This week thousands would have made their way to Whitchurch Village for the Annual ceremony to turn on Whitchurch Christmas Lights. In 2002 when I was involved around ten thousand turned up to see Demi Holborn (chart artist & GMTV Tot Star Winner) and Bluebirds Andy Legg and Scott Young come along and turn on the lights. So it is with sadness that we report there will be no Whitchurch lights this year. The smaller independent traders who funded the event each year faced a price hike of around 80% in the cost of putting on the celebration and were forced to pull the plug. It is somewhat disconcerting that the larger chains/brands behave in a Scrooge like fashion and again declined to help fund the event which had become an essential part of Christmas in the village, especially as often they'd stay open later to enjoy the extra custom.

The man with the numerous ex-factor’s, Simon Cowell has one of his first celeb gal’s wanting more. Sinitta who became his first hit artist with ‘So Macho’ in 1986 is an ex-girlfriend who’s made no secret of her love for Simes and she’d love to be a judge on the X Factor. Self confessed one time sex addict Sinitta’s certainly got all the right credentials, I can vouch for that having seen her totally naked. Mind you, all the other actors and actresses in ‘Hair’ also had great bods.

The average wage is still around £200 per week, a lucky few like Man City’s Micah Richards earn around £60,000 per week – Micah this week got a £30 fine for parking his new £170k Aston Martin on a loading bay while shopping in Manchester. In average or 'real terms’ that is the equivalent of a £1 fine – and that's why Micah parks anywhere he likes!

I’m A Celebrity’s hostess Emma Griffiths is promo pictured near naked and sweaty enough to have been playing Hide The Sausage, but it's the jungle heat isn't it, isn't it. Anyway with all that junglist perspi leading to a loosening of sanity Ant & Dec & the bosses have recruited a psychiatric nurse to help, so former Catatonic 'babe' (to use tabloid-ese) Cerys Matthews will be on hand during this year's scrum. Yep, Cerys'll sort the McLaren's out, she certainly sorted me out at a gig some years back when mid-conversation she realised she'd mistaken me for someone else, I won't say she was loud but the band couldn't hear themselves.

Xfm South Wales news
Well around a week to go and no Breakfast Show announcement yet, compared to the millions of pounds spent launching GCap's Johnny Vaughan Breakfast Show on Capital FM this is definately what you'd call low key!

Here's this week's harvest ...

 

Charlatans
You Cross My Path
new single 12 November
The Charlatans pace it up a bit with 'You Cross My Path' a sauntering 144bpm. This is the first single from their as yet untitled new album which in a groundbreaking move will be available as a free download on the Xfm website, well it should ensure a healthy amount of airplay. Years ago this arrangement could have been labelled 'payola' but as it's free well, maybe the equation relates to future tour prospects.

Eskimo Disco
Japanese Girl
new single 29 october
At 133bpm here's another electro dance gem from Eskimo Disco, the followup to 'What Is Woman' - hit

Kate Nash
Pumpkin Soup
new single 17 December
"I just want your kiss" - hit number three from Ms Nash

John Mayer
Say / Waiting On The World To Change
new single 16 November
John has hooked up with Cardiff born bass man Pino Palladino (recently of The Who, formerly of Gary Numan and Paul Young fame). An innocent little production from Mayer who this year won two Grammy's and has achieved nearly two million download sales of 'Waiting On The World'. ... Slowhand Junior ... one of the new Guitar Gods ... get the picture

Siouxsie Siou
Here Comes That Day
new single 12 November
The original chugs along at around 87bpm and is morphed into a beat driven 130bpm for Freelance Hellraiser's mix as first track on this CD. Flykiller, Graffiti Dub and Evans & Jones provide more mixes. Siouxie was there with the Pistols on Bill Grundy's TV show on the day the music world changed .. that was 31 years back, it's funny how the establishment seems to soak up everything sooner or later