Hello Sinister, I'll keep it topical, shall I? After all, Sinister is nothing if not up to the minute, especially these days. So, on 20 September 2004, Ben Apps wrote:
If you ever find yourself passing through Baker Street >> station look out for me and say hello (I'll be the one >> with my roundel badge upside down) I have to admit, I seldom did find myself in that neck of the woods back in the mid-noughties, and have even less call to go there now; my interactions with Bapps back then were of the decidedly overground sort, mainly on Primrose Hill, with football in hand, and are now even more infrequent than posts are to Sinister. But Sinistereens hoping for a glance of one of the list's most likeable contributors needed look no further than their television sets last night, as our hero appeared on The Tube, a documentary following around various members of London Underground staff as they go about their daily work. In the past seven and a half years, it would appear that Bapps has been elevated from his position on the barriers at Baker Street to one half of a sort of London Underground Cagney & Lacey, busting fare evaders and scammers across the network. He and his partner James are all over the capital, apprehending travellers trying to diddle the system, to play the pair for fools. Much was made of how good young Bapps was with a computer, which made me smile. You can watch the programme here (in the UK, until next Monday): http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01cyt4l/The_Tube_Episode_2/ I have little to say about Belle & Sebastian in this post, I'm afraid. If she's reading, I hope Honey will forgive me for that. Apparently the group have compiled a mix-tape of their favourite songs, and people can buy it in the near future. I read that said compilation will also contain B&S' take on The Primitives' Crash, but you'll forgive me if I don't treat this news with the same excitement as the announcement of, say, TWATTYBUS. Indeed, my only real reason for waking up Sinister from its long, deep hibernation was to salute Ben for his star turn on the telly. I watched the programme with my girlfriend, who I fear has always suspected Sinister as being little more than a legion of bedroom saddo devotees (despite being a fan of Belle & Sebastian herself), so it was a particular pleasure to prove to her that the list was indeed, at least partially, populated by normal everyday folk. Yes, Sinister, I felt proud of you for that primetime hour last night, so thank you. And with that, dear list, it's back to bed. It'll be morning soon, I promise. Love
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