Blur – The Narcissist: A deep-dive into the genesis of (another) hit May 30, 2023 There is a moment in the Beatles’ catalogue of which I’m particularly fond. It comes on the album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band when Paul McCartney, ever the panting optimist, sings: “It’s getting better all the time.” Lennon improvises back: “It couldn’t get much worse.” The essentially dual spirit of the Beatles is encapsulated in that [...]
Ben Elton interview: Woke comedy and the scourge of individualism May 30, 2023 In a rundown rehearsal room opposite a housing estate in Oval, Ben Elton is spilling political truths in sharp, disarmingly blunt sentences. He’s been talking for almost fifteen minutes, nearly half the time I have with him, but I’ve barely asked him a question. Aged 63, Elton still fizzes with energy. He talks on three [...]
Kamm 912c is a fresh twist on the Porsche restomod recipe May 30, 2023 With a 190hp flat-four engine and a kerb weight of just 750kg, the Kamm 912c is a back-to-basics Porsche that prioritises driving fun.
A tribute to Martin Amis: ‘He wanted time itself to flow backwards’ May 28, 2023 Last weekend Martin Amis died in Fort Worth, Florida at the age of 73 – the same age as his father Sir Kingsley Amis – of a disease I hadn’t known he had, in a house I wasn’t aware he had owned. Why should the death of our heroes be so shocking, being as it [...]
MG4 EV review: The best-value electric car you can buy May 27, 2023 The MG4 EV is a more affordable alternative to a Volkswagen ID.3. Should it be your next electric family car?
Aspects of love, London, review: Flatly ridiculous, utterly gorgeous Michael Ball musical May 26, 2023 Aspects of Love review and star rating: ★★★★ I think I must be mad, but I really enjoyed this absolutely morally bankrupt musical about a weirdly incestual group that all seem to have sex with each other, no matter their relation to one another, and no matter how flatly ridiculous it all seems. I’ve never [...]
Ben Affleck goes back to basics in cop thriller Hypnotic May 26, 2023 Before he suits up as Batman for The Flash, Ben Affleck plays a cop on the trail of a killer in Hypnotic. His character, Danny Rourke, is tormented by the kidnapping of his daughter. His determination to continue with his job puts him on the trail of “Hypnotic” Dellrayne (William Fichtner), a person who uses [...]
Taxi Driver writer Paul Schrader returns with Master Gardener May 26, 2023 Paul Schrader, the writer of Martin Scorsese classics Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, has had a spotty history as a director. For every American Gigolo or Affliction there have been several The Canyons or Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcists. This seemed to be behind him following the success of 2017’s nail-biting First Reformed and 2021’s [...]
Concours on Savile Row brings rare classics to free London event May 25, 2023 Back for its second year, Concours on Savile Row takes place on May 24 and 25, with a eclectic variety of classics and supercars on show.
Maserati MC20 Cielo review: The sky’s the limit May 25, 2023 We drive the Maserati MC20 Cielo, a drop-top supercar designed for azure Mediterranean skies. How will it fare on a grey day in Britain?