An anonymous person writes:

Kirsty MacColl's Memorial Service: 11am Saturday 20th January 2001 at St Martin In The Field's Trafalgar Square.

Billy Bragg sang "A New England", as the musical opener; and then the whole ceremony closed with "Don't Come The Cowboy With Me Sonny Jim" written by Kirsty was performed by:

Holly Johnson - Vocals
Pete Glenister - Guitar
Dave Ruffy - Percussion
James Knight - Saxophone
Joe De Jesus - Trombone
Ben Storey - Trumpet
Michelle Drees - Guitar
Boz Boorer - Guitar
Mark Cox - Guitar
Chucho Merchan - Bass
Spider Stacey - Whistle
---
Patrick also writes: Went along to the memorial service for Kirsty MacColl this morning... Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Nick Lowe, Jools Holland, Billy Bragg, Holly Johnson, Phill Jupitus, Eddie Tenpole among others. But no sign of our man.It was freezing but worth it. Kirsty r.i.p.

Additional links:
Bono, Edge and Johnny Marr attend Kirsty MacColl memorial service - NME.com, Jan. 20
Friends gather to remember MacColl - BBC News, Jan. 20
UPDATE (Jan. 22): Scan of memorial service notice, anonymously sent.

Graham Reed writes:

Whilst in an interview with Wonder Stuff vocalist/guitarist Miles Hunt last month, he revealed that Alain was at the Wonder Stuff's show at the London Forum on December 12th and the two are planning on writing together material for Miles forthcoming solo album "Flapping On The Pier". Miles has already recorded about 23 songs in demo form and it is unclear if any of the songs with Alain are to be on the album, which is due in April/May this year.

The interview will be posted at the end of the month at www.drownedinsound.com and www.bone-idle.co.uk.

Some leftover songs will be released on a series of singles/EP's to be released over the year.

peteraston writes:

Not a cover version, but a painting. Artist Glenn Brown has this Smiths titled Dali-esque painting entered for the ever controversial Turner Prize 2000, along with other works such as "The Ever Popular Dead (painting for Ian Curtis)".

I saw the actual work last weekend at Tate Britain, it's massive (appx 1meter high by 2.5 meters wide). But the exhibition has now closed and I'm not sure if it will tour.

You can see an image of the painting somewhere on the following page:
Glenn Brown
Oscillate Wildly 1999

Curtis Mayfield writes:

In the somewhat fantastic Jonathan Rendall book 'Twelve Grand' there are several references to Morrissey. The book inspired the Channel 4 TV series on Rendall - the one where he went around the world gambling 12 grand. It's definitely worth a read. The Morrissey references will make you smile.

ChrisL sends:

VH1 - The Wire, new album update. Excerpt:

Janet Jackson is also beavering away at her next record. She told the BBC that her new songs are less likely to be "What Have You Done for Me Lately" than "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now," with the lyrics focusing on her depression and mental health.

"I don't have anything to lose," she explained about her Morrissey-esque turn of rhyme. "People view me as crazy! I'm a Jackson! They think my whole family's crazy! Whatever's going on in my life I always write about it, and that's what the albums have always been about. I talked about it in the hope to help other kids, and to let them know that if they needed help to reach out, that they're not alone. There are people out there for them."

An anonymous person writes: It looks like the BBC1 children's programme Blue Peter also has a resident Smiths/Morrissey fan. A couple of weeks back they used "Alma Matters" as the intro and outro for a segment on sheep shearing. Whilst in tonight's edition of the show, they had "Bigmouth Strikes Again" playing as a young lad bombed around the Blue Peter garden on his BMX, occasionally going over some obstacles, etc. :)

Helen also writes: Did anyone see Blue Peter (English kids t.v. show) on 19.01.01?
They had a BMX demonstration on it in the Blue Peter garden and they played 'Bigmouth Strikes Again' in the background... strange.

James Harris also writes: 'Bigmouth Strikes Again' was playing in the background of BBC1 kids programme 'Blue Peter' in a section on The Under Tens BMX bike riding champion in the UK. This is fairly pointless, but it might interest someone. It also warns you that unemployment is possibly very bad for you and encourages you to watch bad early evening programming.