ZANG TUMMM TUMB ARTICLES “the first draft of history”

Q&A

Crop circles, transubstantiation, the flatness of the England back four. On these topics Mat Snow (The Man In The Know) can offer but scant illumination. But the breakfast preferences of superannuated ‘70s session men? Well, now youre talking. All queries to Q&A, Q, 42 Great Portland Street, London W1 N 5AH.

On the second 12-inch single version of Frankie Goes To Hollywoods Welcome To The Pleasuredome (The Alternative) (ZTT 12XZTAS7), a long section is read out by what sounds like actor Geoffrey Palmer. It begins: “Under the charm of the Dionysian, not only is the union between man and man reaffirmed but nature which has become alienated, hostile or subjugated celebrates once more her reconciliation with her lost son, man.” I refuse to believe Holly Johnson could write anything so pretentious. If it was anybody at ZTT, I would plump for Paul Morley.

Philip Gargis, Romford, Essex

Resident conceptualist and co-founder of ZTT, Paul Morley confirms that it is indeed the voice of Home Counties rectitude, Geoffrey Palmer, reading out the passage excerpted above, but denies it emanated from his pretentious pen. In fact, it is an extract from the philosophical treatise Die Frohliche Wissenschaft (The Joyous — or The Gay — Science), written in 1882 by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), the moustachioed philosopher who is best known for his notions of the will to power and the death of God. “I just thought that it was funny to have Geoffrey Palmer reading out the great Friedrich Nietzsche,” explains the odd ball ideas-man and TV clever-trousers. “Nobody else laughed, though.”