27 April 2012
A hearty thanks for all your birthday wishes the other day! It was quite humbling and really warming to receive so many messages and to know there’s a fine Company out there! Proud to be part of it all! 
Slipped on the “not drinking” routine and toasted my family across the ages with a rather luxurious red just after midnight in the still of the new kitchen.
The day was pretty quiet apart from fielding the phones and getting numb fingers from texting. Pub for the obligatory 2 pints of 70 then home for a night on my own watching football in the kitchen and wolfing a nuked Moroccan lamb pre made meal from Tescos washed down with a couple of dry chilled New Zealand Savvy’s. Rabb popped in after work for a natter but it was a pretty event empty day overall and enjoyed my own company.Kitchen and hallway are pretty much finished apart from painting in the vestibule next week and some electric work.Having it re energised and vibed up provoked a call to my architect and I’m now looking at an extension at the front of the studio to sort out a bedroom extension and the bathroom and toilet I need for wheelchair access that gives me the building warrant to complete the change of use from recording studio to residential use. Fallen in love with the house again after a couple of years of deliberating a potential move after the shitstorm of 2009-10.
Placing goals in my life again provokes thoughts and actions re work and creating new projects to fund them.All positive!
Received a clip from Poland from the movie with an edited “State of Mind”. It looks fantastic and if this is followed through on the other songs then I have something very,very special to deliver in the coming months.It’s impossible to put dates on this as tyhe movie will be released only when we ae all totally happy with the product and I don’t want to rush it now after so much work has gone into it so far.
Calum Malcolm begins mixing the studio sessions on Monday and AVP are up to film interview segments mid week.
Now I have to put the rest of the DVD project together and I’ll be focusing on that next week to see what I have for a box set.
The audio listening sessions have taken a bit of a back seat in the last 2 weeks but I again have to try and get my attention drilled on that before we start rehearsals in a couple of weeks.
The May shows were thrown into confusion a few days ago when Frankie tore the nail on his right index finger on Saturday at another gig.There was a chance they would be blown and it took a few days for the damage report to confirm that we still had a guitarist. As Frank is taking on all guitar duties now Yatta and I were worried that the injury might put him out the game but he appeared on Wednesday and laid our fears to rest.
Foss, Frank and I had to work out the key changes and basic arrangements for the full electric material and I’m glad to say all went swimmingly
It was strange working on some songs that were 30 years old on my birthday.Made me realise just how far I have traveled in that time!2 weeks until we start rehearsals down in the borders.
Another long Skype discussion with Asa , my partner on the “Misplaced Childhood” stage production.News from down South that the Marillos had given their blessing arced us on the positive and Chris Kimsey has come on board for the recordings of the new arrangements that we will need for the show.
I am now committed to working with Asa on the narrative that will draw the album into a fixed story line and provide some sort of “backdrop” to the music.
It’s a whole new road for me on this and quite daunting and exciting at the same time.We have given ourselves until the end of July to complete a screenplay and develop the characters to enable us to take it into the next stage where we have to find funding to move it forward.
I came off the call to Asa to discover 2 rainbows above the studio, the first time I have ever seen this, and decided that together with the pair of magpies now flirting in my kitchen garden that it must be a sign!
No news on the “Game of Thrones” audition yet as they are compiling available actors and trying to ascertain what roles they have to play with.Needless to say every man and his dog is trying to get on the new series and I just have to hope they find something for me.The usual waiting game and I am glad I have other strings to my bow! :-0
Publishing and legal issues drag on intolerably although news that the “pirated” copies of “Exile” and “SFTM” are now withdrawn give me some satisfaction.
This weekend is serious application to the new Fishheads Club site with a visit from John Reid cuing some severe brain ache as I attempt to come to grips with the new technology and formats he will be ushering in. It’ll be a long and demanding couple of days as we sift through material for inclusion on the U Tube Fishheads links and try and get something together re the downloads.
Pouring rain outside again but there’s enough sun to rally the greenery.I can’t believe I am still lighting fires at night at the end of April.
I’m negotiating with the local landowner for a small chunk of land in front of the house so I can fence off and enclose my property and get some more raised beds in to accommodate the host of new plants in a bulging greenhouse.
Once again it’s a waiting game on decisions and the impetuous me always finds it frustrating waiting on green lights.
One thing I am looking forward to is seeing my daughter again next Saturday.It’s been a long time and I have missed her incredibly.She will get a pleasant shock to see her home again with all the new spaces and arrangements.
But for now duties as fire god call and a late night journey into the airport to set up a working weekend.
All is good in the world of the Fish! )