"Enchanting music, French dancing,
superb performances, friendly sessions." enthused the flyer for Morecambe's annual hurdy gurdy festival. Sadly I missed it. But, it sounded great and if it's good enough for Arcade Fire it's good enough for me.

In the world of lists, we should flag one up for the most under-rated musical instruments ever. Vibraslaps would be in there. Hurdy Gurdy's, obviously.

Talking of Arcade Fire, have you seen their Vincent Moon-directed film in the elevator. Ripped telephone directories for percussion - another often over looked musical instrument. It's awesome (see below).

I met Vincent Moon at Easter, he was in the UK to do a Q&A and premiere a film he's made with R.E.M. called Six Days. Michael Stipe also sat in on the interview and we also screened a series of claustrophobic R.E.M. tracks, one filmed with them in a car, another, Song For The Submarine, in a corn silo (see below). They even use the corn silo for percussion. Ah! Another overlooked instrument.

Actually, there's a theme emerging here. I remember, back in the mists of time, probably the late ‘80s, being in Ray Davies' Konk Studio with Depeche Mode, when Martin Gore insisted on playing a bass sound and asking me to work out what it was. "It's a belt buckle for a Walkman." he told me, triumphantly. Blimey, who'd have thought it?

I've been playing the Gaslamp Killer album on Obey Records to death. It's a mish mash of samples and doctored Walkman beltbuckles probably. With loads of cut-up speech and a mix of funk guitars, scratching, even The Flight Of The Bumble Bee played on what sounds like a broken analogue synth. It's kitchen sinktastic.

I was going to recommend Mr Gaslamp whole-heartedly as the one album to buy this week, then I got sent The Jerry Ragovoy Story, a compilation on Ace that traces his career from 1953-2003. I vaguely knew the name but was blown away when I played it, as the CD contains some of the greatest songs ever and they are all at his deft touch. There's Lorraine Ellison's Stay With Me Baby - a staple on the Church Of Dave jukebox and my wife's favourite song, the northern soul belter As Long As I Have You by Garnet Mimms, Good Lovin' by The Olympics, Disappointed by Claudine Clark, I Wanna Thank You by The Enchanters. All pure genius. If you don't believe me tune into the Church Of Dave radio extravaganza (Sunday nights at 8pm, MOJO Radio, which is on Freeview or DAB). I'll be playing it.

Actually I've already done this week's show, so it will be next week for Jerry. This week you can hear Gemma Ray, Speck Mountain, Willie Rosario, Koerner, Ray And Glover, Apples In Stereo, White Denim. It's all good stuff. Won't be playing any tracks by Michael Hutchence though. I never really got into INXS. But it might be time to re-evaluate. Evidently there's a biopic in preparation where Hutchence returns as a ghost to tell his story. Cue Ghostbusters III starring Bob Geldof. There's also going to a Debbie Harry biopic which Michel Gondry is down to direct. He's another eccentric French director. Have you seen his Stereogram video? That's fantastic (see below). Although it was the only good song that Stereogram actually did. And it was good for knitting.

OK, I'm rambling. I'm going a bit stir crazy as I've been stuck at my computer for the last week writing notes for the programme for this year's Glastonbury. And, as ever, the slew of bands (there's 2000 give or take a drummer) is riddled with psychopaths and pretenders, all vying for the maddest person crown with some of the other on-site eccentrics. Talking of strange instruments, one thing that does look fantastic is Justin Adams And Juldeh Camara who are on the Avalon stage at six on Sunday (people will be a tad bedraggled by then). It's African blues meets chill out folk, like John Martyn with traditional African stringed backing instruments (see below). I'd never heard of them before, but this is ace.

Anyhoo, I have a wodge of acid house anniversary stuff for the Dance Village to wade through now - It's 20 years, man - so I'll leave you to your thoughts. Musical saws! Mercury Rev, that bit in Delicatessen...It never ends.