over her shoulder, wearing a chunky grey-and-white knit scarf and bright coral lipstick. In the background, a parasol with green and beige floral patterns is open behind her. The song title "Unwritten" and artist name "Natasha Bedingfield" are written in a rounded white font across the bottom. A light blue sticker on the right side reads: "LIMITED EDITION FEATURES LIVE VERSION OF 'WILD HORSES'". A dark maroon border on the left spine shows the tracklist, barcode, and record label logos.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 31/07/2026

A quick breakdown of this week’s Top 40: • Average tenure: 32 weeks • 50% of the chart has been listed for 20+ weeks • 42.5% of tracks predate 2026 or are legacy catalogue • Only 2 new entries (5% of the chart) That represents an unusually low rate of turnover. 2/5

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 30/07/2026

What fantastic artwork.

Album cover featuring a studio portrait of a person with short dark hair, glasses, a white high-neck top and dark jacket against a mottled blue-grey background. The band name “BUTTHOLE SURFERS” appears in large red capital letters across the top of the image.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 27/07/2026

“It gets earlier and earlier each year” etc etc Spotted in Islington public house just now. 🎅🏽

A Christmas display inside a pub features a small decorated tree, festive greenery and a large wooden “NOEL” sign on a wooden table. Behind it, bright red posters invite customers to “Book now for Christmas”, with menus and promotional leaflets arranged around the display. A rustic wooden wall, wall lights and nearby toilet doors frame the scene.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 23/07/2026

Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep! NOW Yearbook 1971 is on the way. nowmusic.com/collections/...

Sleeve artwork for NOW Yearbook 1971. Words are white with reddish borders against a yellow gradient background.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 18/07/2026

Certain that Green and the Scritti crew felt the big love in the room at the Queen Elizabeth Hall this afternoon. Nice to meet @davidef.bsky.social and @dvdmccrmck.bsky.social too. 🙏🏽

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 17/07/2026

Scritti’s Cupid & Psyche 85 ‘deluxe’ reissue/remaster is 27 in the UK @officialcharts.bsky.social Album Sales. Nice.

A music chart entry snippet showing the album Cupid & Psyche '85 by Scritti Politti at position number 27. The entry features a small thumbnail of the album artwork, the bold position number with a pink "RE" label underneath it, and the text "LW: RE" on the bottom right, indicating a chart re-entry.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 11/07/2026

Remastered Scritti always welcome - and this sounds ace (first time for the 2022 remasters on physical). Good to have the extra tracks on disc 2 (and a handsome gatefold too). Sadly, the same liner notes as the 2021 reissue: the enjoyable, if a little slight, interview with Green and David Gamson.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 10/07/2026

If you like your soul laced with generous amounts of spacey steel pedal, you may enjoy Leon Bridges's Leon (2024). #NowListening #Vinyl

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 08/07/2026

Sounding pretty much perfect in this sunny weather. @willstratton.bsky.social’s Rosewood Almanac from 2017. Beautiful pressing on @bellaunion.bsky.social too… #NowListening

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 08/07/2026

Xmas gifts? Ffs… *unsubscribes from UK.RareVinyl.com*

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 04/07/2026

Sadiq Khan, London Mayor, @london.gov.uk looking cool AF at London #Pride today… Pride in London – in pictures www.theguardian.com/world/galler...

A large group of people pose together at London Pride. In the centre, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, wearing sunglasses and a white England football shirt, applauds while smiling. Around him are people of different ages, ethnicities and gender expressions wearing colourful clothing, Pride-themed outfits and sunglasses. A large Progress Pride flag waves overhead, with smaller rainbow flags and placards visible behind the group, including one reading “Many Voices One Front”. In the foreground, one participant holds a rainbow fan reading “Love Is Love”. The atmosphere is celebratory and inclusive.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 04/07/2026

Happy #Pride, London! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ And yes there is a NOW compilation to celebrate. From 2022, this is surely one of the frothiest, giddiest collections ever made.

Back cover of the four-CD compilation NOW That’s What I Call Pride, listing 85 tracks across four discs.

CD One focuses on LGBTQ+ icons and empowerment anthems including Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue, Cher, Eurythmics, Gloria Gaynor, Whitney Houston, RuPaul, Robyn, Katy Perry, Céline Dion, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Kelly Clarkson and Madonna.

CD Two features contemporary pop from Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Years & Years, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, Olivia Rodrigo, Miley Cyrus, Christine and the Queens, Fletcher & Hayley Kiyoko, Kim Petras, Calvin Harris & Sam Smith, Joel Corry featuring MNEK, Charli XCX & Troye Sivan, Tegan and Sara, Tate McRae, Janelle Monáe, Ariana Grande, Rita Ora, Little Mix, George Ezra, Shawn Mendes and Sam Smith & Normani.

CD Three highlights dancefloor classics and LGBTQ+ favourites including George Michael, Elton John, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, Marc Almond, The Communards with Sarah Jane Morris, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Dead or Alive, Divine, Hazell Dean, Bananarama, Liza Minnelli, Gloria Gaynor, Evelyn Thomas, Patrick Cowley featuring Sylvester, Boys Town Gang, The Weather Girls, Miguel Brown, Grace Jones and Man 2 Man.

CD Four rounds out the collection with Queen, Dolly Parton, ABBA, Steps, Gina G, Donna Summer, Diana Ross, Chic, Sister Sledge, Sheila B. Devotion, Baccara, Village People, Chaka Khan, Girls Aloud, Spice Girls, Carly Rae Jepsen, Leona Lewis, La Roux, Scissor Sisters, CeCe Peniston and Ultra Naté. Sony Music and EMI logos appear at the bottom.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 03/07/2026

1. Portishead - Dummy (5pts) 2. ABC - The Lexicon of Love 3. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing 4. Björk - Debut 5. The Orb - Adventures… (1pt) #5DebutAlbumsSF1

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 28/06/2026

‘Watchable biopic’ Köln 75 is a very good reason to listen to that extraordinary performance by Keith Jarrett one more time. www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ju...

A black vinyl record plays on a turntable, with the tonearm resting on the disc. Behind it, the album sleeve for Keith Jarrett’s The Köln Concert is propped up, showing a blurred black-and-white photo of Jarrett at the piano. A speaker sits to the right near a window, giving the scene a quiet home-listening feel.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 28/06/2026

No new entries to the UK Top 40 this week and a number-one track that kicks off a second YEAR on the chart by going back to number 1 for a FOURTH time. Streaming is a reality, but @officialcharts.bsky.social really need to tweak the algorithm to speed things up.

Screenshot from the Official Singles Chart website showing “Rein Me In” by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean at number 1. The page lists its chart facts: peak position 1, label Polydor, first chart date 26/06/2025 and 54 weeks on the chart. A “Weeks on chart” panel shows 14 weeks at number 1, 36 weeks in the Top 10, 52 weeks in the Top 20, 53 weeks in the Top 40 and Top 75, and 54 weeks in the Top 100. Below, a chart run grid shows the song’s weekly positions from 26/06/2025 to 02/07/2026, with number 1 positions highlighted.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 27/06/2026

Breaking my self-imposed rule about not sharing negative reviews only because Alexis Petredis' review of Myles Smith's album is very funny. You don't get this with AI copy. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/j...

Screengrab of paragraph from review that reads: "And from Ed Sheeran he takes pretty much everything else, up to and including some of the themes of his songs. Much in the style of The A Team, Mary’s Song depicts a drug-addicted but good-hearted sex worker (despite her travails, the listener is assured, “she sings her song and it goes like do-do-do-do”). Dublin Lights, meanwhile, is a frightful bit of faux-Irish fiddle-de-dee about meeting an attractive young lady in the titular city – uillean pipes, “one more Guinness and kiss so sweet” etc – that you would compare to Ed Sheeran’s Galway Girl were it not for the fact that it makes Galway Girl sound as edgy and feral as the Pogues in the era when Spider Stacy used to keep time on stage by repeatedly smashing himself over the head with a metal beer tray. It turns out to have been co-written by Ed Sheeran, information it’s a bit hard to know what to do with. It’s like going to see the Bootleg Beatles and discovering Paul McCartney’s taking the tickets."

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 26/06/2026

This album kinda floated past me on release, but in this weather, it starts to make sense. Khruangbin's Hasta El Cielo (2019) (the dub version of Con Todo El Mundo) #NowPlaying #Vinyl

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 22/06/2026

For some reason, seeing Shania Twain flanked by Angine de Poitrine makes me very happy. Story: stereogum.com/2502963/angi...

A woman in a black outfit sits between two seated performers wearing black and white polka dot costumes with gold triangular details and masked headpieces

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 21/06/2026

‘I keep my eyes wide open all the time … I find it very, very easy to be true…’ He was constantly singing bits from I Walk The Line while driving, having dinner, any time really. It is a belter though.

Album artwork for Johnny Cash: The Legend. A complication by Sun Records from 1970.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 18/06/2026

First record I bought with my own dosh. Awww!

7” Copy of Happy Talk by Captain Sensible

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 10/06/2026

Back from the Paul McCartney playback/interview event at the Roundhouse. He’s an affable interviewee (even if, despite Rob Brydon’s efforts, he gives little away). It was a delight to see him singing to the tracks, conducting the music. He is a proper legend. No photography allowed. So I didn’t.

Out-of-focus photo taken inside the Roundhouse. Red stage lighting, blurred audience and light trails obscure most details of the performance.

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 10/06/2026

You got a rather better shot than I did. 😜 Fab night though!

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Enda Guinan @endaguinan.com · 10/06/2026

As these two share a 41st birthday today, the law requires that they be played, perhaps more than once. #vinyl

A hand holds a Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85 vinyl sleeve in front of a Prefab Sprout Steve McQueen record sleeve, with vertical wooden panelling in the background.

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