"My scraping knuckles bleed..."

19 November

(From Freak, Strangelove)

"The moon crept uninvited over my sill..."

23 February

(From Sleep Has No Property, Danielle Dax)

"Through the driving rain...colours run in veins..."

30 January

(From Land's End, Siouxsie & the Banshees)

"I want out, I want out, I want out..."

23 January

(From Saigon, Adam Ant)

"Shot full of diamonds & a million years, the disappointed disappear like they were never here."

16 January

(From Geek U.S.A., Smashing Pumpkins)

"There must be some kind of message, simple plot somehow impressive."

11 January

(From Plan A, The Dandy Warhols)

"The man in the moon's got it in for me."

9 January

(From Sixer, Strangelove)

"Welcome to the aching world."

30 December

(From Broken People)

"I was made with a heart of stone to be broken with one hard blow."

29 December

(From Ocean Size)

"Hillside changing colour as I'm watching shadows throw."

20 December

(From The Riches)

"Now the nameless dwell."

14 December

(From Then She Did)

"If I were you I'd better watch out..."

13 December

(From Just Because)

"Till the shadows and the light were one..."

9 December

(From Three Days)

"The night is swelling off we go..."

7 December

(From Strays)

"Everybody has their own opinion - holding it back hurts so bad..."

I have toyed with the choices for band of the final month of the year.

In the end, I settled on Jane's Addiction.

Yet "settling" seems like the wrong verb.

"Settling" isn't what I'd associate with them. "Unsettling" might be closer.

Because there was always something a little bit off about them.............a little bit European.

Even their most commercial song was about shoplifting. & getting away with it.

That was & is their ultimate genius - in the sheer & utter joy in the seamier side of life, the fun of bad behaviour, in lack of consequence, bad habits & decidedly dodgy activities.

In addition, they have simply made some of the best music ever recorded.

(In fairness & on World Aids Day, a wider social conscience certainly exists in their political lives but where's the entertainment in that?)

1 December

(From Mountain Song)

"Crumbling castles in the sand."

26 November

(From Blow the House Down)

"Into another night of bleeding flowers..."

21 November

(From Hang Me High)

"All that glisters leaves you cold."

16 November

(From Shadowtime)

"Slowly, glowing, bold & bright."

14 November

(From Fireworks)

"Your hidden dreams chill & swoon..."

8 November

(From Turn to Stone)