And so farewell Andy Kershaw. I was very saddened to hear of his death. I admit to not knowing that he was seriously ill. He seemed to be the type of character that was always there - cutting his broadcasting teeth on Whistle Test, being the wonderfully rude and inappropriate host at Live Aid, his out of place Radio 1 show, transiting to Radio 3, and then even finding a new home in the DIY world of podcasting. But alas, no more.

His random podcast over recent years is actually far better than his wonderful Radio 3 shows, before he got the boot at the Beeb. Kershaw finally found a platform where he didn’t need to hold back and could Tell It Like It Is. In the murky world of post-legacy media, this can often be a euphemism for right wing nut jobs going off on one. But not for Kershaw. If anything, the opposite was true.

Sure, he was flawed at times with a complicated personal life. Who isn’t? It was quite something to be able to rebuild his career, despite both the BBC and the tabloids seemingly doing all that they could to hold him back.

At the core of his dogged determinism was the music. It wasn’t his ego or even financial reward; he had no shame in passing around the begging bowl on his podcast, pleading literal poverty to keep the lights running on the random pods. You sense that he felt it was his mission to get the music out there and share his love of it with others.

I’ve been introduced to many amazing artists thanks to Kershaw. The podcast title of Andy Kershaw Plays Some Bloody Good Records was true to form. What we now broadly know as World Music reaching a larger audience is largely down to Kershaw. His knowledge was vast.

And o farewell Andy Kershaw. He didn’t give a shit, right up until the end.

Here’s a new one for me: Maxine Funke. Don’t be fooled by the name. Maxine is far from the funky diva. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Instead, she’s a New Zealand based artist who produces some very haunting melodies. No surprises that it was the ever excellent Late Junction that first alerted me.

In particular, the track Let’s Go! Another Year seemed to fit the mood for me right now. There’s a very light touch to the production behind the almost constrained vocals. Think Nina - Nordenstam, deffo not Simone - who would fit the slightly bonkers funky diva description.

Timeless Town is the latest album release. It sounds perfect for the first few weeks of the new year, despite being released in autumn of last year.

Late Junction rarely fails to deliver. It’s an outpost of radio that somehow still manages to break through all the bullshit that occupies the airwaves elsewhere.

Oh - and SHOUT OUT to Mule’s Oddcaste which is playing a similar role on a local level.

I’ve been catching up with some Andy Kershaw Plays Some Bloody Great Records podcasts. Tell It Like It Is, etc. Where else can you hear the Stones covering The Temptations, a Martin Stephenson kitchen session, and some DIY recordings from a field trip the Democratic Republic of the Congo from back in the late 1980’s?

Kershaw sounds as bitter as ever from being sidelined from the BBC - and indeed he should. There are few other broadcasters who understand their audience, and who also know their music inside out. He is a rare asset that the BBC should have ‘reintegrated’ back into what platform Kershaw now fits these days. It’s remarkable to consider that he once held down a Radio 1 spot, playing pretty much the same music that he is still playing on his podcasts these days.

He also has a great relationship with the artists he has championed over the decades. They’re still lining up to appear on his podcast, live and direct from his kitchen table. The background barking from his dog Bertie sounds almost like a canine two fingers being raised up to the BBC.

I’ve always loved the bashfulness of Kershaw. Put simply, he doesn’t give a shit. This Live Aid clip where he held court with the unlikely trio of Sting, Phil Collins and, erm, Howard Jones is a brilliant watch. He cuts the interview short and tells Phil to bugger off to the other side of the Atlantic.

You get the first hour of the podcasts for free. A Patreon endorsement unlocks a second hour. I confess to not having signed up - but I really should. Cost of living shit, innit. I do have a list of ‘creators’ who I really want to endorse, should a little more money come my way. Without the likes of Kershaw still kicking over the statues, well, then we’re left with a very bland cultural offering.

Catching up with the Monday Night Club on 5Live from last night. It’s usually a half decent listen. I try and at least dip into some of the headline points each week, either live, or via BBC Sounds.

No surprises that Postecoglou’s sacking at Forest led the agenda on Monday evening. It’s better than not being talked about, back in the dark, dark days of the Championship.

I think?

Anyway - Chris Sutton was as ever, the flag waver for Postecoglou. No surprises there. Sutton of course sees Postecoglou through the lens of what he achieved in a two team division up in Scotland.

I like Sutton - I really do. More so the MNC Sutton when he usually Tells It Like It Is, as opposed to the piss poor comedy act with Robbie Savage on 606. This has become more or less unlistenable of late.

On Monday evening, Sutton chose to target his Postecoglou anger at Ryan Yates. The basis for the rant was a post-match interview that the Forest Captain gave following the Chelsea debacle.

Yates was the only club person to do ANY media post-Postecoglou’s sacking on Saturday evening. He did the entire round of international, national and local media. No one else within the club - those behind the decision - were brave enough to step forward.

It’s not clear which interview Sutton listened to, but he was adamant that Yates had gone behind Postecoglou’s back to the Big Fat Greek, saying that he doesn’t like his manager. No evidence of this exists.

“Who does he think he is?”

…asked Sutton.

Erm, the Forest Captain, whose role and responsibilities include fronting up for the club, when others are too ashamed to justify their own actions.

Hopefully Sutton and Savage will now drop their OH SO FUNNY running gag of Forest being Sutton’s “Your Nottingham Forest.”

I don’t recall seeing Sutton down in the Sheep Dip back in the day at the old BBG, giving it some to the D***y fans.

Modern football. Funny old game, innit.