Alex Needham

Arts editor, the Guardian, no longer tweeting. Email: [email protected]. He/him.

[Richard Williams @rwilliams1947]

Fascinating interview with Shabaka Hutchings on his decision to set aside his saxophone and study the shakuhachi, by Alexis Petridis: https://t.co/AbNfFteqB5

[Jeremy O. Harris @jeremyoharris]

In a slight rage over the moral panic that that a certain aspect of the British public have frothed up around Black Out Nights, two nights out of over a hundred, that have seen audiences members of all race in attendance over the last four years since its inception on Broadway.

[David Eldridge 💙 @deldridgewriter]

The reactionary replies are depressing. But the idea of “radical invitation”, or making a proper effort to encourage an an audience that previously felt excluded or unwelcome is not new, nor should it be controversial - even if a “Black out” night is - props to @jeremyoharris 👏

[alan rusbridger @arusbridger]

The culture minister attacks the BBC - without evidence - for supposed impartiality failings. Meanwhile the prime minister stands in for Jacob Rees-Mogg on the entirely impartial GB News. Thank heavens we have a tough media regulator .

[Scott Bryan @scottygb]

prepare to have your heart ripped out (in the best possible way)

[Alex Needham @alexneedham74]

@missbarton Gorgeous piece Laura x

[Alex Needham @alexneedham74]

@Chris_Creegan I did, and I was very moved by it. Thanks Chris

[Alex Needham @alexneedham74]

@Chris_Creegan Thanks Chris - happy new year

[Alex Needham @alexneedham74]

@LizTray Thanks Liz. It definitely is wonderful

[Alex Needham @alexneedham74]

@rwilliams1947 Yesterday was 20 pages of photos

[Alex Needham @alexneedham74]

Benjamin Zephaniah: 'I thought, OBE me? Up yours, I thought' https://t.co/zQXNhFhpeB

[Alex Needham @alexneedham74]

@johnmerro1 @JoshHalliday Quite.

[Tim Downie @TimDownie1]

Santana, my friend’s granddaughter, is still missing from Ladbroke Grove. She’s only 12. Please keep a look out around London for her and please share this x @missingpeople

[Spider Stacy @spiderstacy]

‘O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done..’

[Alex Needham @alexneedham74]

@Andr6wMale @dickon_edwards Yes, thanks Dickon

[Alex Needham @alexneedham74]

"In Irish pubs where they still sing together, Fairytale of New York has become as much a standard as Danny Boy. So I'm now like the writers of those other traditional standards, except I'm not anonymous. Or dead. The best surprises in life are the ones you never dream about."

[Alex Needham @alexneedham74]

Not long after I joined the Guardian, I managed to get Shane MacGowan to write three short but beautiful pieces for what was then the arts blog. You can read them here https://t.co/qy8LCwsI75