Richard and I used to argue. All the time. Virtually every time we spoke on the phone. Once, we argued about a wooden skid for an hour and seventeen minutes. I won. When I pointed that out a few months later we had another row about the outcome. My friend Brian Santos reminded me last night of an argument he witnessed between us in Mexico City at the Foro Sol, at a Radiohead show. Richard would pause the “conversation“ whenever he had to go to stage or front of house, and continue it next time he found me. I once bought an expensive bottle of wine at dinner in LA that he liked the look of (I was paying, it wasn’t expensed). He then started an argument accusing me of ripping him off if I could afford that wine. I told him I was, to give him the pleasure of winning an argument. It didn’t stop either of us finishing the bottle too quickly and ordering another. Which I expensed. I worked for Richard since he first took the reins for Radiohead in the 90’s through to right now. Literally half my life. The Adele tour was the most stressful, for both of us, I’d say. The arguments were something else and very real. But he never walked away. Last time we went for dinner, we didn’t argue, we didn’t talk about work. He told me he considered me a friend. He still let me pay, though. I am so going to miss the grumpy bastard. RIP, my friend.