will never get over this loss. Mimi Parker and the work of Low will always be there to get me through this hard, bleak and sometimes beautiful world. The Low discography is such a generous treasure trove.

Everything’s been said about Mimi and Low already, but I just want to mention that Alan’s brief social media announcement over the weekend was about as touching and real as those things can be. So full of love and completely heartbreaking.

I’ve also been seeing a recent quote of hers from an interview, talking about her cancer diagnosis, where she basically says “I’m not saying ‘why me,’ I’m saying ‘why not me'”, and it’s one of the most gracious, brave, and realistic things I’ve heard from someone in her position. Like, these things happen, everyone has their time, make the best of yours.

So glad I got to see them one last time on what was their final tour. They were incredible. Mimi was kind of lurking quietly in the shadows in back while Alan was handling all the rock star duties, but every note she sang and every snare she throttled was perfect.

It’s April 2003 and I am a frequent passenger on the Goldfrapp Train, scoring their second CD release, Black Cherry. Not wanting a downtempo/chill Felt Mountain II, Black Cherry was a more dance orientated album, with touches of glam. There were 4 UK singles released with Train and Strict Machine making the UK Top 30 and 20, respectively (Twist and the title track were the other two releases). Machine hit the top spot on the US Dance Club play chart. My favorite track from the album is Tiptoe, which generates some seriously saucy glam beatz! Goldfrapp are a bit Everything But The Girl with the genre hopping on each album, along with stellar vocals and ‘tude from Alison Goldfrapp, channelling a bit of Marlene Dietrich meets naughty Lil’ Red Riding Hood on the Cherry CD cover. More good stuff and success to come…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeawPUpTHJA

25 years before today’s virtual #1 song…

It’s June 1978 and the #1 song is–

You know, this was a day I really remember. I wrote a pretty well thought-out support of Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street” and how it was robbed of hitting #1. I remember sitting in a meeting at work that morning at 9am waiting for Tom’s The Number Ones article to drop. I had copied my write-up in the virtual clipboard and was ready to paste it from my phone. I was probably sitting at a table 6 feet away from my boss (who is pretty cool), but still was able to post my comment first that day in tnocs. It just worked out so well! Probably my happiest day on tnocs. 🙂  “Baker Street” will always be a sentimental and a critical 10 for me. 

In 2020, during the Stereogum fundraiser, Tom actually wrote a “bonus track” article about the song!

https://www.stereogum.com/2096691/the-number-ones-bonus-tracks-gerry-raffertys-baker-street/columns/the-number-ones/

He gave it a 9. I couldn’t ask for more from Tom. 

Oh, also, Andy Gibb’s “Shadow Dancing” hit #1. 

https://www.stereogum.com/2068118/the-number-ones-andy-gibbs-shadow-dancing/columns/the-number-ones/

Tom gave it an 8. It probably deserves an 8…it’s a good song. But Gerry’s was better. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf5bUE_UI_s

Simply put, a tremendous loss. I can only imagine how friends, family and close collaborators feel. Now especially grateful I got to see her perform a stunning, galvanizing set with Low at Pitchfork this summer.

I’m not saying Timberlake is the paragon of virtue (he absolutely should’ve defended Janet Jackson and it’s bullshit that she suffered and he didn’t), but this article is horrible. Timberlake is a misogynist because he wrote a breakup song (something Taylor Swift and countless others have made a career out of)? He’s a cultural appropriator because…he’s a white guy who made r&b? Reading this article you’d think Timberlake shot and killed the writer’s dog.

With twitter quickly doing down the shitter the Stereogum comment section is the only social media platform remaining, from where I’m sitting.

Gutting. Just awful. I hope Alan, who’s had mental health problems for a long time and for whom Mimi was a rock, is able to keep it together. I hope their two children, who are young adults now, are able to endure this.

Mimi’s voice is one of the most beautiful sounds in music. It will live forever in Low’s extraordinary discography. RIP.

You could have simply said nothing.

He was good in Robocop, but come on.

Yes, today is the last entry Tom can use Fred Bronson’s The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits as a quotable reference (well, maybe for historical ones in the future, but doubtful). Interesting how this is happening a week before Tom’s own Number Ones book comes out. And yes, I’ve ordered my copy of that book already.