XFM Column

It's ten years this summer since I walked across the stage of Edinburgh's McEwan Hall and was boshed on the head by the leftovers of John Knox's trousers. Or, as it's more commonly called – graduated. Yes, the summer of 97; I left academia with an MA(Hons) in Folklore. And a bundle of ambition.

I reckon I've achieved a lot in those ten years. I've seen more bands, interviewed more musicians and played more Snow Patrol records than I could ever have dreamed of. But when an anniversary comes around you tend to reflect. I was recently thinking "Have I learnt anything in the last decade?" The answer is, well, kind of. But it's all been from pub quizzes and really bad television shows...

So, I thought I would share some of this knowledge with you, as you never know when the fact you know the dog in Hart to Hart was called Freeway might come in handy. Here's ten facts, one for every year since I stopped learning proper stuff:

* Mamma Mia by ABBA is the only song to reach number one in the UK where the title of the song is mentioned in the number one immediately prior to it - which was Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.
* The most played video on MTV is Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer.
* The biggest selling single not to reach No. 1 is Wham's Last Christmas.
* B and Q stands for Block and Quayle, the founders of the original DIY store.
* Jim Morrison was the first rock star to be arrested on stage.
* It is possible to cook fish in a dishwasher.
* The song "Who ate all the pies" was first sung at a man called Selwyn, from Todmorden, at a Scunthorpe vs Burnley match.
* The most popular name for a cow is Bessie.
* The song Love Rollercoaster by the Ohio Players contains a scream that may or may not be someone getting murdered.
* Before achieving fame as a singer, Billy Bragg worked as a Goat Herder and a petrol pump attendant.

Maybe you can cut out and keep this column in your purse or wallet just in case you're ever at a drinks reception and run out of conversation. Maybe one of these facts will appear at the next quiz night you are at, then you'll be quids in. Or you could just forget all this and move onto the next page.

Regardless, I hope these facts have enriched your life like they did mine. It's just a fraction of what I've learnt during ten years in the University of Life. Maybe it's time to return to full time education…