I have a fear of solo albums from member of bands I love for precisely this reason. Why did this happen? Surely Robert didn’t have a whole heap of MOR inside of him all those years dying to get out – or maybe he did. Just like Jason Pierce has a whole load of wanky, self-indulgence to relieve himself of….

I’ve never even heard of Les Savy Fav – are they some kind of trendy indie group?! Sounds like I shouldn’t be looking out for them anyway. And Festivals don’t count, BLTP. As you say that’s the joy of them!

I used to know somebody who was a massive, massive fan of Powder, and used to get outraged when I slated them, so they did have some support. I just find it enormously difficult to understand how or why, and I’ve never been given a satisfactory explanation. They’re a classic example of the point in time where Britpop bands descended into a mire of huff and bluster over actual talent.

I can believe that Nirvana were rubbish. I have parted with very few records in my life, but one which I was more than happy to give away was my copy of In Utero.

Chapterhouse, 23 Daves! I quite like their first album (although admitedly, it’s not the sort of record I come home desparate to hear these days). I never had the pleasure of seeing them live. Perhaps this is a good thing though.

As for Powder, I suspect that your judgement was correct regardless of any personal circumstances (including Peal Lowes). They were absolutely rubbish. I wonder if she admits as much in her autobiography? Not that I’m in a hurry to read it and find out.

I very nearly walked out of a Chapterhouse gig once, which I still rank as one of the worst shows I’ve seen. They were hidden behind their hair for most of the performance, didn’t move much, and the PA was absolutely terrible, meaning the subtleties of their effects pedal driven noise were completely lost and everything was one huge, distorted mush. Nobody much liked them, and they even had the nerve to come back out for an encore after a not particularly spirited round of applause from the audience. I’d only heard “Pearl” at the time I saw them, and obviously it later turned out that they didn’t really have many other good songs anyway.

I also had to review Headswim and Powder (on separate occasions, obviously) who rank as among the dullest live bands I’ve ever been forced to watch. Headswim were like a local provincial grunge-u-like band who got lucky (essentially to grunge what corned beef is to a sunday roast joint), and Powder were incredibly dull and unimaginative but had the nerve to be very smug and pleased with themselves, as if they were the most exciting thing to happen in music that year. I’ve been unable to find Pearl Lowe anything but irritating ever since, although I’m sure she’s had a rather tough life. I don’t mind onstage arrogance if the band has something to back it up with – but when you’ve got a lead singer dancing and grinning in a self-satisfied way to an audience who don’t seem to care much whilst the guitarist ‘makes shapes’, it’s a trying spectacle. There again, I did split up with my girlfriend the night before I saw them, so I was in a very despondent and easily irritated mood.

Biggest gig I ever walked out of was Nirvana… what turned out to be their last ever UK show too. It was sh!t!!!! Now everyone talks about that same gig as legendary, believe me, it wasn’t… these are people who never had to listen to it i’m sure.

Mondo, you’d think they would have realised at some point that, to hell with democracy, some things just work better at the top of the bill, wouldn’t you? Unless you happen to like endless blues soloing obviously. I think something similar happened with an early Stiff records tour where Rachel Sweet was meant to be alternating headline slots with Elvis Costello or someone like that. It didn’t work out.

Edgar Winter was stunning with a band of lively young musos energising his funky jams. Alvin was appalling and played slow-grinding blues solo after slow-grinding blues solo. We bailed after only a handful of songs and seeing several audience members doze off (honestly)

Only really bad live experiences I’ve had have related to support bands being too far removed from the headliners to fit, Suede (before they were famous) opening for Kingmaker were dreadful and Snow Patrol (ditto) didn’t suit a Levellers audience at all.

I hate circuses.

I’ve only ever walked out of one gig. ‘The Cave’ by Steve Reich which is the worst and most disappointing thing he has ever done. Oh, and James Yorkston – but that was even before he came on so doesn’t count.

The most boring gig I’ve been to in recent years must be Sebastien Tellier. He lurched on stage pissed as a fart, stood sucking on a bottle of wine for ten minutes burbling about being bisexual (OK, so you’re French! Get on with it!) then proceeded to wibble half-heartedly over a backing track until I realised I was going to become violent if I stayed, so I went home. Appalling.

Prior to that, Joe Strummer (in his Taco Bell period with the Mescaleros) had me running for the exit to avoid a boredom-induced coma after three songs. Here’s another song about tequila nights on the bayou…no I don’t think so, Joe. And what he did to ‘Pressure Drop’ on the night was a musical crime.

I don’t mind being ‘challenged’ by bands, but boredom is unforgivable.