Published earlier this year in the US is "I Killed Pink Floyd's Pig", a book by Beau Phillips and including a foreword by Sammy Hagar.

Phillips is a former radio DJ, programme director and VP/General Manager of influential US rock stations, later turning his hand to changing the fortunes of MTV Networks output on television. This book spills the beans on his various interactions with rock's then upcoming superstars, along with rock royalty, who, in the eighties, set certain standards of behaviour backstage and in hotel rooms.

"I Killed Pink Floyd's Pig" is an absorbing and fun look at his experiences with the likes of Led Zep (and the inevitable throwing of TV sets from hotel windows), the excesses of ZZ Top, the kindness of Sir Paul McCartney, golfing with Jimi Hendrix's father, the tension caused by an interview arranged with Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, and the championing of various previously unknown stars. The book is an easy read, in a conversational style - you feel like you are relaxing in a bar, with Phillips regaling you with stories from his professional life. Some are "right time, right place" experiences, others clearly demonstrate the discomfort when things go wrong!

As the title implies, one of Phillips' stories concerns the inflatable pig used during the Floyd's late 80's touring. His radio station at the time negotiated the loan of it, to provide them with some great publicity whilst promoting the Floyd shows which were in town. Needless to say, not everything went smoothly, and Phillips tells an entertaining story of how things went so wrong, and his efforts to get Algie the pig feeling better.

It is now available in US bookstores, online from Amazon.com, and you can also order it (and find out more info) at PinkFloydsPig.com.

Appearing on November 11th, 2014, is the limited, special release of When The Wind Blows on Blu-ray. The 1986 adaptation of Raymond Briggs' chilling graphic novel to the screen by Jimmy Murakami features drawn animation and stop-motion sequences to tell the tale of Jim and Hilda (voiced by the perfect pairing of Sir John Mills and Dame Peggy Ashcroft), an elderly couple caught up in nuclear war. With a touching trust in officialdom, they do their best to follow the (at best ineffectual) official UK government booklet which was issued in the 1980s, Protect and Survive. Comedy and horror effortlessly combine in a film once seen, never forgotten.

The desperate situation they find themselves in is perfectly accompanied by the score - chiefly composed by Roger Waters, especially for this film. For many, it is amongst Roger's best solo material. Other performers include David Bowie, who does the title music.

Never previously released on Blu-ray, this special edition - limited to just 3,000, exclusively through ScreenArchives.com - will undoubtedly prove popular. Not least, the film, presented in 1080p with a DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, is accompanied by a raft of features, including a new documentary and particularly key for Waters fans, an isolated music and effects track. The Blu-ray is not region coded, so should work fine in players worldwide.

With the limited nature of this release, we urge those interested to get their pre-orders in now to secure their copy. To reiterate, it is exclusively available from ScreenArchives.com. [Our thanks to Eskimospy for help with this story.]

Tonight saw the Long Island Music Hall of Fame 5th Induction Awards Gala, held at The Paramount, in Huntington, New York.

Amongst those inducted were concert promoter Ron Delsener, and Roger Waters was lined up to be the one inducting him. According to press reports, Roger was also said to be scheduled to perform, as well as Dionne Warwick. However, the organisers have since told us that these mainstream press reports were incorrect, and Roger was NEVER scheduled to perform during the event, but just present "Uncle Ronnie" (as Roger called him during the ceremony) with his award. Others being honoured included record producer Clive Davis, the Billy Joel Band, lyricist Gerry Goffin, producer Steve Thompson, singer Debbie Gibson, rapper Kurtis Blow and DMC of Run DMC.

At the time we posted this story originally, tickets were still available from Ticketmaster.com and from the Paramount box office on 631-673-7300. General seating tickets were $75 and $150.

Our thanks to the team at the Long Island Music Hall of Fame for their help post-event to clarify matters relating to the nature of Roger's appearance at the event, which (for those who recall reading this story originally) resulted in this news item being revised and clarified.

Hitting UK stores this coming Tuesday (October 28th) is the new issue of the UK's magazine, Mojo (cover date, December 2014, issue 253).

As you will have spotted, the magazine have gone down the expected route of giving major coverage to Pink Floyd in the run-up to the release of the new album, The Endless River. The album is due for release around the second weekend in November, depending on whereabouts you are in the world.

Other than the eye-catching cover, and the cover mounted CD (with a familiar looking bunch on the cover, beneath the title "brain damage") there's what promises to be an exclusive, 21 page special with David Gilmour and Nick Mason interviewed.

In the interview, Nick compares the period in the band when Roger Waters left, with the death of Russian leader Josef Stalin. "It must have been the same when Stalin died. It took quite a while [to recover], it was a three or four year period."

Mason also sheds light on the meeting at a sushi restaurant in 1984 when Waters revealed to the others his intention to leave the group. "Roger thought we were all going to call it day, and David and I thought Roger was going to call it a day and we were going to carry on," he reveals. "[But] the thing is, these slightly unbalanced people make great musicians. If we hadn't had the mad Syd and the mad Roger, we might have been doing Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep." Mojo should be in UK stores next week, and thereafter in selected stores worldwide as an import. However, wherever you are worldwide, you can order it through this direct link for despatch direct to your home!