A technical point on your statement that a slice of songwriting is necessary to benefit from performance rights, as this is not exactly the case. Performance rights for compositions and recordings are separated at source. The increased revenue to labels you note is a reflection of label and performers' recently-acquired ability to carve out these all-important revenue streams from digital outlets with artists receiving income for their performances through organisations like SoundExchange and NZ's own RAP Fund. However, what stands out in all this is American radio's continuing to hold out on paying anything to performers and owners of recordings. Only the songwriters and publishers get paid on radio there - aside from two interesting cases. Last year Clear Channel struck a deal with Big Machine (Taylor Swift) and Fleetwood Mac to pay a performance royalty. Because, quite clearly, Taylor and Mick really need the cash more than the rest of us. Luckily the rest of the world is more advanced, although we are still forced to deal with quirks such as the UK's PPL being ever so slow in reciprocating a deal with our own PPNZ to deliver NZ artists' performance royalties. There are also remarkably lengthy delays in collecting income from crafty bureaucracies like Germany's GVL. You're right in that performance royalties ought to be a key income stream - but for songwriters and performers.

You want German music TV from the 1970s? Okkervil River guy Will Sheff's piece here on his personal website on Doctor Hook & The Medicine Show: Live 1974, is a lengthy essay with clips from a German TV performance by this strangest of groups. Sheff calls it his favourite music DVD and this is a brilliant piece of music writing that will easily take an hour or two of your time to appreciate and enjoy, especially as the unfolding narrative of the clips takes hold. As he says, "Most concert films celebrate bands at the height of their powers, depicting their massive stadium tours, their virtuousic skill, their almost shamanic sway over adoring audiences. Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show: Live shows the opposite – in merciless, sweaty close-up." Doctor Hook, live on German TV, you say? Oh yes.

We brought Ed Kuepper over to play at the Gluepot in 1993 and do some promo for Serene Machine, his album of that year. The Able Tasmans were the opener - with Graeme being the loudest voice we had in media in support of Ed's incredible talent it was hard to turn down his pleas for the slot. And they were a fine mix anyway. Ed's a sardonic but charming fellow and last night I thought his set was incredible from go to whoa. Television certainly had their moments - Verlaine's solo in Little Johnny Jewel and Rip tastefully working his way through Guiding Light and others made for memorable passages - but as far as unassuming musical show-officity went on the night, what Ed ripped through on "Eternally Yours" made him the winner for me. Outstanding shit.

Doctor Feelgood fans and the idly curious alike should ring aunty for a copy of Oil City Confidential, Julien Temple's unbelievably great doco on these pub rock legends. Aside from an opening sequence that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as their supercharged r'n'b fires up the stage, the story of the Canvey Island rockers is a fantastic voyage and the bug-eyed interviews with Wilco Johnson worth the price of entry alone. Took me back to my days as a 15 year-old poster boy in Hamilton, sticking up for Doug's tours of both a post-Wilco DF line-up and then Wilco himself with his power trio. Had never heard the music at that time (they didn't play it on Radio Contact's strict diet of Monochrome Set and The Clean!) but both shows were brilliant fun.

Ah, the ever-helpful "Rob's Recommendations" of "cheap quaffers" from the Wine Vault. I know them well. Those worthy men are drinkers' friends.

funnily enough, the consensus from our little gang at Siren last night that while it was small and perfectly formed at 40 minutes (and how great was it watching those two guys stepping so deftly around the twirling sirens?) we coulda taken even more intensity and volume at some point. but then we may also be slightly deafer than the average punter through 25 years of exposure to excessive live rock volume he he...

i just watched that clip of russian rug and it takes me back to being a 15 year-old lying on my bedroom floor playing the bilder' schwimmen in der see 7" on the family radiogram (one speaker model). that song was the very first i ever heard to clue me into the freakpower nature of music and i've never looked back since. i wish i could join you at the masonic, russell, but the new boy has finally arrived this week. in 15 years' time i will be sure to lie him on the floor and see if it can provoke the same reaction in him.

Atanarjuat aka "The Fast Runner" is one of the most incredible films of all time. not so comfy slippers viewing for the dog show fans tho. i am just peeved that i got my public-address-update-reminder-complete-with-radiation... a day after it screened on mts. i will let you guys off cos it is birthday week tho.