Letter of the month
I had been brainwashed by the tabloid depiction of Charlotte Church, so Barbara Ellen ('Slash and Burn', OMM21) provided a refreshing antidote. In a month when the squeaky-clean, Big Mac-promoting, Destiny's Child came to town it felt almost shocking to see Church without the posing, posturing and preening that seems the norm in pop divas (although I did like her sword). Perhaps our role models shouldn't refrain from drinking, smoking and boys. Honesty, integrity and a self-deprecating sense of humour are worthy substitutes anyway.
Manon Julien
London N7
Letter of the Month wins £100 in HMV vouchers
Like many, I absolutely love the Observer Music Monthly, but I have to admit that I was disappointed by the lack of music under discussion in the article on Charlotte Church. I'm sure it wasn't any fault of the journalist - rather the choice of subject matter. Yes, she gets drunk (she's a teenager) and dates people of whom her mother doesn't approve (what girl doesn't?), but under the terms of a music magazine, who cares?!
Stephen Holland
Dumfries
As a new subscriber to the digital edition of The Observer, I want to thank you for publishing the article 'Midnight Cowboys' by Peter Culshaw (OMM21). It was a fascinating piece of reportage about an area of music that many people are unaware exists. The author achieved a particularly nice balance between observing and participating in the experience and provided fascinating insights into both the performers and their followers. The photographs by Antonio Olmos were the icing on the cake. Congratulations to everyone involved. I look forward to reading further in-depth articles like this one in future editions of OMM.
John M George, Jr
Chicago
How much of a jazz-rock fan can William Sutcliffe actually be? ('Birth of the Uncool', OMM21). He says there's a Cyndi Lauper cover on Miles Davis's Tutu but 'Time After Time' is on Miles's previous album, You're Under Arrest. I think he should go back to his Police tapes. Sell-out, man.
Matt Phillips
by email
Not a bad list (How To Buy French Music, OMM21) but the omission of Michel Polnareff's Polnareff's album is criminal! This must be the most overlooked album ever - it is a masterpiece.
Also, while compilations are a great way to discover artists, I think you could have pointed readers in the direction of such key albums as Serge Gainsbourg's Histoire de Melody Nelson or Francoise Hardy's La Question. Both of these should feature in any review of French pop. You missed some other gems, too - Les Nubians' Princesses Nubiennes, Julien Clerc's first album and Francoiz Breut, for example.
But, quibbles aside, it was good to see French music get some coverage. There may be more fans of it than you think.
Andy Mckay
by email
In 'Something for the Weekend' (OMM21), you showed Stuart 'Wildwax' Wester at the Hemsby rock'n'roll weekender and said that he has been a DJ since 1955. As you give his age as 57 (Stewart is an old mate of mine), that means he has been DJing since he was seven. I think not!
Mitch Mitchell
by email
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