Vinegar Tits

Absolutely shocked at the news of the death of singer Maurane. It's only just been announced so no details of cause of death yet. I can't see her getting a UK obit but she was very well known in Belgium and France. If you can, check out the film Palais Royale which, seeing as it was a co-production with Film 4, it's surprising it's not turned up on UK screens, where she has an amusing cameo as Elton John (if you've seen the film you'll get that). I have kissed a toy bunny that Maurane had also manhandled but that's a story for another time...

RIP. He starred in the first panto I ever saw (Dick Wittington, Bradford Alhambra 1979)

Sad news about Lys Assia, though she had looked increasingly frail in the last few years (which is fair enough as she was in her nineties). I hope there is a suitable tribute to her as first winner this year. I wouldn't normally advocate a tribute section in Eurovision but she is a special case, as was Udo Jurgens when his death coincided with Austria hosting.

To be fair, lying in a hospital bed with wires coming out of you is never a good look. Other than looking decidedly scrawny, and I'm really not sure about those glasses, she doesn't seem too bad. Definitely one to keep an eye on though.

Cher is a goddess.

It's her, isn't it? I am *so* going to kill my sister for that... I wish I hadn't mentioned that France Gall was ill now *sobs*

"Bastard" is what I call him when I see his team has beaten mine yet again. Could you check if Drop Dead Celebration picked France Gall please? If so, she is getting denounced as my sister and will receive a very *very* hard slap next time she's in the UK as she knows how much I adored France

It won't come as a surprise to anyone that I also love Luv'. How 'Trojan Horse' wasn't a hit over here I'll never know.

I've always liked Mull Of Kintyre. There's nothing wrong with it. Well, until the f&@#ing bagpipes kick in anyway... I do remember when it spent an eternity at no.1 though - and it knocked Abba's The Name Of The Game off the top spot too Thank goodness for Althia & Donna in their khaki suits and ting.

The rumour about the "severe back pain" that caused the cancellation of last year's European dates is that it was a suicide attempt. Certainly that's the rumour that went round France at the time.

To be honest, suicide was the first thing that crossed my mind too. We'll find out soon enough I suppose.

Sad news. Saw The Cranberries many many times very early on (they were a bit like Radiohead in that they always seemed to be the support/on the same bill as other bands I liked) as well as in their own right numerous times; they were always excellent live. Went off them from Zombie onwards when Dolores developed her vocal style to be - to these ears anyway - as irritating as possible but the first album is still stunning. She's admittedly had her problems in the past but would anyone have thought she'd go before Sinead?

And to answer my own question - no she hasn't. Indeed, the usual rags are commenting that a response from Sanson is very much noticeable by its absence. I do hope Vero is just keeping a respectful distance and silence rather than being a bitch.

Of course he's buried! His family didn't approve of France Gall as they saw her as just a cheap entertainer, unlike his previous squeeze Veronique Sanson who was a proper musician and Serious Artiste and from a well-to-do family to boot. So when Pauline died there was a thing about whether she should be buried in the family plot. Something like that anyway, I'm going from memory here.