Songwriter / music industry
A busy day in Mayfair and Soho. Kicked off with a visit to the Simon Carter clothing emporium in Shepherd Market, with its choice of multi-coloured shirts and jackets. I then paid my respects around the corner at the flat in Curzon Place where, very sadly, both Mama Cass and Keith Moon passed away in 1974 and 1978 respectively.
Thanks to Clive Drew, a contact from his former role in PR at PPL, I attended a performance by classical pianist Vusala Babyeva at the London Transport Museum today. Bringing classical and jazz music to the Museum is just one part of its new art, culture and design programming and an impressive series of artists have been booked from February to October this year.
An engaging evening at the marvellous Green Note grassroots venue in Parkway, Camden, appreciating the tender songs of Ed Blunt. With Ed on vocal and acoustic guitar, plus the talented Rob Brockway on piano, the pair delivered a characterful set of his songs such as Sturgeon moon, Where the fig trees grow and These hands delighting the small but packed audience.
A very enjoyable weekend at The Guitar Show 2025 at the Cranmore Business Park in Solihull. The event is the leading UK trade show for everyone involved in the manufacture, distribution and retail of electric and acoustic guitars. Plus the event now also features the Bass Guitar Show and ensures a wide offering of trade stands, equipment demonstrations and performances.
Alerted by photographer Jonathan Stewart that the documentary about the rise of Led Zeppelin was on release in theatres, I drove to Barnes this afternoon to watch the film in the very surroundings where the band recorded their debut album in 1968.
A sublime evening in London Bridge with my wife Julie as we celebrated Valentine’s Day and our having been a couple for thirty years. As Julie had been at work in Westminster that day, we met in the Bunch of Grapes in St Thomas’s Street in the vicinity of the Shard.
An extremely useful meeting today in Adam Street, the Strand, with Chris Peabody and Grace Taylor, the executives behind the Hootenanny initiative for the industry. This aims to connect artists with fans, build community, and drive revenue effortlessly. The facility offers a single platform for music and community, generating exclusive events and fan-only opportunities.
Julie and I drove over to Ripley this evening, to join our friends Dave and Anya Williamson in celebrating their birthdays of note and to enjoy performances by two of his bands. Gigs of all types are such an important element of the music industry in this country and bassist Dave is a prime example of a homegrown musician who has delivered sublime playing and stage presence for decades.
A very relaxing trip to Bristol for the last couple of days, as I caught up with several long-standing contacts in the city. First up was a night out with songwriter and journalist Neil Crossley and top designer Chris Stenner. I worked for twenty years with Neil, principally on The Musician magazine, and it is always rewarding to exchange news of our most recent activities.
I have just spent three very rewarding days at the AMA-UK Conference 2025, the annual celebration of Americana artists and music, which this year has been sponsored by travel business Sweet Home Alabama. Once again the event was centred around venues in the Hackney Central area, namely Night Tales 1 and 2, Oslo, The Moth Club and the Paper Dress.
The idea of the same characters running through the songs on my new album is an intriguing possibility. Plus these ideas build upon the characters and situations established in the lyrics of the songs on the Birdcage album. I have the following three couples in mind: Kevin and Carol (both in their early twenties). Mary and former partner Joe (in their late twenties).
Liam and Colleen (early to mid-thirties).
In addition to our trips to Rome, Liverpool, Jersey and Christchurch this year, we have just returned from a week in the Scottish Borders. Although delayed by 24 hours at Heathrow thanks to the heavy fog last weekend, we finally flew from London City Airport and arrived in Edinburgh on Sunday evening.
My thanks to Simon Lloyd of Power Pop Radio, who played my track Nicoll Road today on the internet based station. Power Pop Radio is a popular Hit Music Radio Station in the East Midlands, broadcasting across Long Eaton, Derby and Nottingham and surrounding boroughs.
Crisis was formed in 1967 as a response to growing homelessness across the UK. Since then the charity has helped tens of thousands of people out of homelessness and campaigned for change.
Julie, Ben and I could be found in the West End today as we had tickets for the Fawlty Towers recreation at the Apollo Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue. Our seats were right up at the top of the steep balcony and certainly presented a challenging view of the stage!
An upbeat evening at the offices of the BBC in Portland Place for their annual External Affairs drinks reception. My thanks to Vanessa Elliott, Senior Head of Communications, for the valuable invitation.
Each year the Lords Taverners, who have been empowering young people through cricket since 1950, host a fund-raising carol concert. This year the event was held in the glorious surroundings of the ‘Cathedral of the Arts and Crafts’, the Holy Trinity Church in Sloane Square, Chelsea, and I was kindly invited as a guest of the Music Committee.
A packed crowd of names from across the music industry squeezed into The Editor’s Tap in Fetter Lane tonight at the invitation of the Council of Music Makers. Another of the events arranged to mark the year’s end and to bring together members and friends of The Ivors Academy, the Featured Artists Coalition, Music Managers Forum, Music Producers Guild and the MU.
Here is the second write-up of the ideas and influences behind the songs on my forthcoming album, plus details of the remaining seven tracks and what they mean to me: Falling off the edge of the world, Head above water, The girl I never had, Love on a summer’s day, Farewell to your Valentine, Caring soul, and In the comfort of strangers.
I met the wonderful Debbie Rogerson, BBC music supervisor, over lunch at the Crown & Sceptre, Great Titchfield St, W1 today.
A fun afternoon at the upstairs theatre in the classic Rosemary Branch pub in Shepperton Road, London N1, courtesy of the superb songwriter Robb Johnson and the cast of his musical drama, Murder at the Grange.
More news on the vinyl manufacturing front: gracious supplier David Noonan has kindly offered to produce a small run with The Vinyl Factory of my Waterloo Sunrise album with revised black and white labels. The test pressings for these arrived today and once the test discs have been given approval, courtesy of a listening session on 22nd November at Mike Thorne’s excellent studio, this latest manufacturing run will be underway.
Waterloo Sunrise (theme)