Peter Hook, Amanda Craig, Maggie T and them Freelancin' blues

Imagine what an honour it was for Peter Hook to write to me – ME! – to confirm I can use a lyric from Procession at the start of Fire Horses. Bit late, mind, as it’s been in the shops a year and I already paid Warner/Chappell, but god, what an honour. I only asked him 20 months ago.

And then the very fine and smashing Amanda Craig writes a lovely response after I email her about her article in the Indie in which she

Yesterday The Express asked me for some comment ideas, so I suggested an article on why when Mrs T finally buys the (Broadwater) farm I’ll party like its 1979 and (

Seriously though – everyone’s always saying this country needs another public holiday in our long year, so why not pick the date she finally departs for that great dole queue in the sky and call it St Maggie’s Day – a day to reflect, celebrate and give thanks?

I never could get it quite right as a hack. Back in the 1980s I tried to sell a pro-INLA story to the Times, and in the 90s something on “why Class War hates YOU” to Tatler. Last month I tried to sell an idea to the Guardian about why Hay on Wye festival is elitist bollocks; very gently their literary editor reminded me they sponsor it.

*I just re-read the first sentence of this blog and I accept now that it doesn’t quite clarify who was honoured and who was doing the honouring. Sorry Peter. Ouch.