Lovely arrangement of "Hometown" from his "Big World" live album.

People I know they say like Joe Jackson when I mention Look Sharp they look puzzled.

Jumping Jive and Night and Day - a great period for him. Done over by management after that, alas, although he did himself no favours. Is he that underrated? Under-appreciated these days, certainly, but, as with Graham Parker, he's done his best to ensure that's the case.

For me, his best album is "Body & Soul", recorded in a Masonic hall in New York state, it's a rare record that really sounds like it was made in a room, as opposed to a studio, great songs, too...

As for his low-profile, he was the first to admit he wasn't a looker, which didn't help, but his endless flitting across styles (New wave! Big band! Classical! Soundtracks!) was probably fatal in trying to build up an audience, too.

Perhaps intentional MM - just listening to our UK Records collection, I'm delighted I never WANTED to be an "artiste" let alone a "star". My tracks - both hits and flops, cover an enormous area of music. Some are good, some not so good, some great. My version of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Oklahoma song People Will Say We're In Love is extraordinary and my medley of Glenn Miller hits - six minutes of big band sound, which finishes the collection (Track 80) is absolutely terrific - mainly thanks to arranger Johnny Arthey. I remember that the musos on the session loved it so much they stood up and danced as they played. Fortunately our overhead mikes picked it all up.