It was Hinckley Carnival today.  I didn't see the parade but I did wander around the stalls in the town centre and watched some of the acts in Argents Mead.  At one point I found a quiet spot to enjoy a coffee and a lemon cupcake.  Two elderly ladies, in mobility scooters, drove past  - one had a large wooden heart hanging from her chair with the inscription "All you need is love"

I learnt tonight that members of Blondie had different musical influences.  Frank, the guitarist, was into The Beatles - after hearing them he bought a guitar and got a Beatle haircut ("Blondie's New York ... BBC4)

I watched DIY SOS tonight. The finished house was beautiful and one of the daughter's bedrooms included an Abbey Road sign

I spent this wet Bank Holiday painting my kitchen whilst listening to R2's 100 Best Riffs countdown.  At No.28 was Daytripper.  Mike would have been pleased to see "You really got me" (Kinks) at No.9

Times2 has a feature on Autumn drama - programmes to look forward to as the nights get darker.  ITV has a 3-parter about Cilla. "Did you know that Cilla used to know the Beatles?  Of course you did, she talks of little else, so expect a tale of fame against the odds set against a backdrop of Beatlemania on the streets of 1960s Liverpool" (p7). I'll watch it but its the new crime series' I'm looking forward too.

Johnny Walker, just before playing "Walking Miracle" on his 70s R2 show, recalled that when he was young a girlfriend's father in speaking of a The Beatles hit said "yeah, yeah, yeah" was not what he called music; Walker said the same could be said of the song he was about to play (same lyrics).

Today "The Times" and BBC Radio newsreaders are referring to the ISIS killer as "John - the Black Beatle". Peace-loving Lennon must be turning in his grave.  I hope the media drop this moniker soon.

My newspaper's lead story concerns the British ISIS guard responsible for yesterday's filmed killing of an American hostage. "One former hostage said that he recognised the voice to be that of a jailer known as John.  The group were jokingly referred to as "the Beatles", he said" (The Times, p1).  The Radio2 news bulletins tell it slightly differently saying that 3 or the 4 jailors were British and known as John, Paul and Ringo. Either way, its not a reference I am happy to record.  And I imagine Paul and Ringo are distressed at this use of their names.

I turned on the Radio this afternoon and just caught Johnny Walker (Sounds of the 70s) introducing a group that George Harrison signed to his Dark Horse Records company.  But I wasn't on time to catch the name of the band or the song.

I  caught a little of dear old Desmond Carrington's show on R2 tonight.  His playlist included an old Liverpool song "Fair Maggie May" .  The version he played was by The Quarryman - and, of course, he didn't fail to mention that Harrison, McCartney and Lennon were former band members.

I heard on the radio this morning that Candlestick Park is to be demolished soon.  And the final act to perform there, will be Paul McCartney tonight!  The Beatles played there too, of course, in the 1960s.

I've been on holiday, in France, for a few days - not a single Beatles reference (not even from the DJ at a family wedding - although I did use the phrase "All you need is love" on their digital memory board). But as soon as we were off the ferry I had a couple on the radio plus a mention of Sir George Martin.  The best was the author of a new book about football chants, on Simon Mayo's Drive Time show, who talked about one based on Eleanor Rigby. 

After a long (but successful) day shopping for a wedding outfit I listened to Liza Tarbuck (2) in my summerhouse.   She "bigged-up" Stella and Paul who requested a mention and mused if they were McCartneys.  A Beatles number also turned up on the show (one that Stranded used to do), but now I've forgotten what song it was.

"Kings of Rock n' Roll" repeated on BBC4 again tonight.  I'm watching it now.  I'm not expecting a Beatles reference but a picture of John Lennon with Chuck Berry did pop up a few minutes ago.

PS And a bit later on Paul McCartney remembers Little Richard saying to him "Paul, I taught you everything you know" and Paul kinda agreed.  At the end of the programme with the "Kings" in decline for one reason or another the rock n' roll mantle was taken up by the ... Beatles.