ALMOST THE END OF 2017...

Approaching the end of another year.

2017 is retreating in the rear view mirror at a rapid pace. It's been a very strange year in many ways, the growing, negative repercussions of the Brexit referendum, the bizarre ascendancy of dangerous buffoon Trump into the White House. Russian digital meddling in the various political systems of other countries, and a general feeling that the lunatics (and the money-all-powerful,) have taken over the asylum. 21st Century? Feels more like the Middle Ages...

I fear that things will deteriorate even further before we wake up and revolt against this popularist wave that has suddenly infected our social and political culture.

I'm reminded of a postcard, once sent to me by my New York artist friend Frank Olinsky, which read: 'Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.'

Well, some people may take exception to the term 'stupid people,' but there's no doubt that not everyone is tuned in to the deeper repercussions of their personal choices, political or otherwise.

But what's the answer? As one time ex-PM Tony Blair said: "Education, education, and education." For all his apparent failings, I believe he was right on the button there to a certain degree...

Life is not, sadly, a level playing field, and it seems that, (at this moment in time,) there's a worrying tendency towards bigotry, racism and jingoistic, nationalistic attitudes.

Why, in this technologically, future-rich 21st Century world, we're still adhering to such out-moded, misplaced attitudes is, quite frankly, astonishing.

I can't offer any real answer to these problems other than to keep saying what I believe in, and to pour those beliefs into the sound of my music. Whether it makes any real difference to my fans' hearts and minds is impossible to judge. One can only hope...