The title is tradition, although for a second there I thought “2018 and what it did with me” may have been more appropriate. When the world spins toward an ever more tense future, our personal lives sometimes seem to follow suit (we had a ‘Good-riddance 2018 / Survivor themed NYE party). So I’d like to …
It’s just as well I’m currently reading Amanda Palmer’s ‘The Art Of Asking’, otherwise I wouldn’t know what I was doing here. I’m in Cromford (“Not gonna lie, sounds grim”, someone texted me on my way). In fact, Cromford is far from it – a beautiful sleepy village close to the peak district with one …
Continue reading “Tales from the Rails – repainting stripes once earned”
Remember when I opened for Marillion on crutches? Sometimes you can feel moments turn into memories. The premise to this particular savings deposit in my memory bank was quite absurd. I had a fractured ankle, two torn ligaments and the opportunity to play four of the largest shows for me to date. Knowing the opportunity …
Continue reading “Tales from the Rails – touring with Marillion: Crutches, Cables and Flight Cases”
It’s still January. Just like my accounts, I’m sneaking in my year’s review at the proverbial eleventh hour. 2017 was pretty fucking amazing – worthy of a rare expletive. I released an album, toured America, toured the UK, said hello to Debbie Harry along the way, played my largest show to date at Cambridge Folk …
“What’s your business in the US?” “Where are you coming from?” “Where are you heading?” We had rolled up to the US border between New Brunswick and New England and my heart immediately started beating faster. The line of questioning was carried out in the usual harsh tone of voice. The more routine questions were …
Continue reading “Tales from the Rails – Baby You Can Drive My Car and All The Other Beatles Puns”
I’m drinking cappuccino in a coffee shop in Worcester Massachusetts. It’s 8pm and I’m thinking on time and how it could possibly be that there are only five shows left to this tour. For those of you who follow my writings, you may have noticed that there haven’t been any for quite some time. It’s …
Continue reading “Tales From The Rails – Oh Canada! Bright skies, Open Doors and the Amish”
Last Saturday I had the absolute pleasure of performing at Cambridge Folk Festival and I’m still floating on a cloud of fuzzy happiness. It had been one of those dates, seemingly forever in the future, until it was suddenly the night before as I was packing up my small assortment of guitar leads, the red …
Continue reading “Tales from the Rails – Cambridge Folk Festival & the Sea of Heads”
We were on tour so long, we used up an entire tube of toothpaste. Here I am, back in London after my first tour of the USA. The tour consisted of 21 shows across six States over five weeks. It’s strange to have been away from any kind of routine for that long. I’m super …
Continue reading “Ramblings from the Road – USA tour (Midwest)”
“Enjoy the cornfields!” the jovial chap who checked my suitcase at PDX called out after me and here I am, 24 hours later, sitting in the lounge of Possum Hollow Log Cabin in rural Ohio. I look out the window in both directions and see nothing but trees and corn fields. It’s eight below zero …
Continue reading “Ramblings from the Road (USA edition) – West Coast”
I’m hiding out in a vegan cafe in Wiesbaden. After a rather harsh 6am start this morning and a five hour train journey, it was still morning when I arrived at tonight’s venue: left activist space, the Info Club. The space looks lovely. There’s a large banner above the bar that reads “no human is …
Continue reading “Tales From the Rails – the dark, the light and eight below zero”
