Welcome to the RPM Seven Day Soundtrack, week ending Friday 8th January 2021. Here's more tunes to hopefully maintain your sanity in what is increasingly becoming a totally mental world. Storming the steps of your homes in a good way and with positive vibes, it's over to...................

Alan -

"Honest, you couldn't make it up........... on the very day that Doris the 'johnson' (never was a surname more correctly applied) was triumphantly announcing our liberty from the Franco/German Empire (a.k.a. the EU), his father, fresh from his villa in Greece no doubt, was restating his intention to relocate to La Belle Francaise and apply for French nationality!!! And not only that, Doris' sister is considering it too (memo to me.... must check the family tree to see if we have any Spanish antecedents!)!!!! So, in celebration of Doris' Brexit 'deal' and Mr Johnson Senior's commitment to the success of his sons ventures, here's three songs from my collection where the title sez it all................

Hope everyone is staying safe........ Stop press: Lockdown just announced as I prepared this listing but, despite that long overdue step, I'm gonna stick with these three."

Philip -

"(The views expressed below are not necessarily those of the Editor).

While I appreciate that any administration would have struggled and made mistakes in our present predicament, it has to be said that our P.M. has given a perfect show of how to undermine public trust and confidence.

Procrastination (They had the data on 18th December showing the new variant was 50 to 70% more transmissible than the original form of the virus- appropriate decisions could have been made then).

Dishonesty (3rd January- "... no doubt in my mind that schools are safe"). Schools then open for one day, then close as part of the new national lockdown to ensure chains of transmission are cut. No time for people to plan for this.

Over-promising and under-delivering (Let's hope that the targets for numbers of vaccinations are not another example of this serial tendency to want to appear optimistic rather than realistic and honest).

And don't get me started on Gavin out-of-his-depth-not-really-interested-in-his-brief Williamson!

Then of course there are the activities of Fat Donny over the Pond. The Republican Party has a lot to answer for, whether supporting him or merely "humouring" him. There are no excuses, they should be ashamed, and I hope he and they are held to account.

On to the music ("Thank Gawd for that" I hear you cry)... three selections from albums issued in 2020 that didn't make my top five."

Nina -

"Hi Everyone........It's been said many times, but definitely worth repeating - how brilliant is the RPM collective? Cue Fast Show impersonation "RPM, yeah - brilliant"!!

Odd to think I was on my tod in a remote Chilean forest this time last year; wilderness hermitude is probably a safe option for the foreseeable. Agree with Alan's thoughts on 25th December; daily UK rates continue to rise stratospherically, some positivity with vaccines also the repeated Tory pattern of over-promise/under-deliver & this week Trump incited nuttiness in America.

Whatever the worries and frustrations, there is always solace in music.

Thanks for your piece on 2020, Tim and thanks to everyone for the "5" lists. End of the year was bonkers hectic for me; in not-so-good + good ways, yin & yang. As a result I was behind the curve/fashionably late as per, but gained inspiration when checking the end of year review out this week. Here's stunning cover versions of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds songs............"

John -

"I hope you're all safe and well.....we will get through this. Here's a sample of what I've been listening to this week."

Tony -

"Happy New Year to you and all RPMers. Here's my 3 for this week."

Jayne -

"Dear RPM colleagues, I hope that you’re all keeping well and coping well. Just remember that real life is made of small simple things.

This week I have enjoyed the company of these musicians."

Dave -

"Hi ya all; here’s my 3 top tunes."

Morra -

"Three glam/art rock covers."

Piers -

"Sorry they were late.........."

Tim

"In view of the past week's events, here's a little musical calm....perhaps musical meditation, even. So, close your eyes and open your ears and drift away......."