the ballad of wild willy bass

low tide fishguard

Having just returned from Pembrokeshire in South West Wales I am now ready for the last of the 2012 gigs. Next up is the CRY Benefit on Saturday in Burton on Trent. Next weekend is the Leeds gig followed by a FDPFAFDW gig in Leek. See GIGS page on website for details.

I was away for two weeks and it was just what the doctor ordered, not that I have been even slightly unwell for a very long time. The plan was to spend serious fishing time in the quest for the elusive sea bass. Well it has been elusive to me and quite a few others. It has been generally a very poor year for fishing.

storm beach

Five minutes to 5 oclock in the morning. Three alarms ring at five minute intervals. It’s now or never. A quick dash by car to meet Matt Powell a Michelin starred chef with a passion for foraging and bass fishing. He guides people like me to where the fish might be. In the early light we scrambled down a cliff face to the rocks below. I had already declined one access path as unsuitable for some one of my age so we had continued along the top of the cliff where Matt found a slightly easier and safer access to the rocks. We soon had lures flying out from our some times precarious perch atop various rock ledges and peaks. I got the odd soaking from the odd small rogue wave. The tide was receding and as the water fell away a moonscape terrain was revealed. I would definitely look at a mark like this at low tide before fishing it but of course Matt knew the lie of the land.

We fished hard from about 6.30 until 12.30 in the afternoon. I was knackered and it would take two days for the aches in my upper legs to fade. All part of the price of a great and exhilarating experience even though none of us caught a fish. We climbed up back onto the cliff top and headed back to the parked cars. Matt produced a compact array of cooking gear and began to make breakfast.

matt the chef

Omelettes to die for with mushrooms and greenery foraged locally and lava bread of the highest quality.

What a wonderful meal this was and after we sat with kuksas filled with tea and full bellies. Matt is a very interesting companion with a sincere desire to do something sustainable and clean. As a foraging bass guide I believe he has re-invented himself admirably, offering a great service with lots of learning around a broad eco centered base. I wish him well. I am sure we will remain friends and it goes with out saying I’ll be back for more.

Lots of time was spent looking for great places to fish and this meant driving parts of the Iron Man Wales circuit that was used for the cycling stage. I can tell you Pembrokeshire around the Tenby area has some very steep climbs so after a swim and a 119 mile bike ride followed by a marathon they all deserved a medal.

The countryside is spectacular and we only scratched the surface. We fished quite a lot but didn’t catch much. In the second week of our quest we became comfortable fishing on the dock at Milford Haven. The weather and tides were against most beach fishing and fishing on rain soaked rocks so we settled for a couple of our last nights in wales on the banks of the estuary opposite the Milford Haven oil refinery. It’s a bit grim in parts in daylight and huge contrast to the vistas deep in country but at night the lights are quite spectacular. I had caught a small Pollack on a tiny metal lure on a very light rod which made the little fish feel enormous. LRF , light rock fishing is the name of the game and seems a logical method given the rarity of lots of large fish. So, as the rain began to fall on every one fishing this spot we began to consider cutting our losses as we had a long drive next day. I decided to change my bait from worm and mackerel to large pieces of mackerel fillet. It was to use the bait up as much as any thing. Minutes later the tip of my rod bent over and then nothing. My heart was pounding when the tip went berserk and I just had time to reach out to stop the rod going over the wall. I was into a large feisty sea bass. Two days later he provided the main dish of what was a really special feast. I have only taken one fish for the table this year and this was the one I had been set on for this summer. Fantastic! The last cast and there it was.

a bar of silver and a very dazed fisherman

The trip west was superb and we will be going back. The Welsh are lovely people and the country has real heart and character. Although Wales has it's share of poverty it has been largely unspoilt by the lack of gross tourism and over commercialisation such as you will find almost every where in Cornwall. Like every where else I have been lately the high street shops are fading whereas the Charity shops are springing up every where. Pembroke itself has a great community feel and there is plenty of evidence of community support initiatives locally. I caught a nice little perch off the bridge there during a short rest stop.
It is always nice to be home but I miss the smell of the sea and even the bitter wind that howled through the high open spaces. It was great to get away and out in it all. I spent some time with my guitar and managed to progress the writing of some songs a little bit further on.
I shall spend Thursday, tomorrow preparing for the upcoming gigs at the weekend and next week and then it will be rehearse, rehearse with the new band.



peace

one night in manchester

Ah the joy of it all! Manchester in the sunshine. Our little party arrived in leafy Chorlton from Wigan about three hours before the show began. It was Dave Owen’s 60^th birthday party and quite a few folk were already in situ. We were welcomed warmly and we all said later that we felt right at home immediately.

On Thursday Dave had hired The Muffin men for a night out in the city and they had been partying ever since including a jam session on the Friday night with assembled guests who play guitar. Many of Dave and Nicola’s mates are avid Zappa fans and have met at various Zappa music events. My favourite countries were represented by the nationalities of some of these guests. German, Norwegian, Danish and Dutch and I‘ve probably missed a couple.

A gazebo was set up at the far end of the garden with a little rostrum for me and a platform for the amp. Chairs were set out in the extra-tented part and it was very cosy. I had plenty of time to set up and get a sound with the help of John who looks after me when I’m touring. 

here me now - i shout it out

just before the show - with Dave Owen

The next hour or so was taken up with drinks in the garden and meeting the folk who were still arriving. Every one was in good humour and the international nature of the guests added a special flavour to the conversation as it always does. This is indeed a small world and one of the Norwegian guests was friends with some one who was at the gig I played in Norway a couple of weeks back.

Time passed pleasantly and soon it was time to start the show. I had spent a few minutes deep breathing and settling myself. I was gone off some place  warm while Dave settled his invited audience and introduced me. 

I often have an aluminium drinking bottle with the Liverpool FC badge on and my name. Dave couldn't resist taping a Man U badge over the LFC badge so I drank from a Man U bottle through out the set. All good fun.

I began with Arabesque leading to Speak Down the wires with a little indulgent chanting in the middle somewhere. I always get quite high when chanting and it requires very large intakes of breath. I was glad I had done the breathing warm up at the beginning. I didn’t say any thing at all for a few songs and I was in my element. It seemed as though I had time to think before each chord change and new lyric line. Some times I seem rushed and this is nothing to do with the tempo of the song but more about how centred I am, I suppose.

The little amp provided for me was superb and handled my guitar and voice perfectly. I love the simplicity of what I am doing from a technical perspective. Life is easy with out all the randomness that goes with a band set up.

I moved through the set and my audience was so very good to me. I felt them and this fed the music. I paused after about forty minutes to allow people to get a drink and so on. After ten minutes we were all back together. I know it was an intense performance and people told me so after it.

I jammed around with the new songs Be Still, Please Don’t Take Too Long and threw in a few new parts to There’s a hole in it. It was fun. I just felt completely relaxed and joined with the guests. Their response was extremely generous and this inspired me to play around with the material in a very free style.

Towards the end of my set I played a few oldies such as green Lights and Hotel Room and ended with Evening Over Rooftops. Poppy was the encore and it was job done.

Unfortunately Nicola, Dave’s partner, was busy preparing food for all so she missed the last part of my set. However the meat pie and red cabbage she made was fantastic. Honest, good home cooked food is always a highlight and this was special.

The after show conversations are always a treat for me. It is always a mixture of feedback for the show and tales of the lives folk are living. More and more I find so much in common with the good people who book me for these shows and with their friends and family.

I think my set in Chorlton was the best musical performance of all my shows in the past two years. I know the audience was a major contributory factor and having played regularly lately but then there are the elusive ingredients. They are hard to identify and part of what some call the muse. Any way for what ever reason I stand by my claim ha ha! So onwards and upwards. All of this is food for thought and food for the new show for 2013. The songs keep on coming and they seem to work nicely. I am having a ball. I was shattered after the gig and when we all got back to Wigan I soon hit the bed and was immediately fast asleep. This is a rare thing and I still felt weak after a good sleep and breakfast. A can of Red Bull helped but I realised I had put my heart and soul into the previous nights performance. It’s Monday evening and I am still a bit tired. 

 It was a truly memorable night for me and one that ranks with the best. Every single one of these gigs has been a delight in it’s own individual way.

Next I'm off to Wales for some serious fishing for a couple of weeks. The FDPFAFDW gig in Chorlton for Dave and Nicola will keep me smiling when the fish don’t bite and keep me interested in the next instalment life has in store and then I am back for the CRY benefit in Burton on Trent on the 29th September ( see gigs page on my website for details).  Be there if you can. Its all in a very good cause and one very dear to the promoter and friends.

peace

derbyshire rocks

"Ive had to change the venue to South Wingfield Social Club, 43 High Rd , South Wingfield , Derbyshire DE557LX , as there are a lot of people coming and the other venue , wasn't big enough , we have some local bands playing as well as my very good friends Harvey Bainbridge and Jerry Richards ex Hawkwind , will be there”.

The above was part of an email I received from Martin Needham prior to heading to Derbyshire for his birthday bash so you can understand that I thought this was going to be a bit different from some FDPFAFDW gigs. I would not be disappointed.

After a fairly relaxed journey to Nottingham I caught another train to Alfreton where I was picked up by Martin and his partner Sharon and delivered to the nearby Travel Lodge. I checked in, went to my room and unpacked my gear. I went to use the bathroom to find there was no light. Not a broken down fluorescent tube for me but no tube at all. I went back to the desk to report this and the insipid individual showed no surprise, in fact he knew already and asked me “Was this ok?” OK? I shouted. I asked how I was supposed to use the bathroom in the dark. He gave me the key to another room and I left. What an idiot! I didn’t think this was a portent of things to come for one minute and later, I was glad to find this to be true.

Onward and upwards and it was soon time to go to the gig. After a short drive in sunshine through leafy lanes, up hill and down dale, we arrived at The South Wingfield Social Club high on a hill. The venue used to be a Miners' Welfare hall built and run by the miners for the benefit of the community and their families. Almost all of these welfare schemes had their origins in the 1920's or 30's and were funded by weekly contributions deducted from the miners' wages, initially to build the schemes and subsequently to run them. Some of the schemes had the word "institute" in their title, probably an indication that they also had an educational as well as recreational purpose. Whatever their title, they all had one thing in common; they represented the hopes and aspirations of the men who worked in the mines, and their families. I walked into the hall and found it to be more or less what I had imagined.
 The music was in full flow with a kind of New Order Hybrid / Chapman Family style band playing some cool songs with the aid of a drum machine. The singer had a great and distinctive voice and I sat listening and expecting more of the same but this song and the style it was delivered in was a one off in terms of what followed. This was a very,very good band and very nearly a great band. I was fascinated for a while. I thought how fine the line is between some thing really great and something nearly so. As a performer it is sometimes very difficult to see the difference and most of us tend to hope the song we are currently working on will be the best. 
Soon more and more people arrived and soon the place was filling up. Outside a very well appointed fast food van was busy feeding the guests. Nearby a large field was in use as a camping area. The club occupies a large area and has it’s own bowling green which is in top condition and is an indication of the dedicated work that goes into maintaining a quality venue of any kind.The late afternoon session became the evening session and the music took on the distinctive flavour of the post Hawkwind movement with lots of gorgeous old analogue synth flavours and the obligatory, occasional narrative in the style of the electric poets and sci fi writers of the late 50’s through to the mid seventies. That is when it all first happened and here I was in the museum of a time that is loving maintained and perpetuated by some performers of that time and adored by a surprisingly large group of silver machined acolytes. Wonderful!

viking rituals in deepest derbyshire

By now I had met a good few folk I vaguely remembered from former years and some folk that I had not met but who knew me from the EBB. It was interesting to hear their stories and what life had dealt them. There were some sad stories but many more uplifting tales. Most people seemed to be doing ok and all were set on having a great night out at Martin’s birthday party.

martin - sharon and yours truly

The lighting and sound crew were really good. People had taken a great deal of time and trouble to put this together and there was a genuine feeling of community. I couldn’t help thinking that the venue management and staff were a shining example of what can be done to meet the needs of a local community and to move with the times in constructive and positive ways.

space bastard

Among the various chats I had with people I remember a discussion about political participation. Many years a go, while on a family holiday in Cornwall, my son Luke, who was around 12 at the time, discreetly drew my attention to a man walking towards us. After he had passed Luke asked me “Why do older men start to wear bait (slang at the time for rubbish) clothes”? Though there was some amusement behind the question, it was a genuine question and I could see what he meant. The chap was around sixty and dressed in clothes that were pale shades of grey, green, beige and brown. It was a kind of uniform for the fading. If the monks of old wore sack cloth and ashes to atone for their gravest sins then this man looked like he was just saying “sorry”.
It is as though there is a voice inside that whispers to some of us – You are old and should look like it. Know your place and disappear. Become invisible slowly. 
By comparison some women often go the other way. For some a permanent wave / curled hairstyle becomes obligatory. This seems to go with garments covered in hugely loud, floral designs or great geometric nonsensical patterns that assail the eyes. Garish becomes the new black. Any way, my point was some thing similiar also happens to political participation and to people who used to be involved in agit prop politics. They give it up as though it is some thing for the young. As though it is unseemly to protest in a righteous cause at a certain age. I say if you can walk then march and if you can't then there is always 38 Degrees for most of us. 
If you can march then be there with the rest of us. I know these are the days when if we don’t act it might be our last chance to do so with any effect all. I might have slightly upset a couple of folk with my rap on people participation and references to what I call hush puppy and perm time but it’s my job.

Time passed pleasantly and soon it was time to perform. Within the whole of the assembled throng my people made their way to front of the room and the others headed for the bar where they could chat noisily through my entire set. I have become more able to shut myself off from the distractions and myself and my listeners had a nice time – thank you for asking.
People who listen get it. They know what I am saying and why. They understand that my songs are for them and of today with a small selection from yesteryear. I had a great time and only made a couple of tiny errors. My set was caught on video by two separate crews so some of it should be worth a look when I get the footage.
Below is a version of Speak Down the wires performed at the party. There will be a free signed copy of BY MYSELF for the first person to leave a comment here, identifying the non deliberate mistake in the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntP00s2MLJE&feature=youtu.be

martin (dr hasbeen) on stage

OK top of the bill next. Martin Needham A.K.A. Dr Has been and the band took to the stage. Previously Martin told me they were “crap” but “it was his party and he would play if he wanted”. Quite right too! Any way, as it turned out, the crap comment was obviously an expression of huge self modesty because they were in fact very good and I really enjoyed their set.
More chatting and then back to the Hotel, sleep and home on the train. We drove back to the venue in the morning to finalise a few things and then I got a lift to the station where it was bye, bye Derbyshire. I had a really great time as I do at all of these gigs. I honestly think that I have gained more from almost two years of Fair Days Pay For A Fair Days Work gigs, than from any others in the past 30. Martin is a promoter so I hope we will work together in the future. Meanwhile my thanks to Martin and Sharon and to all at the gig for looking after me and making me so welcome.

Next stop Manchester for a FDPFAFDW gig on Saturday for Dave Owen and Nicola Taylor. This will be a good 'un! I just know it.


peace

and the air is good

Inderøy coat of arms

Just before the flight to Amsterdam on my way to Trondheim in Norway, I was trying to think back to the last time I had flown alone. I was surprised when I realised I had never flown alone in my life. So another first. A new day and a new adventure.  I was setting out for Stig and Tina Leinan’s FDPFAFDW gig.

The weather was warm and bright as we took off from Heathrow London heading towards Schipol airport in Amsterdam. As we took off from Schipol the sun was going down in the west and the whole of the sky was crimson. It was very beautiful.  Some two hours later we landed in Trondheim. I collected my guitar from the rolling conveyor with considerable relief. It is always slightly anxious making, waiting for my instruments to appear.

As I walked through the green lane I immediately met Stig and the guys and soon we were on the last leg of the journey, a 100k drive past fabulous areas of bright water under a magical light. The glittering lights on opposite shores twinkled under the leaden sky and a fresh light drizzle fell almost constantly. We had not met before so most of the journey was the usual kind of induction we all undertake at the start of these gigs, getting to know each other and finding the common ground. It is always there.

We arrived at Inderoy and soon I was saying hello to Stig and Tina’s friends. Like so many of these gigs some invited people had not seen each other for many years. It feels very good to be part of the event that makes this happen.

It was late but Tina had made me a hot meal. I didn’t feel hungry but with in a few minutes I was tucking in. I soon felt the benefit. I realised the journey had been very taxing in a way and I needed energy. I soon got my second wind and found myself singing a song at the request of the assembled friends. I chose The Christmas song. It offered the chance for me to explain something about the way I am working and writing now and also why it is so.

After a dreamy sleep I awoke to find the plan was to cross the bridge to the centrum of a very small community. It was a good plan. There we walked around a small park that housed a wonderful collection of bronze and wooden statues by the sculptor  Nils Aas (21 April 1933 - 10 February 2004) .

sound sculpture - fish - by Nils Aas

some of my new friends

There is strong and vibrant artistic culture here. The small community contains several art galleries and there is a strong community of musicians. 

wall art

At least one of the galleries houses a space where school children can sculpt and get down and dirty with clay at a potters wheel.

Later some of us drove to see friends of Stig and Tina who had prepared a wonderful lunch for 
us all. The salad, salmon and the reindeer was sublime and to top it off this was followed by a boat trip on the fiord.

captain eric at the wheel

Oh for one little rod and reel! One day I will return here just to fish. The fishing here is legendary. 

 I was offered the chance to go fishing on the day of my return journey home but I knew that I wouldn’t want to get up early enough for that, nor let people down by not turning up. It will keep. Next time I am going to make sure I have time to fish what ever happens.

The day rolled by and soon it was time to head off up the hill to the gig. The venue was a restaurant on a high hill overlooking the fiord. The place was built Viking style with a turf roof and with part of the structure built into the hill.

By now people were arriving from all over and I was getting very switched on by the whole atmosphere.

the edgar leinan band

I was to use a Baggs acoustic amplifier for the evening. What a beauty! I had never been near one before. This was a treat for me so thank you Odd Harald for supplying it.

Soon it was time to begin and I did so with Arabesque. I haven’t played it for a while so it was nice to get the fingers going while I settled into the atmosphere of the room. I couldn’t have asked for a more attentive and appreciative audience. I ran through the set list and when I came to Almost Dancing I was astounded when some people, including Stig, joined in on the chorus and they can sing. It was lovely and brought a lump to my throat. This happened again on Green Lights and so it went on.

Occasionally I saw people wiping a tear or two away, especially through The Christmas Song. One of Stig’s favourites is Ice on fire and I was so pleased I had put some effort into running through it before setting out. You could have heard a pin drop. The song is a journey for me and there I was with a room full of people on the same journey though I know the thoughts and feeling the song evokes are different for every one. Transmission ended – more tears - we were joined.

august by the fiord

When I came to Evening over rooftops I had a full blown choir in the room and we sang it with great joy and volume. What a night! I had a fabulous time. I love meeting and speaking with the people after it all and people were so nice to me. I really felt at home there.

So back to Stig and Tina’s house where the party continued until the early hours. Some of the guys sang some of my songs and like many an EBB rehearsal it was evident that I can only remember the songs I am currently performing. This was met with the usual surprise and  I get it – I wrote this stuff so how come I can’t remember it?

The answer is simple. I have to work hard to remember the endless streams of words that I produce and that are components of the songs I want to sing today.

Later Stig sang some of his own songs he had written years before. I got the message that these lyrics were political / socialistic and meant a lot to him and to his comrades who joined in singing with him.

I went to bed at around three and rose at 12 midday. A quick shower, coffee, hugs and kisses all around and it was time to leave by car for Trondheim. Some days I am blessed more than on others and this time was as good as it gets. I was a little sad to leave but I know I will return soon to that beautiful water filled landscape, where my heart sings and the air is good.

sunny at last

On the way back, flying over Holland I made a few notes about the landscape there. Flat and filled with dykes and ditches, canals and huge inland seas it suggested the promise of another water filled paradise. As I scribbled little maps in the plane and wrote a few annotations, I decided to try to match these up with Google Earth satellite maps. The first stages of a massive  fishing expedition in the flat lands including a  trip first to Amsterdam for some provisions? We shall see.

I landed at Heathrow and I was knackered but very happy. I wandered over to the KLM desk to ask where my guitar would arrive. The very polite KLM rep  asked me my name and I guessed by her expression that for some reason the guitar would not be joining me. Any way it did arrive on the following morning by courier so just a small glitch.

The sun is shining today here in England as it was when I left my new Norwegian friends. I had a great time. It reminded me of the wonderful time last year with Jarle and Kirsten and all. I hope there will be other FDPFAFDW gigs in Norway.

Here is a very kind email from one of the guests last Saturday. This is what makes it all worthwhile for me.

Hello...

 Just want to thank you fore that you have understand it, and can give it to us in sutch a beautiful way.

It’s a long time since I’have lissen to music like this. I used to lisend a lot to ‘songs of love and hate’ by Leonard Choen.

I love sad songs, they have given me hope again. Like a frech gently breez from the sea....

With love from

Vigdis

Next stop Derbyshire on Saturday for a fun filled FDPFAFDW gig for Martin Needham. I have the distinct feeling this is going to be special and different again.

peace

Please feel free to leave comments below

peddling ideas

the head of john hayes - photo by Ludo

I admit that sartorial awareness has never been a very strong feature of mine but I felt quite comfortable in the garb of the executioner pictured above. I think that is a bit of a disturbing thought but there you go. One has to try to get ahead ( aaaargh! SORRY )The pic is not a still from the film – The Head of John Hayes,  but is an off set photo.

Back when the 2012 Olympics was in its infancy Stella McCartney was pilloried by some for her Team GB strip designs. Actually I like the resulting uniform and its variations. Surely any one who didn’t like our Stella’s design loves it now after seeing the Russian strip. They do have the knack of making a vomit provoking pigs ear out of a silk purse don’t they?

The wonderful GB Cycling Team has reached its peak with performances that none of us who have followed cycling all our lives could have expected in this Olympics. I recently tweeted the question – Is Cycling now the new national sport? The logical answer is yes though I guess football fans everywhere will shake their heads in disagreement. The Team GB footballers should remain silent in the debate though. Their performance was awful. The extremely inarticulate Stuart Pearce should hang his head in shame. (" Until the games get underway we can't realise the magnitude of how its going to be") Lets not bother to enter a team next time if that is the best they can do.

Great English football is slowly becoming a thing of the past and is being strangled by the big money on offer to foreign players. Surely most of us think the fees for modern day footballers have got way out of line. Of course in a free market every one wants to get what they can. This applies to any one who generates money in this busted system.  For example any artiste/band wants a fair share of the gate, the record sales and merchandise. It doesn’t matter how ridiculously astronomical the amount is, most folk would want their share. How ever there is usually a simple arithmetic that this follows. Logically the share is based on the profit made but a footballer who is past his sell by date can still command silly money for doing nothing much at all at a club where there is no profit only debt. It is amazing that more clubs have not gone to the wall in the past season and it will not be surprising if more go next season. The money is not there. Even with TV money and overpriced merchandise most clubs in the Premier League are skint. If they were a small Engineering works in the north of England they would have already had their last meeting with their bank manager and their first with the liquidators.

So I suggest that when a club goes bust they should not be able to worm their way out of the reality of their situation by devious means that would not be tolerated anywhere else.

Perhaps we should turn those failing clubs into Velodromes so that the cycling renaissance can continue to flourish. Bikes are green so get on one and see what you have been missing. You don’t have to race or even go quickly. Getting from A to B by your own efforts is reward enough.

There has been a big debate about whether or not helmets should be compulsory for a long time. I’m with Bradley Wiggins on this one and think they should be a legal requirement for all cyclists. People say that people who wear helmets often take risks because they feel safe. I disagree. Any one that rides a bike in this country will be constantly reminded that they are not safe at all, even with a helmet, because many motorists take the view that we should not be on the roads at all. One has to learn to ride defensively especially in the urban environment. Are we in the way?

Mostly half assed attempts to build cycling networks has resulted in cycle paths that disappear frequently and make it necessary for a rider to join busy roads in the most extraordinary places. I am convinced that part of the plan was to create a way to force cyclists off the roads so I won’t ride on them. Fortunately the failure of the cycle path is such that I don’t have to ride off road ever. I have seen a motorist dumping the broken remnants of a front light from his car onto the cycle path adjacent to the road he was stationary on. When I pointed out that this was a hazard to cyclists and could cause punctures severe enough to leave a cyclist stranded his answer was “ Well it’s done now”.

I have also seen appalling riding by cyclists. No lights, dark clothes and no helmet often marks out the cyclist who always rides through a red light. So have a test for cyclists by all means and tax us like any other road user. Perhaps then the total disregard shown to cyclist by some motorists would abate. The cycling renaissance will bring about a better awareness for all road users and we cyclists will be safer and might be seen as making a necessary contribution to the Green movement instead of simply being in the way. After all it is the petrol fuelled combustion engine and those manufacturers with a vested interest in its continued use, that have stood in the way of progress to greener forms of propulsion not us.

Get pedalling folks. Cars are unnecessary for a lot of journeys and you don’t want to be left out of an important phase of THE NEW REALITY, do you?

peace

hup hup hup update

no hills - i could probably bike race again out here  
- i'd need a shave though

Today I got to see some of the stills taken during the shooting of the film “The Head Of John Hayes” a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately I can’t show any here due to certain restrictions on previewing material for a film where it is the intention to submit it for entry to film festivals. I had a fantastic time and learned quite a lot about story boarding a script. It was so good to be part of some thing like this where dedicated young people are working very hard to make some art on a budget. The artistic sub-culture in the metropolis is alive and well, even in these austere times and when Arts grants are thin on the ground. I am looking forward to seeing the end result towards the end of the year.

I have been looking through the various proposed new band names and I think you could do better. There are some quite good ideas there but none rings my bell. I will award a prize to the best of the bunch when I get the Cd s but please feel free to enter more suggestions. I am not ungrateful for your effort. The comp is still open. The CD has not arrived from Germany yet so there is still time to impress me with your suggestions.

The gig on Friday was very enjoyable though the day started badly with a message from Ramblin early on Saturday morning. Dave had hurt his back a few days before and had a negative reaction to the medication he was prescribed resulting in very bad stomach pain. Luckily we found a replacement driver in the shape of Tim Plant who was a very pleasant companion for what was to prove to be a long day and night. Thanks mate you were great.

We arrived in Leicester and collected Luke. The detour through road closures was nothing compared to what was to come but eventually we wound our way to the Musician. What a surprise. The slightly faded gig has had a make over. It is now one of the coolest small gigs I have played since I began my solo performances a couple of years ago. The place is very neat retaining its fascinating collages of music stars and overall vibe but the room has been extended and refurbished. 

The PA system is lovely and both Luke and I actually enjoyed our sound check. The man on the mixer is spot on and a pleasure to work with.

We played to a good crowd on a night when the Olympic opening ceremony and the Leicester fortnight holiday was just some of the competition. It was nice to see some old friends there and a few new faces.

Luke kicked off the evening with a solid set of self-penned songs and it was clear to me he has put in a lot of work since we last performed together. I suppose I will always feel emotional when I sit in the audience to listen to Luke but there is no doubting the emotional effect he has on an audience unfamiliar with his material. The writing is deep and his vocal style and melodies are distinctive. He was very well received by a typically warm audience and came off to genuinely warm applause. After a little chat with Luke and a couple of drinks it was time for me to play.

I started off with the intention to weave some improvisation into the set and couldn’t quite believe what my fingers and mouth were doing when I began to sing an unfinished song. I have a verse and a chorus and that’s what I did. It worked ok so I did the same thing again later. I managed to fit a lot of unfinished songs in to and around existing songs and I really enjoyed myself.
I played for quite a lot longer than I usually do but the time flew by and after dropping Luke and Ros off at their place we had a quick tea and hit the road. The journey back was uneventful until we got into London. All roads leading to the bridges over the Thames seemed blocked by Olympic stewards and lots of traffic was entering the roads only to be turned around.

Eventually after driving around for a good half an hour, I decided to ask a steward why all the roads were closed and how might we cross the Thames. I am glad I was polite because he answered to the effect that the roads were closed in preparation for the Men’s Road race. Well that shut me up and we spent another twenty minutes finding a way to cross Battersea Bridge.

I finally went to sleep at around 8.30am and woke to find that Mr Cavendish and The Team GB boys had failed to win the the road race but they rode like warriors and virtually on their own. I thought they might have sent Froome in to the break away group of riders containing the eventual winner but I don’t think he had the energy. The Tour De France was not won easily and his contribution to the team success was huge. I was pleased that Alexandr Vinokurov (Kazakhstan) won in what might be his last year as a pro cyclist.
Congratulations to Ms Lizzy Armitstead who loves to race in the rain and jumped out of the main bunch of riders to take the silver medal in the Women’s Road race. 
I expect when Bradley Wiggins rides the Olympic Time Trial the cry of hard core cycle race fans at the road side will ring  in his ears for most of the route as it has down the years. "Hup hup hup" is the call to increase the revolutions of a riders pedals. Some times the Team director will shout this from a support car. It is a rhythmic knock in the air which the rider can hear and hopefully react positively to. He will appreciate it from the crowd but this guy knows how to cover a course over 50 k at about 40 to 50 kph and will know how fast to go and where to ease up. I hope it is dry. Wiggins is the fastest man in the world in the race of truth - a man on a bike against the clock so check it out on Wednesday the 1 August.

Next stop the far north of Norway for a Fair days pay for a fair days work show in a couple of week’s time. Now that will be some thing. I always feel at home in Norge and I expect this trip will further heighten that sense of my belonging there. Meanwhile it’s back to the grindstone ha ha! I am expecting delivery of my new Mac for music production and I want to get as much pre-production for the new band project completed before it arrives. I need to collate all my audio soundscapes and other noise so that It can be easily transferred to the new system. I am very excited about this. Time is running so I had better make a start.

peace

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