And now for Roy of the rock ‘n’ rollers

Roy Jeans, managing director of Magna UK, should have the middle name “Skin-tight”. While Trevor Beattie is busy shaping the future of HMV’s bargain bins, Jeans can be found lurking in the Seventies rock section.

When asked to list his all-time top 20 tracks for Planet Rock radio, Roy saw no need to maintain any credibility he may once have had. No White Stripes, no Strokes, not even a cursory mention for Nirvana. Jeans prefers the caterwaulings and 20-minute drum solos of Free, ZZ Top, Led Zep, Thin Lizzy and Jethro Tull. He does claw back some dignity, listing his least favourite artists as Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and Queen, adding – somewhat uncharitably – that he’d “rather listen to a pet shop on fire”. The Diary wondered where he came up with the image – but that was before Hussey’s website loaded.