It's happened throughout my life - both to myself and to others. Of course, a lot depends on whether the participants blow on the sparks with bellows and turn it into a blazing fire (like Genesis and The Rocky Horror Show) or douse it with water (like Chumbawamba who didn't just put out Prescott but their own careers after I'd sparked Tubthumping with the King Fairy Magic).

I got very depressed by that as I was certain there were many other sparks in Chumbawamba (Oooh your ugly houses and Homophobia, for a start). Other "talents" take the spark, raise a small fire but go no further - like Orson with No Tomorrow. Delighted to start the blaze, boys, but what a shame the firemen put it out!

It's not always the obvious - Tam Paton kept puffing at the Bay City Rollers spark long after I gave up (having lit it with Keep On Dancing) and single handedly reignited that fire.

I've even watched people like 10cc puff the bellows themselves - after removing JK from the equation - only to see the fire splutter out eventually instead of becoming the blaze it should have been.

As for myself, I still seem to spark things. Yesterday's mention in the Times of the Shami Chakrabarti song I wrote and the Dastards recorded was an example, but a spark that flickered but has not yet caught fire.

I'm hoping there are several other sparks in Vile Pervert; The Musical which will grow into a giant conflagration in time.