Oh pop

I'm watching Popworld, which has a feature on Take That. I'm finding it strangely moving, in a comforting sort of way, to have them back again. Gary Barlow singing about the fist of pure emotion -- it seems like the world's back where it should be. They were very big when I was just at the right age to realise that it was OK to like things that weren't cool; someone who is now one of my best friends sent me a Take That Christmas card in 1994, before I knew her well. I remember the BBC news announcing their split and giving a phone number to call if you were very upset; while I didn't avail myself of that, certainly, it felt like one of the many gradual declinings of growing up, like having to spend money on electricity not novels, and being responsible for buying my own loo roll.

Anyway now they're back it seems like there could have been an alternative world, where Camilla and Di could talk to each other when they handed over the children, though they were never friends, and the Labour party getting into power made things better. &c &c &c. &c.