Lord Ammo writes:

Loyal greetings to all bloggers wherever you are. 'Throw those curtains wide' as Guy Garvey is singing at the moment. I have done this metaphorically as I might get thumped otherwise.

After the show last night, I called the reluctant family members and suggested that they drag their weary bottoms down to central London and see what the fuss is all about. If the world's TV has turned up, the least we could do was have a gander ourselves. Surprisingly they all agreed and so we wandered past Buck House, down the Mall and around the Abbey. And I have to tell you, it was really great fun. A fantastic atmosphere; singing, camping, shouting, cars tooting, picnics in full flow, drinking by the flagon and the prospect of many hours of fervour ahead. It was the walk to Wembley/Glastonbury mainstage/royal garden party all in one. We spoiled the feeling somewhat by losing child 3 near Parliament but once he had been recovered, we fought our way home with cynical children declaring they had enjoyed it. A small moment of satisfaction was enjoyed with some Kiwi Chardonnay.

An on-line and live-streamed version of the movie show today on 5 Live from 2 and then the mighty ARF takes off from 5. The All Request Friday in full party mode with the need for the perfect opening song. As ever. But more so.

Have a warm-hearted and celebratory Friday, see you after 5

Et bien bonjour tout le monde. Yesterday's outburst of French sur le blog (dans le blog?) was quite uncalled for and merely highlighted the superiority if our native tongue in tackling les-termes-technologiques n'est pas? However if we are all to have aristo-names then I'd like to be The Duke Of Ammo or Lord Ammo of Tea-time. I know that's not how it's done but that's how it should be.

So it's Royal Wedding -eve and I know some of you are loving it and others, well, less so (and wanting to be French). Seeing London decked out in Union flags for mile after mile really does make it feel like something from another century but it looks stunning. For what it's worth, I go with the the theory of Stephen's Nose. Stephen Fry has been asked why he doesn't get his nose fixed. He has the money after all. He says that he's afraid that he would get it fixed and still be ugly. So he applies that to the monarchy:we could get rid of them but then find we are still the same country with the same problems and issues. So let's make the most of what we have and enjoy the day. That's not the most ringing endorsement of the monarchy but it works for me. Party on!

So Nigel delivers Coronation Chicken today which I have only had as a sandwich filling but will be spectacular a la Nige. And the oldies are STREET PARTY TUNES please. Not sure about bunting and trestle tables in hit songs but STREETS and PARTIES certainly do, so deposit your thoughts in our box below.

Have a straightforward and reassuringly decent Thursday, see you after 5.

How very lovely to be back and playing ELO for everybody. It had only been a few days but it felt so much more than that as I tried to remember what went where. One thing hadn't changed of course and that's my lamentable run in the quiz. I think Rebecca has fixed it in some way. She's taking lessons in quizzing I think and I need to tap into the wisdom of the blog. Of course it might just be that I'm more stupid than the rest of the team and I will bear that in mind.

And today the school run is back! Hooray! it always gets a kicking for causing the traffic congestion in the morning but I will miss it when I am not needed anymore. Sure it can be exhausting and infuriating but there are times when you get little snatches of conversation that you wouldn't have got at any other time. The forced proximity means that occasionally, just occasionally, you are party to an insight from your offspring's world that you would have missed otherwise. And that's what I'll be telling myself while fuming in today's snarl ups.

Today we welcome Ron Sexsmith to Drivetime. I've been a fan of his for a few years now and his new album 'Long Player Late Bloomer' is his best for a while. If you saw the documentary on BBC4 recently you might have been forgiven for thinking he was in a downward spiral of despondency but the album is bright, clever and full of fine melodies. Ron plays live after 6.

And our oldies:ROYAL WEDDING DAY 2-THE CLOTHES! So this is Kate's DRESS, the HATS, the MORNING SUITS and all that gubbins (the best reason for wearing morning suits is, of course, not to look a plonker in the photos 20 years later. Timeless and classic wins every time, hi-fashion makes you look like an old Top of the Pops episode).

Have an inquisitive and educational Wednesday, see you after 5.

Ah there you are. Greetings to you all and thank you for keeping the blog valves warm and glowing while I have been absent. The Family Mayo disappeared to Cape Town to, as I recall, eat chips and pizza then try to swim it all off. Getting there proved enormous fun as our plane stayed on the runway for 5 hours with only a small packet of pretzels handed out for sustenance while they tried to fix a fault. Eventually they gave up and we got 'de-planed'as they called it. Anyway, we arrived on holiday slim, mean and hungry! We had a lovely time eventually and I discovered that Mayo is a Xhosa surname from the eastern Cape and means 'Together'. In English it comes, as so many surnames do, from a Christian name-Matthew in this case. Same surname, different roots. Is that rare? Or common as muck? These things appeal to people of a certain age.

I have enjoyed the various posts on bloggers lives, ops (or lack of them), showers (or lack of them), technical issues and my new nickname (how did that happen?). It is such a lively conversation I wonder whether you need a wee posting from me at all! But I shall continue of course, I actually rather enjoy turfing assorted family members away from the computer. It's the only time I can claim priority over assorted Facebookers and iPlayer watchers. Plus it feels like the start of the day-Drivetime starts now!

Thanks to Liza for standing in last week. Let's get down to business. We are back from 5 (all apart from Matt who is off for a while) and it's been a while since the last Radio 2 Bookclub. So we get back on track with Carl Hiaasen today and his latest 'Star Island'. Carl has a large and loyal fan base who lap up all of his satirical crime novels and this one is a vicious swipe at the celebrity culture. Read the first chapter here! Carl live from Florida at 6.

Confessions, Homework Sucks, Quiz of the Day and your oldies please. I feel that wedding is unavoidable this week and will take over just a little, so let's have a few goes at it. So today, THE ROYAL WEDDING GUESTS should work. Who's there, who isn't and what they'll be wearing should keep you busy for a while. Or a minute or two.

It's good to be back. Have a refreshing and energising Tuesday, see you after 5.

This jumping blog first thing in the morning is a real trial. Just as you're trying to focus, the wretched thing leaps again. It seems to calm down eventually but when you are trying to make an early start, you need far too much patience. Any way the coffee is on the way (I've taken to starting mild, then moving up to strong in a bid to ease by body into the caffeine lake of life) so all will be calmer soon.

I'm on my gap week next week for compulsory family time so this will be my last blog till Tuesday week. A fascinating discussion here yesterday about the merits of who-fills-in-for-who. I'm sure those who need to know these things will have their attention drawn to your comments (if they don't read this blog everyday anyway) and sure too that you will welcome Liza again into the Drivetime collective. Just as long as she's not too good...

I will spend the time reading the Carl Hiaasen book for the book club return (chapter 1 is here!) and playing hangman, as the April weather inevitably resorts to it's Easter norm. I have a bag of salt and a shovel ready just in case. The honest truth I will miss the show as playing records for you lot is the best way to spend a couple of hours. I will probably just do the show anyway but at home and for my bemused and, frankly, uninterested family. On second thoughts...

First things first. A truly extraordinary opening record is in order. Start the weekend in grand style and leave your All Request Friday Song One suggestion right here. You never know, it might be you.

Have a rewarding and enthusiastic Friday, see you after 5. Hope the blog stays happy.

Bleary-eyed, I am squinting at the screen this morning and clearly in need of coffee. (Goes away, makes coffee) Try again. No school run duties to perform, I can write earlier and without hassle. No chance of any family member seeing the light of day till Zoe's on at the very earliest and, in one case, Jeremy. But I always feel sleeping past midday is immoral in some strange way (Rebecca- the Protestant work ethic isn't dead!) so am quite happy to barge in, open the curtains and run away.

Made it to the football last night, only missing the first 5 minutes or so. A dismal result of course but a great experience nonetheless and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Watching Gareth Bale in full flight against the worlds best defenders is a wonderful sight. And when he takes his top off at the end of the match, that too, so I am told, is a wonderful sight. You can see all the guys having a 'hold-your-stomach-in' moment, all at the same time.

The journey home (2 mile walk, 20 minute tube journey) was spent in the company of a full bag of mini-eggs. I have mentioned before that I am in thrall to these demonic sweets, but I managed to make it home with the whole bag intact. We might have lost the football but I won my battle with the eggs. Until Child 2 learnt of them, whereupon they were opened and disappeared within seconds. I only had 18. There is, as everyone knows, consolation in chocolate.

Which is just as well as Nigel today prepares Peruvian Chicken in Chilli and Chocolate. My guess is its more chilli than chocolate but I have been wrong before...

And today, let's do RECORD SHOP oldies. Or maybe RECORD STORE oldies.. Saturday is Record Store day... to quote from the founders...

"This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists across the globe make special appearances and performances." So lets thrill again to joys of records, record collections and record shops. You know you want to.

Have a constructive and forward-looking Thursday, see you after 5.

(I've asked Rebecca to book the same guests as yesterday but that might not happen. Glad you enjoyed the money news!)

Heating back on, April returns to normal. I have vivid memories of family Easter holidays, camping in the New Forest and chiselling iced condensation from the windows before emerging fully from the sleeping bag. Snow on the ground, the question was who could survive the longest before heading off to the distant campsite toilets, clad in pyjamas, wellies and coat. I believe caravanning is more civilised these days but have not caught the bug from my parents. Can't think why.

Today's blog written through the wonderful chaos of all children being present and getting off to various adventures. The Victorians had a word for the room I write this in. They named all sorts of rooms but by favourite is the sluttery; a room in creative chaos. It's not a mess because of neglect or disregard but because great things are happening there. Which is the excuse I cling too but I suspect you all have similar rooms and I would like to re-invent the sluttery.

Today we welcome the return of Michael and the Mechanics to Drivetime with a new album 'The Road' with new line up Mike Rutherford, Andrew Roachford and Tim Howar. Replacing Paul Carrack was always going to be tough but in Roachford (as we 80's DJ's always called him-as that's what it said on the label) they have a singer with a warm soulful voice who might just pull it off.

And lovely oldies please on the subject of HEARING AND LISTENING. The PM and his Health Secretary are embarking on a 'listening tour' to find out what people think about the NHS plans. So as our contribution we have tunes about HEARING AND LISTENING. I SAID...HEAR...Oh never mind. I failed a hearing test that lost me an engineering job at the BBC when I was 21 so what do i know.

Have an amusing and smile-filled Tuesday (still happy, dammit). See you after 5

I am intrigued by the idea of the middle-aged gap year which we discussed on yesterday's show. I know I am not about to go and do it but I am intrigued all the same. The thought of just setting off and travelling 'at our age' seems a great way of stepping off the treadmill and taking control of things. When our expert suggested taking the whole show on the road for a year it appealed instantly. Though would, of course, hardly be a gap year. Anyone else tempted? I think there's something in the 'wise traveller' theory (as it's mine). You know so much more about life in middle age that you would get so much more out of a gap year than those pesky youngsters. And we'd all go to bed earlier.

My wife produced Good Morning Sunday for many years and all the listeners went off for a cruise with Roger Royle one Easter. I'm sure we could try a trip to the Isle of Wight for an afternoon...

Michael Sheen was a sweetie of course and always enjoy talking to him. I had forgotten what a winning smile he has! That, and the fact he listens every day, make me warm to him all the more.

Today we welcome Randy Edelman to Drivetime. Best known in the UK for his solo albums and hits with 'Uptown Uptempo Woman' and 'Concrete and Clay', he has become one of America's leading composers of film and TV soundtracks. 'Dragonheart', While you Were Sleeping' and 'The Last of the Mohicans' are 3 of the hundreds he has composed. Now comes his first new album in 20 years called 'The Pacific Flow To Abbey Road' and you can hear Randy after 6.

And my favourite story of the day is the launch of a new mass movement this very Tuesday. It's called Action for Happiness :

"We all want to be happy and we want the people we love to be happy. Happiness means feeling good about our lives and wanting to go on feeling that way. Unhappiness means feeling bad and wanting things to change" So says Lord Layard who has started the whole thing. So our small bit is to do HAPPINESS oldies again as I thought they were really rather splendid. Let's take Ken Dodd as a given and see where we go...

Have an optimistic and generous Tuesday, see you after 5

The Suffolk sunshine and blackbirds (lovely),crows (not so lovely) and pigeons (horrible) accompany this blog construction. I hope your weekend was a belter. Mine was one of football and carbohydrates. The football was the Spurs/Stoke match on Saturday (glorious one minute, agonising the next) and the carbs come from the usual bread/chips/beer sources (always a delight). A gentle beach walk or 2 has, I'm sure, worked it all off and I'm as fit and chipper as I'll ever be for another fine week of Drive. The A12 permitting of course.

Today we welcome the wonderfully talented Michael Sheen to Drivetime. The star of Frost/Nixon, The Damned United, Underworld and Twilight:New Moon is about to star in and produce an enormous production in his native Port Talbot. Starting on Good Friday and finishing on Easter Sunday, it sounds like a sort-of Passion without being very religious. Which is, you have to admit, quite a challenge. The people of Port Talbot are most of the cast and crew but it'll be Michael who grabs the headlines and I'm really pleased he's on Drivetime today. He's mastered so many voices in his key roles that it almost comes as a surprise when his natural Welsh voice emerges in conversation. Check him out today.

And tunes I think, on the subject of FAIRY TALES. As I mentioned here on Friday,Red Riding Hood is out, a retelling of the old story and there are many more fables on the way. 'Beastly' is a version of Beauty and the Beast and Hansel and Gretal is imminent. So too Jack the Giant Killer and 2 rival Snow Whites. Plenty to go at there I think. Your FAIRY TALE oldies welcome.

Have an optimistic and encouraging Monday, see you after 5.

Today's blog music is the new Foo Fighters album and, as well as being good, it's really rather loud . Not only that but I am playing it loud and might be disturbing child 2 who is lying in. Now this may well be childish, but the thought of a teenager complaining about my music being too loud is rather invigorating. I shall, of course, have to pay for this later, but in the meantime my head is nodding...

2 shows again, starting at 2 with films over at 5 Live with Dr Mark. Guests today include Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke, who's new movie is Red Riding Hood (Believe The Legend, Beware The Wolf) starring Amanda Seyfried and Gary Oldman. Essentially it looks like the hunky cast of and an American teen show find themselves in a medieval European village where men wear open cotton shirts in winter and women stay indoors and knit. And there's a werewolf and a grandmother played by Julie Christie (she just plays the grandmother not the wolf). My guess is it's for 13 year old girls and so I miss out by quite a bit but it's quite fun in a 'guess-who-the-werewolf-is' kind of way.

Thence to R2 central and anther top ARF, which, with your assistance, will will be the perfect start to the weekend. Deposit your all-conquering opening song in the box provided and impress your friends.

Have a comfy and supportive Friday, see you at 2&5.

Ooh, another lovely day. Aware from the 3 worders however that many people suffered rubbish weather, so I won't go on about how absolutely stunning it is here today. Clear blue sky, birds singing, street urchins calling 'God bless us all!' as sophisticated city types stride to work. You know how it is.

Debbie Harry is always interesting I think, it's just that she makes you work hard for the interesting bits. Hope you liked the Riders on the Storm /Rapture mix that we finished it with, work of genius I think! (Blog musical accompaniment today is the new Steve Earle album 'I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive' produced by (who else) T Bone Burnett. Bob's played 2 tracks already but this is the first time I've had a chance to listen through to the whole thing. It has the basic stripped down production you expect but the melodies are some of the finest of Steve's recent material. There is a novel of the same name too which I'll finish over Easter. Hoping Steve will be on the show soon! It's the least he can do really...

Nigel today and we are ready for beer-can chicken. As I remember, the beer can has replaced the sage and onion. It's eye watering I know but also sounded mouth watering at the same time. Sally and all of a vegetarian disposition might not take part I feel.

And we should do songs for THE GRAND NATIONAL WEEKEND AT AINTREE please. This of course is not Ascot or Cheltenham so requires careful thought. Or just the same horse song if you prefer. And, just to help things along, I suppose it's unlikely the Racing Cars song will get on, in all honesty. Good though it is.

Have an energised and really rather rewarding Thursday, see you after 5.

Well a lovely morning in these parts, I trust the world is in bloom with you. The natural, perfect antidote to a bad night's football. Safe in the company of fellow THFC clan members, we returned to that role beloved of so many football supporters - wallowing in self pity. Then, first thing, I had to perform school run duties with a few Arsenal supporting kids. I thought momentarily of driving past and leaving them on the pavement, waving cheerily as I passed. But of course sanity prevailed and respectful, courteous conversation ensued.

Really enjoyed yesterday's show. The confession was great fun (quite a few 'innocent but nude' confessions coming in now) and a pleasure to chat with Emmy Lou Harris. Today we bring you Debbie Harry who has a new Blondie album out. She was Deborah Harry for a while but that never felt right and I think all is well with calling her Debbie now. `The album is 'Panic Of Girls' and is the first Blondie album for the best part of a decade. It feels like every one of the 33 years since seeing her on TOTP performing 'Denis' from 'Plastic Letters' and thinking "Wow". I interviewed her for her autobiography a few years back and looking forward again to the challenge!

In the spirit of our guest, let's do songs for BLONDES. Male, female, natural and otherwise, BLONDES have the most fun, gentlemen prefer them and we are dumb (I consider myself dark blonde in case you were wondering).

Have a gentle, respectful Wednesday, see you after 5.

Hello again and welcome to the world's only bouncing blog. Some people pay money to have their screen perform special effects, we offer it for free. And just in case you're fed up with all the techie problems, a word from those who know...

"We're sorry that there have been a few problems on the blog recently. The blogs technical team over in White City have put a temporary fix in place, and hope to get to the bottom of the problem shortly! " Patience is a virtue. This blog is character- forming.

While the Top of the Pops frenzy continues, I was called by an Irish radio station last night to talk about the impact of the show. TOTP was always big news there but I only realised that it was broadcast there at all when looking at my paycheck. You got £200 for presenting the show and £2.50 for its broadcast in the Republic. This never seemed entirely fair on the British licence payer but I thanked the Irish for the £2.50 anyway.

Tonight we welcome the delightful Emmylou Harris to Drivetime. One of the great American singer-songwriters and one of the most accomplished backing vocalists ever. Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon, Linda Ronstadt, John Denver, The Band and Elvis Costello will all testify to her skills. Her new album is called Hard Bargain, which is her cover of the Ron Sexsmith song. She sings too of her time with Gram Parsons- the opening song The Road is a corker.

And songs today please inspired by THE REFERENDUM please. So that'll be YES/NO songs essentially, unless you know of tunes which reflect the first-past-the-post/alternative vote choice posed on May 5th. Mark your box below.

Have a harmonious, peaceful Tuesday, see you after 5.

A sunny morning and all is well. Apart from the ailing, coughing and wheezing that punctuated what passed for a night. The arrival of tree pollen always brings with it the promise of a many weeks of nasal and bronchial misery. Commiserations to fellow sufferers and family members. Roll on summer.

Hope your weekend was all you wanted it to be and that Mothering Sunday was a triumph. Pub lunch on Sunday was enlivened by sitting next to Paul Whitehouse and family so conversation inevitably fell to discuss 2 things:Spurs faltering Premiership top 4 ambitions (bare with me) and Friday's joyous Top Of The Pops marathon on BBC4. I hurrumphed of course at the removal of the presenters from the mix but soon started to wallow in all the memories. Some of the footage of Procol Harum and Peter Sarstedt made me gawp as I realised this was as far back as I can remember watching, and hadn't seen them since. It was great stuff. Legs and Co (or was it Ruby Flipper?) dancing to Pretty Vacant by the Sex Pistols was something to take the breath away. More on Thursday!

Today we are back with the Radio 2 Book Club and 'My Dear I Wanted To Tell You' by Louisa Young. It's a big First World War novel with a difference, moving between Ypres, Amiens, London, Paris, Lancashire and Kent to tell of the experiences of women left at home as much as those of men in the trenches. The title comes from the standard letter that wounded soldiers were given to write to families while they were in hospital. I think it's going to be very big and you can read the first chapter here. Let me know what you think, and Louisa will be on air at 6 and then a web-chat at 6.30.

And let's do CHARLIE SHEEN oldies please. Sacked from his TV show, his live show had audiences howling for their money back and some of the worst reviews ever seen. Your inspired musical thoughts welcome. And I hope the blog behaves today.

I hope we all have a glorious and cheer-filled Monday, see you after 5

I seem to be apologising all the time. So apologies. Blog unbelievably late due to essential breakfast maintainance. One of those long breakfasts that go on when someone else is paying. Eggs bendedict since you asked. I was hoping to have a secret meeting when I noticed that Rory Cellan Jones, the BBC's Technology correspondent, was at the next table. Cover blown, secret gone. Ho hum.

2 show day. To 5 first of course for some film chat with Dr Mark. Guest today is Jim Loach (son of Ken) whose first film is 'Oranges and Sunshine' - about the deportation of children to Australia in the 50's and 60's. A very moving film it is too. Then to 2 and the All Request Friday behemoth that just seems to start the weekend in an appropriate manner. Even if you go home to a magazine and a cup of tea. So that song for the 5.05 moment is up for grabs. Surprise us all with your genius! Let the first song be yours! Fill that box now !

Have an invigorating and really rather reassuring Friday. See you after 5.

And sorry I'm late