It's official. I'm busy every night until February the 7th... Exciting? Well, for the innocent reader of this site, probably not. Sorry.

Let's move on to more interesting issues - Andrew Lloyd Webber. I'm, as always, enthralled by the works of this gentleman, which are rich and varied. Today I received the concept album/cover versions album of his music "Whistle Down The Wind". Sporting some occasionally dodgy lyrics by Jim Steinman, this musical is definitely in my top 20 (maybe even top 10) favourite musicals. Here are some minor facts about the musical, which I feel I have to tell someone:

• The cover versions album includes covers by Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler and Tom Jones
• The song "Cold" is performed on the album by the Everly Brothers - they also perform this on recording in the show and I had had the impression that it was not an original ALW song - in fact it is
• ALW does Jim Steinman better than Jim Steinman
• In the touring version of the show, the song "Annie Christmas" is replaced by a better number called "The Gang", which has lyrics by Don Black, rather than Jim Steinman
• The kids on the touring production occasionally mime, and there is a backing track of children singing to help them even when they're not miming - the musical director has to conduct to a click track in his ear