For the love of Françoise Hardy, Ben Sidran and the TV comedy Twenty Twelve

Among the logs tossed on the conversational bonfire this week to combat mid-June’s British winter you’ll find …
… ‘I Managed Van Morrison’ and other films screaming to be made.
… how it feels to watch someone play from the best seat in the house.
… Françoise Hardy, her unsmiling photos and legions of besotted male admirers (ie us and everyone else).
… the time she met Dylan and Nick Drake.
… Juliette Greco, Edith Piaf and the handful of French stars who made it across the Channel.
… the joy of small venues: “the bigger the gig, the smaller a component of the experience the actual performance is”.
… Elvis Costello’s photographic memory.
… Maria Muldaur with Earl Palmer and Amos Garrett.
… why Twenty Twelve says more about British life than any other TV show.
... the terrible jokes of Ronnie Scott.
… “Kate Bush grew up in a world without sarcasm.”
… Siobhan Sharpe, Bertie Wooster, the Artful Dodger, Basil Fawlty, Edina & Patsy and other deathless British fictional stereotypes.
… plus birthday guest Paul Thompson and books tracking down people who’ve played with Dexys and Dylan. And who should be next - Hawkwind, Van Morrison?
Find out more about how to help us keep the conversation going: / wordinyourear

[@lthmptr]

I fell in love with Francoise Hardy when I was 13, she starred in the film Grand Prix which I went to see 3 times in one week. At the time I had visions of winning the mountains Jersey in the Tour de France and whisking her away to wedded bliss....however life took a different turn 😂😂

[@foxbasealpha]

Françoise Hardy was old enough to be my mother, but boy, she made my heart flutter and my ears swoon.

[@michaeloleary2248]

I saw John McLaughlin when he was over 80, Abdullah Ibrahim when he was over 80, soon after I saw Marshall Allen leading the Sun Ra Arkestra when he was 98.

[@lthmptr]

I saw McLaughlin two years ago at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester....he was phenomenal.

[@kareljbeer]

Clive Gregson "I love that guy"

[@sianwarwick633]

.Johnny Halliday was knocking around forever. On the cover of Paris Match. Charles Aznavour is beloved, and with good reason

[@Smudgie]

Both French and German music fans seem to be extremely loyal to singers and bands longer than British fans, who I think tend to be more contemporary in their tastes? Many bands from the seventies and eighties can still tour and make a good living. Particularly in Germany.

[@SubTroppo]

I saw Rubén González [born 1919] and the other members of the Beuna Vista Social Club in 1997; they were all knocking on. Was the inspiration for the BBC Twenty Twelve Olympics spoof "The Games" which was a mockumentary of/for the Sydney Olympics in 2000?

[@JJONNYREPP]

the dvd was free with some tawdry sunday broadsheet...

[@margaretjbuckley]

Johnny Hallyday was shite, jumped on any bandwagon that was passing, trying to stay relevant.