Tough Times

Have been doing the odd appearance here and there in between writing and recording. Played the Acoustic Festival UK a few weeks ago, took part in the launch for Patrick Jones` poetry album ‘Tongues for a Stammering Time’, having written the music for one of the tracks, joined Show Of Hands on stage for a few tunes at a show and on Saturday will take part with Billy Bragg in a discussion on music as protest. The good weather has led me to the golf course where I managed to shoot a 73 gross and win a local comp.That also brought my handicap back to six from seven, which is something of a relief though its going to be a hard struggle to get back to the glory of my days of youth. Have a number of new pieces on the go in the studio and will try some of it out in the upcoming shows. Also looking forward to the gigs I’m doing with Steve Knightley in a few weeks.Tough times for everyone out there but no story sadder than that of the Puttick family who took their lives by jumping together from a cliff after their young son died, and the loss of the flight from Brazil to Paris, with little chance of families recovering the bodies of their loved ones. I once took that flight from Rio to Paris returning from the trip with Christian Aid and the MST. Heartbreak beyond imagination and never far from mind. I don’t know why I mention these things in this dairy other than I don’t want to just record the everyday drone of my life but rather remember the path of life of others and ponder how fortunate many of us are.