Off-topic Sunday This is without doubt the most deranged piece of news feature reporting I've ever seen. I didn't know anything about Brandon 'Chopper' Read before the film of his life, starring Eric Bana, was released in 2000 (a full 13 years before his death by cancer). There is some contention over how many of his stories are true, but it's undeniable he cut off his own ears to get out of a particular prison wing, so his other claims carry some weight. Anyway, watch it and

Off-topic Sunday. Not very Christmassy, but there's plenty of that elsewhere out there... I was listening to the internet radio station, WFMU Ichiban. It plays a mixture of '60s garage punk, rock and roll, early country (think Hank Williams and Wanda Jackson) and more (Brenda Lee, Sweet Nothin's is playing right now). Every now and then there's a presenter, but 99% of the time I tune in it's continuous music interspersed with the odd archive advert or radio ident from the 196

Portuguese musician, Paulo Furtado aka The Legendary Tigerman, sent this short film, featuring his music and it mesmerised me. I've known about the Japanese bosozuku cult for years, but haven't seen any fresh coverage of it for a long time. The way the film morphs into a music video and then back out again is intriguing. I watched the film, then turned off the screen and listened to the music. I recommend it. The visuals are too intoxicating to take in the music on one viewin