The big Battle Of The Bread going on at present in Britain (and mentioned in last month’s letter) is simmering nicely. With tours proliferating by the second — and the situation, in some provincial towns where the sole venue may normally function only at weekends, of seven-day back-to-back bookings by solid-wodged Big Names — the inevitable last-minute cancellations, poor houses, and blown-out schedules are starting to mount up.

Only if you’re truly the star of your league (like Mott, the Floyd, Sparks, Queen, or Tull) can you hope to do any business worth doing —: and normally safe draws are withering in the intense heat of street-level confrontations for kiddy kash. These, so far, include Genesis and Gentle Giant (tours off completely), Ronnie Lane (selected blow-outs), and The Incredible String Band (total surrender and final breakup).