The BBC4 documentary The Old Grey Whistle Test Story was well worth catching, reeling in the years when we were young and music really mattered. It reminded me of some of my own favourite Whistle Test moments:

• Sha Na Na being interviewed after their awesome performance of high-speed doo-wop, in character as New York hoodlums. I really thought Whispering Bob was going to get knifed (I may have been stoned at the time)


• Roxy Music. They blew me away, and the very next day I made the effort to find out where they were playing and get tickets. This turned out to be the Rainbow, supporting an act I wasn't too keen on, but went along anyway. And that, kids, is how we got to see David Bowie débuting Ziggy


• Anne Nightingale interviewing FZ in about 1980, accusing him of not being punk. I like to think she inspired the quote about people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read

None of this was included in the show, apart from about ten seconds of Roxy Music, and all the music clips were way too short. No worries though: upcoming are five 40-minute programmes of musical excerpts, one of which is part of Four's California-themed thread, and Beefheart's in tomorrow evening's. If that doesn't provide musical satisfaction then I'm a Dutchman (possibly Jan Akkerman of Focus).

Having earlier enjoyed Some Like It Hot I'm now seated on the Cyber Sofa with a small libation and some great sounds, specifically what should be the Nation's Favourite Xmas Song (D. Tel). Time to wish a happy, peaceful and stress-free Christmas to everyone who reads this, including but not limited to you and yours, and me and mine.