Good morning and happy Halloween etc. I shall be marking the day by attending the Muse concert for Radio 2 tonight. I realise that I am therefore neglecting my trick or treat duties but that's the way it is. I'd love to be at home answering the door to local ghouls, handing out a selection of sweets and cheery 'ooh your scary' comments, but the thought of one of the biggest bands of the UK playing our little theatre is unmissable. I saw Muse at Wembley a few years ago and it was massive and very very noisy. Broadcasting House will tremble. And that's after that Dr Mosh steps up with a Monster Mosh for Halloween.

There was a time when we dreaded Trick or Treat as it seemed to be just an excuse for some ruffians to hammer on your door all evening asking, as Eddie Izzard said once, 'give us sweets for no reason'. But in the last few years though it seems to have become more organised and family friendly and handing over some tuck seems quite the thing to do. It means no one does 'Penny for the Guy' anymore but that was declining anyway. Did any bloggers do that? It seemed on its way out when I was growing up but maybe it's a regional thing.

And the oldies have to be GHOSTLY and, as child 3 has pointed out, WEREWOLFY as it's a full moon as well as All Hallows Eve. How could we not?

Have a cheery and well-balanced Wednesday. See you after 5

I write in near darkness. Nothing to do with the weather but the builders are back. Windows are covered, scaffold erected and men swarming (if 3 people can swarm). The roof needs attention and coffee and biscuits need buying. This can be a stressful time as most bloggers know. We have all had the inconsiderate chap (always male in my experience) who lights up in your house, is not the cleanest in the bathroom (ahem) and walks mud and goodness knows what else throughout your house. And then charges you a fortune (plus VAT) for the pleasure. This hasn't happened for a while so here's hoping things are getting better (and no that's not a cue for a song so you can stop that now).

Outside is sunny and mild (in comparison with the weekend) so with a cheerful step we journey to drivetime and the return of Dawn French. She has a new novel out called Oh Dear Sylvia. Dawn has really taken to this writing malarkey (this is sounding familiar no?) and is set for a series of bestsellers if her last one 'A Tiny Bit Marvellous' is anything to go by. There's also talk of the need to do 'The Bishop of Dibley' if the CofE goes ahead with women bishops. Hear Dawn after 6.

Oldies please for the new 4G phones please. The UK's first fourth generation (4G) mobile service has gone live in 11 cities.

London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Glasgow and Southampton will have access to network EE's 4G from this morning. This all means extra speed and capacity which allows for high-quality streaming of audio, video and other content while on the move. Apparently. It all seems a little unnecessary and extravagant at the moment but you cant stop the march of technology-we'll all succumb eventually. 4G it is then.

Have an efficient and astute Tuesday, see you after 5.

Half term finished (in as much as it existed at all) and the dank and cold weekend done for. More geocaching was required of course (see last week) and our best find was a wonderful small silver capsule operated by a pulley system half way up a tree. Very clever and a round of applause for its creator. We celebrated by eating chips-Matt would have been so proud. There isn't much you can do in the pouring October rain to raise a smile but this was certainly one of them. More soon.

The other main occupation was reading the new Ian Rankin novel 'Standing In Another Man's Grave' which is another Rebus novel and the next bookclub choice. It really is terrific and well worth you looking at the free sample available here. Fans of Rebus won't need too much persuading of course but I'd forgotten what it is like to get half way through a book and feel as though you've smoked 60 cigarettes and drunk the best part of a bottle of whisky. Great detective, bad health choices. And the A9 sounds like a road worth avoiding.

Today we welcome comedian Roy Walker to drivetime. He won New Faces in 1977 and went on to feature regularly in The Comedians and then hosted Catchphrase. There's a 40th anniversary Comedians dvd around which was recorded at the Blackpool Grand Theatre last year and Roy will tell all tonight.

And oldies for the DARK please. The hour has been lost and drivetime is a show in darkness again. Allow us to light your path home (I can't believe I wrote that).

Have an enlightened and stimulating Monday. See you after 5

Last day of half term here. Last day of no school run obligations and pyjama blogging. A decadent start to the weekend eh? One of the reasons for our slovenly behaviour was the post show dash to see Warhorse at the New London Theatre. I had heard it was brilliant and, ahead of Michael Morpurgo's appearance on the show, needed to see for myself.

And guess what? It's brilliant. Everyone else was right. I enjoyed the film but this is so much smarter and so much more engaging. It's spectacle comes from the work of the Handspring Puppet Company who bring the horses to life. Many of you will have seen it and know all this but you really watch 2 shows; the story as told by the actors and then the puppeteers working the animals and providing their noises too. 2 hours and a half hours of being utterly absorbed, moved and thrilled too, we then got a speech from Michael Morpurgo. He told the story of how a pint in a pub in Devon with an old solider had formed the basis of what became Warhorse. It's now on in the US and about to be staged in Berlin. He'll be on the show shortly-don't miss him.

(and a mention for the brilliant folk singer Bob Fox who sang the John Tams songs and plays the omnipresent narrator-like song man. The singing is what gets you if the story hasn't)

It's Bond day on the film show on 5L with full review and Daniel Craig interview (Steve has Daniel C and Judy D too on his show). I agree with Chris that it's best to see Bond without anyone giving anything away but that's difficult when reviewing the thing. But Skyfall is the only show in town so it'll dominate matters I think. Then we'll hit the weekend with your ARF selection of good time tunes. Sylvester last week-anything better you've got in mind?

Have a washed and scrubbed (and maybe shaken and strirred) Friday, see you at 2&5.

Good morning to all bloggers and welcome to new arrivals. A quieter day was enjoyed yesterday which is just as well. The showbiz quotient of Tuesday was hard to keep up and there's only so much sparkle one is allowed. So a chat and brunch with child 1 before his return to uni was quite enough (the bar for luring him back south now impossibly high - all he requires are tickets for a royal premiere). Tonight we venture out again to see Warhorse on stage-Michael Morpurgo will be a guest on the show very soon. I haven't seen it before but there are only great reviews, so have persuaded child 3 to join me. Interval crisps is the deal.

Today's show features Nigel back in the kitchen knocking up a sausage cassolet. This is interesting I think because it comes from a new cook book written by Catherine Hill who got the idea for this collection while listening to an ARF. She heard all the weekend plans for baking, feasting and celebrating and was inspired to write The Weekend Cookbook. So Nige has roadtested one of the recipes and you can hear the results today after 6.

And oldies please of GROWTH and EXPANSION. The PM let slip that we'll be getting good news today which is widely believed to be the end of the recession so lets party before it all goes wrong again! Songs of augmentation, proliferation, multiplication,enlargement, amplification, mushrooming, snowballing,rise, escalation, build-up will all work well. Thanks.

Have a delightful and profitable Thursday. See you after 5.

Well quite a drama. I finished the show yesterday in my coat ready to leap into action. To get to the Royal Albert Hall from Radio 2 in central London is quite a tricky operation if you're in a hurry at the best of times. There is no easy tube line that doesn't involve loads of walking and a taxi will queue for a very long time through Hyde Park (sure I spotted some stragglers from the Tom Jones bash in September). So, with no other options, the taxi bike is the transport of choice! I'm not really a motorbike fan but sometimes it's the only choice. Off air at 7pm, seated by7.10? Are you kidding? I was always going to rely on a door person to smile and allow me in and so it proved! She gave me a 'you're that bloke' look and looked amazed that I been worried in the first place. Turned out the film didn't start till after 8! I could have got a Boris bike after all.

I would though have missed the military bands, the speech from Sam Mendez, introduction of the cast and national anthem etc. Child 3 loved it (first Bond film) and children 1&2 waxed lyrical all the way home. And Wife 1 (when not feeling poorly) loved it too. So a hit for all the family over 12 who like that kind of thing.

And a fun time with Art Garfunkel too! What a star, what a talent, what an unusual gent! I could have talked with him for hours as he seemed quite likely to say pretty much anything. And as he mentioned, he's the opposite of Paul Simon; where Paul is reserved and cautious, Art is wild and unpredictable. Let's hope he gets that voice back soon.

Today's guest is the star of DCI Banks Stephen Tompkinson. I still think of him as self-aggrandising journalist Damian in Drop The Dead Donkey which will be very annoying as he's sort of moved on since then (Wild at Heart, Ballykissangel, Brassed Off etc). He's back with the second series at the moment and will be in Spamalot any week now.

And oldies please to mark the end of the CEEFAX service after 38 years. It used be the least stressful way to follow sport and I loved it. It's all been switched off now and the kids will be amazed at what we were reading from the tv screen-but what do they know? Songs for CEEFAX please, and thankyou.

Have a busy and creative Wednesday, see you after 5

Good morning from a dark and dank London. One of those days when the darkness seems to last for a long time. At least I'm staying put for most of it, with no train journeys, school visits or book waving to do. A sedate breakfast then a tortuous day of rewrites before WORK and the DAY JOB takes over.

Art Garfunkel is our guest. One of the THE voices of my growing up, Simon and Garfunkel were my earliest musical devotion. I was late to the party being too young to be a part of that sixties folk world but Bridge Over Troubled Water was my first album, Paul Simon my first proper concert (£5 at the London Palladium). Radio 1 had an enormous series called 'Simon and Garfunkel Together and Alone' and I recorded the whole series with a microphone next to my radio. I knew every word. I recorded the interview a couple of days ago before Art flew back home and he is, I would say, a delightful if somewhat eccentric interview. On introduction, I said 'Hello Art, I'm Simon.' He said 'I hate that name!' He was joking but it gave an insight into his mindset I thought. It's a good chat-hear Art after 6.

And SKYFALL/JAMES BOND PREMIERE OLDIES please. Chris was talking about driving past the Royal Albert Hall this morning and that it is all set, red carpet out and poised for the showbiz event of the autumn. The movie is fantastic, maybe the best Bond ever and I'm hoping to make it tonight to see it again. The fact that you have to be seated by 7.10 is, admittedly, an issue. I may well be all revved up with no place to go (other than home).

Have a sprightly and energetic Tuesday, see you after 5.

Foggy morning here, primed and ready to go already. Hope the weekend was good for all bloggers. I spent most of it in a ditch. Or under a bridge. Maybe wading through marshland or staring up at a tree with a gale and driving rain doing their best to knock me over. This, in case you hadn't realised, is geogaching. Child 3 and I were to be found tramping around the Suffolk countryside, phone in hand, looking for caches buried/stuck/hidden in trees/telegraph poles/benches. I knew nothing of this world but can report that I suspect I'll be spending quite a few more murky, dank weekends hunting for tiny logbooks to sign. Adding to the pleasure was the company of Nigel Barden and clan providing extra eyes and hands. And the promise of a well chosen beer and wine selection to come.

So today we have the book club choice of 'Citadel' by Kate Mosse, another terrific yarn based in her beloved Carcassonne in south west France. It's set mainly in world war 2 with an all-female resistance group, but uses this time-slip idea again with some of the book set in AD 342. There's a chapter here while you're with us so you can see what she has done. Kate will be live from 6 and the web chat from 6.30.

And oldies please for SAINTS. The pope announced 7 new ones yesterday so your musical suggestions welcome.

Have a straightforward and hassle free Monday, see you after 5.

Me again. Thanks for checking the blog, it has been a mad week but the weekend approacheth and maybe a little space for things like going for a walk, watching clouds and sitting on a bench. I can't quite imagine it but you never know. I was supposed to go to see another film this morning but that went away and so I sit at my kitchen table for this epistle. Everyone else is asleep (or still out, one of the two) so I'm taking advantage of a few minutes of silence to tap some keys.

Last night was the team meal and Nigel walked us around the block to an Italian restaurant I never knew existed. Matt coughed and sniffled his way through a couple of courses but there were no chips so he went home. I owed £60 to the drinks bill as I have to put £10 in the kitty everytime I say 'here we go' to a caller on ARF. I realised I was saying it all the time so imposed the fine on myself but there have still been 6 outbreaks in 4 weeks so recompense had to be paid. Now we are quits and we start again; I'm sure there'll be someone keeping score for the Christmas party. Could be expensive.

Also yesterday, I recorded a chat with Art Garfunkel a man I have been listening to all my life. It was quite a session! Im not sure I've done an interview like it before- it goes out on Tuesday and I'll post more about it then. But it's worth looking out for next week...

Meantime to 5L and the film show with some reviews and Tim Burton is our guest. His new film is Frankenweenie and a brilliant black and white, 3D animation about a kid and his dog and a bunch of strange of characters as you'd expect from Tim Burton. Then the ARF tunes take over again and we'll be all set for another top weekend. Or maybe just a weekend.

Have a well-dressed and surprisingly marvellous Friday, see you after 2&5

Ok, I admit to being excited. It's James Bond day today. This morning at 10.30 I'll watch the new Skyfall movie and the reviews are so enthusiastic, I'm expecting something special. To get 5 stars (as many reviewers have done) is quite an achievement. I have no knowledge of the plot as I'm trying to avoid any spoilers but all is looking good. Whether Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem can match the photo spread Mark Kermode and I did for Radio Times I doubt but they're promising for youngsters.

Yesterday's movie was Argo and I promised to report back. Well, it's fantastic and Ben Afleck, it's star and it's director is quite something. It is the true story of 6 Americans who escaped from the US Embassy in Tehran when it was stormed in 1979. It manages to be tense, exciting AND laugh out loud funny. Part of it is set in the Hollywood movie world where John Goodman and Alan Arkin are a riot. It it wasn't true, it would be utterly preposterous. Highly recommended.

Nigel has been tweeting about his pumpkin pie. It's a Mark Hix recipe and he was clearly baking late as his photo appeared at 2.13am today. He then, post-show, leads us on a team meal somewhere tasty where he orders for everyone, which is so less stressful. As long there are chips for Matt, we are all ok.

And oldies please for ROUNDABOUTS (bear with me). This is because the Roundabout Appeciation Society has published its calender for 2013 and Holgate Windmill, a working mill on a traffic island near York, is declared the star roundabout of the UK. So let's serenade the humble and not so humble roundabout in your choice of songs.

Have an enthralling and engaging Thursday, see you after 5.

This morning I bring you greetings from the Odeon Leicester Square in London's glittering West End, rubbing shoulders with the waifs and strays of the film critic world. It's the London Film Festival and movies are pouring out of every cinematic orifice. Today it's Argo starring Ben Affleck and all I know is that much is expected and the reviews are great. I will report back. Meantime I must push and jostle and see if I can sit next to Mark Lawson.

Yesterday's school trip was notable for a) travelling on the oldest rolling stock in England. Casey Jones would have complained and b) meeting a top pupil who was named after a Star Trek character.

Today it's the return of Miranda Hart to the show and since her last appearance she has picked up a Bafta nomination for best supporting actress in Call The Midwife at the 2012 BAFTA awards and got another series of Miranda underway. Her book intends to be a life manual of assorted disasters and what to do about them. Some of them are hers and some are her from her twitter followers and all are dealt with in a very Miranda-esque way. More at 6.

And how about MIRANDA oldies please? It'll be (altogether) such fun!

Have a nutritious and healthy-option based Wednesday, see you after 5.

And a good morning from an over-heated coach C of the 7o'clock train to Norwich where the announcement has just been made "due to the early departure of this train, there are no buffet facilities'. The early departure of the train is of course the reason why there SHOULD be food and drink available but we will cope, clutching our bags of coffee and yoghurty-based snacks (no chips, Matt not with us). We've just rolled past the Olympic venues and they looked all sad and deserted with not a smiley games maker tracksuit wearer to be seen anywhere.

Then back to R2 (assuming a super-heated train is available). Managed to catch the last number of a Bellowhead encore at the Radio 2 Club last night. I can reveal that the one song in question was a triumph. Album 'Broadside' is launched tomorrow but you have to go dressed as a pirate. And I'm not sure want to go quite that much.

Tonight we welcome Ben Miller-actor, comedian and occasional scientist. Oh,and Rob Brydon lookalike. He's best known as one half of Armstrong and Miller but he is a Cambridge educated quantum physicist and it's this which has produced 'Its Not Rocket Science' which has, it is claimed, got all the exciting bits about science in it. Not only that but we can do ROCKET SCIENCE oldies in his honour.

Have a refreshing and comforting Tuesday, see you after 5

Morning to all bloggers, new and vet. Hope weekend was tip-top. Interesting to read of bloggers in the audience for the 5L show (hello Paul, Amelia, Zoe and Deebee-is that everyone?) and glad everyone seems to have had a good time. We did indeed have to disappear pdq, though as it turns out I could have hung around, walked to Radio Sheffield and done some shopping on the way. We had the highest quality cupboard to broadcast from (technically an NCA studio) and some lovely helpful staff to help us onto the air. Splendid chats for 2 hours and you might remember the young lad who was going to watch his brother play for Edinburgh against Saracens. I said we would look out for his result and cheer him on his way. Well unfortunately it turned out to be a 0-45 loss for our ARF friend and his brother so that didn't quite work out quite the way he wanted.

So a new week and a new show today with Suzanne Vega singing live. 7 million records sold and 7 grammys too, her voice is as warm as it ever was. She is re-recording her back catalogue which is not uncommon amongst artists who don't own their original recordings, but what is different is her release of the songs thematically. 'Close up Volume 4, Songs of Family' is her latest CD and a delight. It is also 25 years since 'Solitude Standing and her song 'Luka' became a most unlikely hit. You'll hear her after 6.

And songs today (as Felix Baumgartner got his day last week) for DOGWALKERS. There is a documentary on BBC2 tonight 'Wonderland:Walking with Dogs' and it is, by all accounts, rather wonderful. So dogwalkers get their day, your help please.

Have a friendly and optimistic Monday, see you after 5.

Via Retford. A direct train would have been fine but hey, I've never been to Retford so that might be a highlight. What delights will await from platform 2? I'm hoping for a cheese baguette or a packet of crisps at the very least. At least, post-Olympics, London stations look rather grand and swanky. Having breakfast at Kings Cross is actually a rather pleasant experience these days with a variety of healthy options and some chips for Matt if needed.

Sheffield bound because 5Live are doing one of their 'Octoberfest' dos. There is no beer or sausage involved (as far as I am aware), it is merely the name given to a series of outside broadcasts in one city and this year it is Sheffield. The good doctor and I are hosting the film show from The Crucible with a few hundred cheery and, hopefully, easily pleased listeners.

This means another ARF from someone else's studio. Never a happy state of affairs. It's like hosting a party in someone else's lounge; you're never quite sure where anything is, you hope you don't break anything and it usually smells funny. What comes out of the radio is hopefully exactly the same however and we shall endeavour to set up the weekend in style.

Your opening salvo would be appreciated and feel free to choose your favourite Bow Wow Wow song if you feel like it. You know you want to.

Have a satisfying and solid Friday. See you at 2&5.

Child 3 to school, child 2 slumbers on, child 1 no idea but presumably working hard and spending his time wisely and not frivolously. Here we are at another lovely Thursday and the promise of a Nigel special after 6.

Meantime it is tape amnesty day today and the BBC are after your private recordings of assorted radio shows you may have squirrelled away in the attic somewhere. We all did it didn't we? Even though we weren't supposed to, the temptation of recording the top 40 on a Sunday evening was just too strong. So there is me-aged 13 or 14 with my first cassette tape recorder (Amerex if i remember right) with the cheap microphone running to the cheap radio and making cheap recordings of Tom Browne's Solid Gold Sixty. His would have all the general noise of the house added on top and the call sign of Radio Tirana in Albania spoiling the sound as the night got darker. Truly this is a lost age! Of course eventually we traded up to an integrated system and we could record direct from the radio and John Peel's Festive 50 would be a regular favourite. I'm off to rummage in old shoe boxes to see what I might still have left. Here's the list of what they're after particularly...

• Pre-1990 music sessions (i.e. BBC recorded music performances) in particular, high-profile artists.

• Pre-1990 comedy programmes. For example, Hancock and Goon Shows all have missing episodes from the early series.

• Pre-1990 drama and readings. Examples would include The Archers from 1950-1959 and from 1969-1987, periods where there are not complete runs.

• Pre-1982 news bulletins.

• Pre-2000 live presented DJ programmes and magazines - the daily mainstream output of networks.

• BBC appearances by Dylan Thomas

• BBC appearances by Richard Burton

• BBC appearances by George Orwell

• Interviews with Alma Cogan

• First BBC appearances by Petula Clark

• Coverage of "women's lib" in 1970s

• Mike Read's "ban" of Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Relax - Radio 1

• Waggoners Walk - Radio 2 soap 1969-80

• Mrs Dale's Diary - Light Programme drama serial, 1948-67

• Family Favourites

• Midday Spin

• Music While You Work 1940-67

• Pick of the Pops 1955-72

• Saturday Club 1957-69

• Easy Beat 1960-67

• Housewives Choice 1946-67

• Top Gear (radio show - BBC Light Programme/Radio 1)

• Junior Choice

• Derek Jameson, Radio 2

• Kenny Everett

• Alan Freeman

• Emperor Rosko

• Out On Blue Six - Mark Radcliffe, Radio 1

Got any of those? Me neither and they don't want my top 40 recordings either. See the Radio 2 website for more information. But how about RADIO AMNESTY oldies. Songs for the LISTENER'S ARCHIVE please, deposited below.

Have a merry and smile-filled Thursday, see you after 5.

Child 3 to school, child 2 slumbers on, child 1 no idea but presumably working hard and spending his time wisely and not frivolously. Here we are at another lovely Thursday and the promise of a Nigel special after 6.

Meantime it is tape amnesty day today and the BBC are after your private recordings of assorted radio shows you may have squirrelled away in the attic somewhere. We all did it didn't we? Even though we weren't supposed to, the temptation of recording the top 40 on a Sunday evening was just too strong. So there is me-aged 13 or 14 with my first cassette tape recorder (Amerex if i remember right) with the cheap microphone running to the cheap radio and making cheap recordings of Tom Browne's Solid Gold Sixty. His would have all the general noise of the house added on top and the call sign of Radio Tirana in Albania spoiling the sound as the night got darker. Truly this is a lost age! Of course eventually we traded up to an integrated system and we could record direct from the radio and John Peel's Festive 50 would be a regular favourite. I'm off to rummage in old shoe boxes to see what I might still have left. Here's the list of what they're after particularly...

• Pre-1990 music sessions (i.e. BBC recorded music performances) in particular, high-profile artists.

• Pre-1990 comedy programmes. For example, Hancock and Goon Shows all have missing episodes from the early series.

• Pre-1990 drama and readings. Examples would include The Archers from 1950-1959 and from 1969-1987, periods where there are not complete runs.

• Pre-1982 news bulletins.

• Pre-2000 live presented DJ programmes and magazines - the daily mainstream output of networks.

• BBC appearances by Dylan Thomas

• BBC appearances by Richard Burton

• BBC appearances by George Orwell

• Interviews with Alma Cogan

• First BBC appearances by Petula Clark

• Coverage of "women's lib" in 1970s

• Mike Read's "ban" of Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Relax - Radio 1

• Waggoners Walk - Radio 2 soap 1969-80

• Mrs Dale's Diary - Light Programme drama serial, 1948-67

• Family Favourites

• Midday Spin

• Music While You Work 1940-67

• Pick of the Pops 1955-72

• Saturday Club 1957-69

• Easy Beat 1960-67

• Housewives Choice 1946-67

• Top Gear (radio show - BBC Light Programme/Radio 1)

• Junior Choice

• Derek Jameson, Radio 2

• Kenny Everett

• Alan Freeman

• Emperor Rosko

• Out On Blue Six - Mark Radcliffe, Radio 1

Got any of those? Me neither and they don't want my top 40 recordings either. See the Radio 2 website for more information. But how about RADIO AMNESTY oldies. Songs for the LISTENER'S ARCHIVE please, deposited below.

Have a merry and smile-filled Thursday, see you after 5.

Child 3 to school, child 2 slumbers on, child 1 no idea but presumably working hard and spending his time wisely and not frivolously. Here we are at another lovely Thursday and the promise of a Nigel special after 6.

Meantime it is tape amnesty day today and the BBC are after your private recordings of assorted radio shows you may have squirrelled away in the attic somewhere. We all did it didn't we? Even though we weren't supposed to, the temptation of recording the top 40 on a Sunday evening was just too strong. So there is me-aged 13 or 14 with my first cassette tape recorder (Amerex if i remember right) with the cheap microphone running to the cheap radio and making cheap recordings of Tom Browne's Solid Gold Sixty. His would have all the general noise of the house added on top and the call sign of Radio Tirana in Albania spoiling the sound as the night got darker. Truly this is a lost age! Of course eventually we traded up to an integrated system and we could record direct from the radio and John Peel's Festive 50 would be a regular favourite. I'm off to rummage in old shoe boxes to see what I might still have left. Here's the list of what they're after particularly...

• Pre-1990 music sessions (i.e. BBC recorded music performances) in particular, high-profile artists.

• Pre-1990 comedy programmes. For example, Hancock and Goon Shows all have missing episodes from the early series.

• Pre-1990 drama and readings. Examples would include The Archers from 1950-1959 and from 1969-1987, periods where there are not complete runs.

• Pre-1982 news bulletins.

• Pre-2000 live presented DJ programmes and magazines - the daily mainstream output of networks.

• BBC appearances by Dylan Thomas

• BBC appearances by Richard Burton

• BBC appearances by George Orwell

• Interviews with Alma Cogan

• First BBC appearances by Petula Clark

• Coverage of "women's lib" in 1970s

• Mike Read's "ban" of Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Relax - Radio 1

• Waggoners Walk - Radio 2 soap 1969-80

• Mrs Dale's Diary - Light Programme drama serial, 1948-67

• Family Favourites

• Midday Spin

• Music While You Work 1940-67

• Pick of the Pops 1955-72

• Saturday Club 1957-69

• Easy Beat 1960-67

• Housewives Choice 1946-67

• Top Gear (radio show - BBC Light Programme/Radio 1)

• Junior Choice

• Derek Jameson, Radio 2

• Kenny Everett

• Alan Freeman

• Emperor Rosko

• Out On Blue Six - Mark Radcliffe, Radio 1

Got any of those? Me neither and they don't want my top 40 recordings either. See the Radio 2 website for more information. But how about RADIO AMNESTY oldies. Songs for the LISTENER'S ARCHIVE please, deposited below.

Have a merry and smile-filled Thursday, see you after 5.

Manic, manic manic. Crazy, crazy, crazy. Help, help, help! Barely time to blog, draw breath and for feet to touch ground (ok we get the picture, get on with it. Ed) A quick school run (main topic of discussion-the hits of Rhianna) and bowl of porridge on National Porridge Day (with 2 toppings! Living fast!) and then to a Dustin Hoffman film of some description and a chat with Tim Burton about his black and white 3D animation Frankenweenie.

Somewhere along the way there needs to be some in-depth analysis of Hunter Davies's book of John Lennon letters. Hunter is our guest from 6 today and is always compulsive listening. He's written about The Beatles for decades ever since he wrote the official biography in 1968 and he's edited and introduces this collection. He's tracked down nearly 300 letters and postcards and tells the story of each one. Some are vulgar, some funny, witty, sad, and some obscene. Hunter says Lennon's first reaction to anything important was to write it down. Hence this collection. Hear more tonight.

And oldies please for Austrian adventurer FELIX BAUMGARTNER THE SKYDIVER. He wants to be the highest skydiver ever (126,000 ft) but was thwarted by the weather so is going again, probably tomorrow. Chris was talking yesterday about his attempt to be the first person to break the sound barrier without a vehicle (suddenly my day got less adventurous) so let's serenade Herr BAUMGARTNER in songs of your choice.

Have a spirited and stable Wednesday, see you after 5.

Good morning, blogging in pjs again prior to another school trip and wondering again about saying 'this is breakfast' at the start of the show. This happened either because Mike Smith had just been on the news or there is still part of my head wandering backstage at the Royal Albert Hall as Art Garfunkel. And signing off the show with 'have a good weekend' would indicate the Radio 2 doctor might be popping in for a visit sometime soon. Maybe my biorhythms are in the wrong order and not in alignment with Mercury. Or I should stop waking up at 4am or something. Ho hum.

In between those 2 errors, I thought everything else was tip-top and Jacqueline Wilson great with the children reviewers and the web-chat was throbbing with excited readers. It's Kate Mosse in a fortnight and her latest 'Citadel'.

Today we welcome Neil Oliver, top historian and rugged tv host. His latest series is Vikings and tells the story of how they spread their Scandinavian prowess to America and Baghdad. They conquered of course by persuasion, art criticism and literary analysis and their empire lasted nearly 200 years. Neil will explain more and I think VIKING oldies might work splendidly.

Have a responsible and mature Tuesday, see you after 5.

And good morning to all bloggers, old new and vets. A fine weekend I hope. I was (as you may have read here) in beautiful Bath at the Children's Lit Festival and talking to a cool collection of families. Youngsters, slightly-less-than-youngsters and a few bags of sherbet lemons is a fine way to spend a couple of hours.

And then blogger Hoffs and Master Hoffs appeared and photos were taken and all was well. I always enjoy meeting everyone afterwards, although it usually means I miss the train home and a bit of re-jigging is needed. Bath looks fine on most days but in the sunshine of Saturday it was spectacular. Could have stayed all weekend!

Then that night I dreamt I was Art Garfunkel and was lost backstage at the Royal Albert Hall and I wondered if an excess of sherbet can cause such things. Maybe I should stick to fruit gums in future...

Today is book club day and Jacqueline Wilson returns with another hit book for her loyal audience called Emerald Star, the third of her Hetty Feather books. Jacqueline has sold 35 million books, is a former Children's Laureate and a Dame for services to children's literacy. This woman know a thing or two! Some of our younger listeners will be reviewing her book after 6.

And David Blaine oldies please. The illusionist is spending three days and nights standing in the middle of a million volts of electric currents streamed by tesla coils. The stunt is called "Electrified: One Million Volts Always On." He is wearing a chainmail bodysuit as a barrier between himself and the electric currents and some scientists have cast doubt as to how dangerous it really is. However, we will play some Blaine-themed tunes on today's show.

Have a sparky and electrifying Monday yourself. See you after 5.

Not your average breakfast really. Usual yogurt etc but while watching a film? This is the kind of madness inhabited by my friend Mark but then he is a critic. It's a strange morning when you are ferrying from school lunch bag, to breakfast table, to movie watching. Fortunately nothing inappropriate happened on screen to embarrass anyone and underline the temporary loss of radio entertainment. This is what happens when last minute guests get added for the film show and a rapid catch up is called for, but there is a hint of decadence about watching a film before, say,10am. Maybe it is the old protestant work ethic here but this time of day is for hard graft (school run, reading the paper, going to the gym etc) not namby-pamby media consumption. Still, the job has to be done and when I finish blog scribblings, I shall return to Liberal Arts starring Josh Radnor who guests on the movie show today. Hardly the full cinematic experience ('Dad come and get rid of this spider/where's my phone/can you drop me at the tube') but it looks good so far.

Then to R2 and the mighty ARF taking to the airwaves. Today we will only accept track suggestions from 1971. David Hepworth has suggested this was the high water mark of the rock album (Hunky Dory, Sticky Fingers, Every Picture Tells A Story, Pink Floyd's Meddle, Elton John's Madman Across the Water, Who's Next and Led Zeppelin IV) so lets get some 1971 action on. Your choice welcome of course.

Have a glittering and sparkly Friday, see you after 2 and 5

Condensation flooding down the windows, welcome to October 'in full effect' as the kids probably don't say anymore. A-leaf kicking we will go. Despite always being told that 'you don't know what's under there' I still find a heap of leaves an unmissable temptation. Similarly, a supermarket trolley. If the route to your car is on a slight incline, of course you have to climb on board and whizz past the more mature and sedate of the community! They may well tut but that extra 0.5 mph will send you on your way will a skip in your step. You might legitimately argue that the next step is to be one of those saddos who, on reaching venerable middle age, buy roller skates and pierce their nose. But that's what kids are for; fear of ridicule is a powerful thing.

Last night, post-show, and to Anthony Horowitz's book launch. Missed the speeches (though having Anthony on the show on Monday I feel I'm up to speed on that really) but the room was full of the great and good in publishing all discussing 'the future'. This means the collapse of bookshops and the power of online retailers and is the reason the drink flowed and much fun was had. Whatever happens, we need great stories and great storytellers and Anthony H is certainly one of those.

Tonight that master of the kitchen Nigel Barden whips up slow roasted rabbit with prunes, ale and chocolate. I just rang him for details and he's full of the joys of an autumnal pot roast-details tonight! And oldies please on NATIONAL POETRY DAY. You can of course look up what you suggested last time, I won't tell.

Have a fresh and invigorating Thursday. See you at 5.

School run done (main conversation-simultaneous equations) and in my normal promiscuous listening habits, came upon a 5 Live/Nicky Campbell chat about Nicky's 25 years on national radio. Newsman Richard Evans took part, as did former Radio 1 controller Johnny Beerling. They were wondering-in passing-why i hadn't made anything of my 25 year anniversary as I joined Radio 1 a year ahead of Nicky. Well here's the answer guys: until this morning I hadn't done the sums. Also there comes a time when you don't fancy reminding the bosses quite how long you've been knocking around in case they have some crazy idea about 'freshening things up' and 'introducing some new faces'. That will never do. So let's keep this a little blog secret. I won't tell if you don't.

Today it is Paul Merton as our guest after 6. He returned to stand-up earlier this year with a 50 date tour and has just opened a show at the Vaudeville Theatre in London, last night in the gracious presence of Sally Traffic. I last interviewed him about his love for silent movies but there is no doubt that through Have I Got News For You and Just A Minute he is one of our favourite funny men.

And oldies please for the FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE which takes place tonight. OBAMA V ROMNEY should be a fascinating encounter but it lacks musical direction which is where you come in. Thanks.

Have a cheery and optimistic Wednesday, see you after 5

It's the small things that get to you. You try to make sure you get the big parenting issues right (providing a house, food, clothes etc) and then you do something like forget it's games on Wednesday NOT TUESDAY. So consequently child 3 will spend all day being the only one ready for football/hockey/rugby which, as any fool knows, is tomorrow. I think we all know that it is days like this that children remember for a long time and are likely to quote back at you for many years to come. My folks got my first day of school wrong (everyone else had been there a day) and that was that. I never caught up. That was 1964. You see my point.

This morning it's 'On The Road' a film adaptation of the Jack Kerouac novel starring Sam Riley and Kristen Stewart (during which I shall ignore texts from all offspring as it is against the code of conduct and not because I don't want to go home, get the uniform, and take it to school). Then to R2 and today's show which features Robert Cray, described by Rolling Stone as 'one of the greatest guitarists of his generation'. He's performed with Eric Clapton, John Lee Hooker, Tina Turner et al and has just released a new Robert Cray Band album 'Nothing But Love' and he's touring here next year. I've never met him before but hear great things! Mr Cray at 6.

And oldies today please for THE STIFF UPPER LIP. Ian Hislop has a series tonight on BBC2 on whether we Brits still have the emotional restraint of former generations. It would seem that we don't - Saturday night TV never seems complete without floods of tears from some happy/sad contestant who has just been accepted/rejected by a talent/talentless judge. So the stiff upper lip it is, over to you.

Have a nimble and deft Tuesday (a non-games day you know), see you after 5.

Gloomy skies, drizzle, heating on. October indeed. A weekend of re-writes, cooking and trying to resist the siren call of the golf. If I had succumbed, two days would have disappeared down the tv-shaped hole and that would never do. So instead I held out until the bitter end but then watched the final climactic hour. Given that my very own THFC had beaten Manchester Utd on Saturday, this was making a rather splendid weekend all round. But I can't just sit/stand and watch/listen sport anymore as it is all too stressful. So washing up/ironing/cooking while occasionally checking scores works just fine. This is the equivalent of watching sport on ceefax which used to be my preferred option; the scorecheck and the 2 minute wait for it to update was perfect for allowing you to get on with life while keeping tabs on your team. Steam-based technology!

All that and reading too. 3 books on the go. One is a possible future book club choice, one is the current selection from Jacqueline Wilson 'Emerald Star' (read whilst here) and the other is 'Oblivion' by the masterful Anthony Horowitz. This man is on fire! His Sherlock Holmes book 'The House of Silk' got great revues (including this weekend from Philip Pullman) and he worked on Tintin with Steven Spielberg. Now he has completed what he thinks is his best ever work and it is a monster of a read. It's the concluding part of a pentalogy (I checked) about 5 children with special powers to take on the evil Old Ones. They are sort of children's books but sort of not too. A splendid grey area! Anthony is a force of nature and hear more from 6.

And for the oldies I think COMEBACKS might work. After the European golfers comeback from 10-4 down at one stage to win the Ryder Cup 14 and a half to 13 and a half (can't do fractions on this board), let us salute the REVERSAL OF FORTUNE and comebacks will sound good tonight. Which is where you come in of course.

Have a healthy and bouncy Monday, see you after 5.