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The last two weeks have been very difficult for all of the remaining members of the Nelson family, and particularly distressing for me personally. What began as a heart attack experienced by my mother, just over two weeks ago, has gone on to reveal Pneumonia, a chest infection, various other infections and medical complications, which have seen her health deteriorate significantly over the last week and a half. She is seriously ill and there have been moments when we feared the worst. It's proving very difficult to bear but, thanks to the careful ministrations of the fantastic hospital staff, there is, at the moment, a very slight improvement in her condition, a glimmer of hope, though she is far from being 'out of the woods'. At best, mum is going to be in hospital for several weeks yet. She isn't eating and is very weak and frail, but we're all encouraging her to try and build up her strength. Seeing her in such a state is heartbreaking. Nevertheless, we're hoping for some sort of recovery, though her life will clearly not be restored to what it was before, and some sort of care will need to be put in place. I guess, as she is at the grand old age of 91 years, that we have to accept the natural forces at work on her system, forces that have, inevitably, led to these problems. But she seems so young and sound in her heart and mind that we can't imagine her being so profoundly depleted by her current condition. So, each and every day of the last two weeks, Emi and I have travelled to Wakefield to spend five or six hours by her bedside, holding her hand and praying that she might get well again. It has been very stressful and debilitating. I'm finding it hard to get a decent night's sleep and, obviously, preparation for the November 9th event has taken a back seat to the more important and urgent problem of mum's condition. It's an incredibly stressful time... Thankfully, there has been wonderful support from my nephew Julian and my eldest daughter Julia, (who has travelled up from London to help us at the hospital for a few days.) They've both been a pillar of strength and support. I'm trying to hold up but am ultimately hopeless, suffering the usual man's fear of mortality, wishing that these sort of things were not happening. I've had to face the reality, but finding it hard. My mum is the last link to my childhood, infancy and birth...especially now that my brother and father are gone. There is no-one else who can remember and share those long ago 1950s golden days with me, except my mother. On the 'Old Haunts' album launch event front, I have, somehow, managed to complete the hour and eight minute long video that will accompany the preview playback of the album. I've also managed to decorate a wonderful guitar that has been very generously donated by the Eastwood company to be auctioned at the event in aid of Sarah's Hope Foundation, a charity which I wholeheartedly support. The guitar is a tribute to a Supro Coranado model and I have to admit that, since receiving it a couple of weeks ago to decorate, I liked it so much that I've used it on a new recording. So, whoever wins the guitar at the event auction, will not only own a guitar decorated and signed by myself but will also be able to say that it was actually played on a recording of mine. Make no mistake, this guitar is a fabulous prize, retailing at almost a thousand pounds. Perhaps, with my drawing and signature on it, it may eventually be worth much more. So, I hope that there will be someone at the event who will bid handsomely for it and by doing so benefit a very worthwhile charity. Now I need to spend an hour or two working on the listening notes that are required for the 'Old Haunts' launch party event... THE EARLIEST PHOTOGRAPH I HAVE OF MY MOTHER, JEAN. NOT SURE HOW OLD SHE WOULD BE WHEN THIS WAS TAKEN, BUT CLEARLY VERY YOUNG. A PHOTOGRAPH OF 'THE MIDNITE KREEPERS', A THREE PIECE BAND I HAD IN THE EARLY 1960S. WE DIDN'T HAVE A BASS PLAYER AT THAT TIME. I'M SITTING ON AN OLD 'RILEY' CAR AT A GARAGE THAT ONCE WAS LOCATED BEHIND THE 'REGAL' CIMEMA IN WAKEFIELD. (YOU CAN SEE THE CINEMA BEHIND ME, THE BIG FLAT ROOFED BUILDING.) NOT SURE WHAT THE RILEY'S OWNER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT US SITTING ON HIS CAR THOUGH!

Yes, I know, it's been ages since my last journal entry. Sometime in August I think. But this entry, by necessity, will be more of a summary, rather than a detailed, blow-by-blow account of the last couple of months.. I'm currently way behind with preparations for the upcoming 'Old Haunts' launch party due to various unexpected domestic distractions, plus the fact that I decided to take this event on somewhat later in the year than usual, thereby affording me much less time to sort out the essential practicalities. There have been so many problems and diversions in my life of late, too many to record here, but the struggle to maintain my creative output continues, despite the overwhelming concerns. The preview playback of the 'Old Haunts' album, (which launch party attendees will be privileged to hear), requires a background video so that the audience has something to watch as the album is unveiled, rather than having to stare into empty space. The album contains sixteen tracks and runs to over an hour, so I've needed to create a video of that length to project during the album's preview. Anyone working with video editing software will know how complex and time consuming assembling over an hour's worth of video images from scratch can be, and this particular visual extravaganza has taken me a month of hard work to piece together. Its title is 'VISIONS, HAUNTINGS, HALLUCINATIONS' The video hasn't been edited to synch with the 'Old Haunts' album though. I've instead cut it to a selection of tracks from various earlier instrumental albums. The reason for this is that I intend to make the video available to watch on my website for free after the launch party is done. And I certainly don't want to have the 'Old Haunts' album tracks made available in similar fashion, which would obviously be detrimental to the sales of the album. However, it will be interesting to see how this random video actually interacts with the album playback at the event. I'm looking forward to seeing the accidental, but perhaps fortuitous, connections between the visual content and the sonic unfolding of the songs. Other ongoing tasks are proving equally time consuming and stressful. I have a guitar to decorate for a charity auction...a beautiful Eastwood 'Airline' tribute to one of the historic Supro guitars. This model retails at a fraction under £1000 pounds so it is a very good quality, classy instrument. In fact, it's so good I've actually dared to use it on a new recording, so it will be a guitar the eventual owner can say that I’ve actually played! But I have yet to add my original artwork to it. Which is another major task. Also have yet to choose a set list, (and guitars,) for the live performance component of the event. Will try to make inroads with this soon, though time is running out at a frightening rate. I have to prepare artwork for the merchandise stall too, though I fear that there will be a lot less than usual this year. Now to one of the more serious problems facing me... My dear Mum, who in August had her 91st birthday, has suffered, (on Monday 7th October,) a heart attack which necessitated a dash by ambulance to the local hospital's A+E department. Mum is still in hospital and doing ok, though she requires constant monitoring and observation at the moment. All of our family have been deeply concerned and have been visiting her daily. My focus of attention has obviously gone away from the 'Old Haunts' launch event and onto Mum's condition and recovery. I'm sure fans will appreciate this and will forgive any shortcomings in terms of content detail for the November event, (though I'm doing my utmost to try and keep everything on track.) It's a very worrying time for all of the Nelson family but we're hoping that Mum's recovery will be as positive as possible. She's a wonderful lady and, despite her fragility, is mentally strong and stubborn and will, I know, fight this latest setback as much as she is able, so, please bear with me and I'll write with more news soon, if possible. Now I have to try and catch up with video editing and the preparation of a couple of new backing tracks for the November event. BILL'S STUDIO IN ACTION. (NOTE THE NEW CHAIR!) BILL WITH A GOLD PEERLESS GUITAR, BASED ON THE GIBSON MODEL THAT SCOTTY MOORE PLAYED WITH ELVIS PRESLEY IN THE EARLY ROCK N' ROLL DAYS.

Spent a few hours this afternoon filming a video interview for 'The Festival Of The Moon,' an ambitious art event being staged in Wakefield to coincide with this year's anniversary of the 1969 Apollo moon landing. The actual event will feature virtual reality experiences and other content, plus interviews with artists and other interesting people, (including myself.) My own contribution is about my memories of the moon landing and the inspiration that space travel made on my creative life from a very young age. The interview, conducted by Judi Alston of the One To One Development Trust, (based at The Art House in Wakefield,) was filmed here in my studio with my (extremely) new computer recording system sitting behind me. At some point in the near future the interview will be available to watch on-line and I'll provide links for fans to access it as soon as they are available. The project is titled 'ZERO GRAVITY LUNAR LIBRARY' and features Virtual Reality scenarios amongst other delights. As for the aforementioned recording system, it's unfortunately, playing up again. Yet another strange technical problem raised its head today and, try as I may, I can't resolve it. Not that I have any great knowledge of how to sort these complex computer conflicts out. Anyway, I've been in touch with my good friend recording engineer John Spence and he's very kindly offered to come over on Wednesday to try and correct matters...and to give me a few more tips on how to mix the track that I've somehow managed to record. Hope I can take it all in... I'm genuinely trying to stay optimistic about the benefits of switching to this software-based recording system but, have to admit, at this stage at least, that I really miss the directness and immediacy of my old Mackie D8B mixing desk and 24/96 hard disc recorder. If only that equipment had continued to function without the problems that eventually led me to take the chance of shifting to Cubase. I guess after nearly 20 odd years of constant use though, it was bound to get a little frazzled and tired. A bit like me, I suppose... All I can wish for is that these new problems will resolve themselves in time and the operation of the system will become easier for me. But right now, I have a love-hate relationship with software recording, and definitely leaning more towards the 'hate' side of the equation... Meanwhile, some good news: The 'Old Haunts' album launch event tickets went on sale on Saturday and by Sunday had all sold out, in less than 24 hours! Now the pressure is on and I have to get everything ready in time, including my own performance, to deliver what fans will be expecting of me. This will include creating videos to project behind the album playback, writing listening notes and explanations for the album's various tracks, plus all the stuff needed to go into the live performance section of the event, (assembling a running order of the backing tracks, sorting out their associated videos and trying to ensure that Andy Newlove can hand over guitar tech duties to Gordon White as smoothly as possible.) Oh, and the task of creating some original artwork to offer on the merchandise stall, plus signing hundreds of pre-release copies of the album to sell on the day. And not to forget assigning various guitars to different pieces of music for the live performance, none of this as easy as you might think. I take these things on in a spirit of optimism and enthusiasm but then later panic when I realise what's actually involved and ask myself why I didn't take the easier route and abandon these live events once and for all. But there's the rub...as much stress as they present me with, especially in these so-called 'senior' years, I just can't seem to let go of them and simply retire to a life in the studio. Something inside me must still need that contact with a live audience, even if it is only once a year. Like recording software, performing live is a love-hate relationship for me...

Have made progress, of a sort, with my new software-based recording system, though its more intimate mysteries remain profoundly mind boggling. Managed to record a 5 minute instrumental track but I'm now struggling to understand quite how to apply various effects and compression to the individual parts of the piece. I obviously haven't grasped the quick overview that my pal John Spence gave me on these procedures when he was over here the other day. Just too much to take in, I'm afraid. I've looked on line at various 'tutorials' but they skip over the fundamentals at such a speed that it's almost impossible to take in. Why can't these people slow down a bit and go over each step in a more patient and explanatory fashion? There's too much presumption that we beginners know far more than we actually do... The screen is filled with little tiny symbols that select different functions which also, in turn, have several menu pages and options. The terminology is sometimes alien and doesn't appear to relate to the task in hand. It seems to emanate from a computer mind and not a musician's natural way of thinking. My old Mackie mixing desk presented me with a much more logical, simple and intuitive way of working. I could select a track/channel and everything I needed to adjust or mix that channel was immediately there on the screen with no need to select various menu pages. EQ, Compression, gates, effects sends, etc, were displayed at once in a graphic manner on the track page, all at the same time. Making adjustments and changes was quick and easy...and ultimately helpful. Now, the complexities of endless mouse clicks and menu pages seems to overcomplicate matters. It will take quite some time for this to become less problematic and I'm sure things will speed up and feel less convoluted in time, but right now I'm wishing that Mackie had kept the old D8B mixing desk up to date instead of relegating it to obsolescence. Sound-wise, I perceive a slightly discernible difference, even though the old Mackie system was also digital. The Cubase software seems to impart a somewhat more artificial, or 'plasticy' feel to the sound. Hard to describe, but perhaps a little less three dimensional, a flatter quality. This is all completely subjective of course and I'm sure that those musicians who grew up with digital recording would never notice anything amiss. For me, however, I remember those days when I recorded at Abbey Road and the entire recording process seemed more organic, natural and immediate. If today's technology could replicate the ease with which those old systems empowered the musician, I'd be much more enthusiastic about using them. Oh, well, I'll struggle on in the hope that several pennies will drop and what seems needlessly complicated today may feel less so tomorrow...

Finally, and after many frustrations and obstacles, my new recording system is up and running. John Spence, fresh from a three day session in Abbey Road studios, came over for day 3 of trying to figure out how to get the various elements of my new computer-based recording system to 'talk' to one another. In the end, the solution was deceptively simple, but devilishly hidden away in the Mac's security settings. I won't go into the boring details, suffice to say we had a Eureka! moment when the technological penny finally dropped. Now though, I have a steep learning curve to conquer. The way of working with this system is radically different from what I've been used to. For a start, there's no physical mixing desk with all the channels and tracks and controls laid out in front of me. The entire system mainly exists on a two dimensional screen, (although I have an 8 channel physical 'controller' unit that will hopefully help in terms of fader moves.) But I have to say that the old mixing desk I've used for the last 19 years seemed a more elegant and tactile solution, if only it had continued to function in the way it originally was intended to do. Nevertheless, I've certainly used that old system well and it has produced dozens of albums of mine over those 19 years...Very sorry to see it decommissioned though... One problem for me is my very poor, macular degenerative, eyesight. Many of the on-screen menus, buttons and controls on this new system are incredibly small, requiring me to hold a magnifying glass up to the screen. It's definitely going to slow me down at first, and perhaps quite dramatically, though I hope that things may become faster with familiarity, once I get used to the way this thing works and where all the mouse clicks reside. So, a sense of relief that the system is finally operating as it should, but a sense of trepidation and anxiety about learning how to use it efficiently, and how well (or not,) it will help my workflow. Thank goodness I have ten albums already recorded on the old hardware system awaiting release. Recording something new might be a bit of a challenge and will take time and a lot of trial and error, but we'll see. Here are some photo's, taken tonight of the new gear... A view of my new recording gear. Note the absence of my old mixing desk and the new screen-based digital system. Another view with my Musicvox 'Space Cadet' guitar that I used on a trial recording today. More visible wiring due to the audio interfaces, something that wasn't so visibly apparent with my old system. It looks a bit messy but, I guess this is the future, for now at least...

What an absolutely depressing, frustrating, ridiculous waste of time today has been. Don't know where to start with the litany of problems that have been encountered in my attempted studio refurbishment. After all the trouble John and I have previously encountered in trying to get my new recording system installed and operating, I thought that the purchase of a Focusrite audio interface to use in place of the Zoom unit would solve all our problems once and for all, but not so... Don't quite know where to start to explain the seemingly unanswerable obstacles we've encountered today. I'll just say that we're absolutely stuck in terms of making the whole system work smoothly. At this point in time, I'm genuinely wishing that I'd never embarked on this complicated task. John and I both thought that we'd have everything up and running without any more malfunctions by the end of today, but that clearly was wishful thinking. And now the entire computer system seems to be freezing or crashing and acting crazy. I'm trying to stay calm but bottling up anger and frustration. So, technology is supposed to improve things? That may well be the case, if seeing hundreds of people walking the streets with their snouts stuck into their mobile phone screens is classed as an 'improvement.' But, so far, at least or me, I much prefer recording my music with the simple press of a record button and then a playback one, with as little technological switching, selecting, assigning, copying and pasting and general fannying about as possible. John is very busy with other projects over the next few days so it will be a while before he can return to Studio Collapso to see if any progress can be made. Thank goodness I have at least 10 albums awaiting mastering and artwork, all recorded on my old Mackie hardware equipped system. It might not have been perfect and certainly had less bells and whistles than the new Cubase system, but at least it got the job done. Damn and double damn...

Our domestic fridge-freezer has been on the blink for several weeks now and seems to be getting worse. Ice cream has turned to mush and I'm concerned that the frozen food we've had in storage is not being kept at the proper temperature. We've had our fridge-freezer for ten years now and it looks as if it's finally run out of steam, (or what passes for steam in a fridge-freezer.) So this Sunday afternoon we went to our local Curry's superstore out on the ring road to investigate the latest options to replace it. Prices can be astronomical for some fridge-freezers, particularly the more well known makes, but those are out of the question for us. So... I think we're going to opt for one made by a Chinese company called 'Hisense.' I've not heard of them before but was assured by the Curry's assistant that they were a reputable firm. Haven't quite 'bit the bullet' yet but will do so very soon. But more unexpected expense on top of everything else that has been leaking from my wallet at the moment. Hey ho... Looking forward to seeing John Spence again tomorrow. He will be coming over to attempt the final setting up of my modest studio equipment. All being well, the Focusrite audio interface will integrate with the new Mac Mini computer's software and we may be able to actually get various items of tech gear to talk to each other and sit quietly in the background while I attempt to get to grips with the actual business of recording, which of course, is what this entire exercise is ultimately about. Well, let's see what happens...

Well, managed to buy a Focusrite Thunderbolt interface this morning which, on the surface at least, seems to fulfil the tasks asked of it. More will be discovered on Monday of course, when John comes over to once more try and get my new software recording system up and running. This still leaves me with a brand new, unused Zoom interface though, which I'm hoping someone will be interested in buying from me. For all the so-called 'advances' in technology, the actual, physical process of getting all your ducks in line seems frought with problems, many of them seemingly unnecessary. I've ended up spending far more on this current studio refurbishment than I originally envisioned. Getting the old Mackie mixing desk fixed and continuing as I was used to may have been the cheaper option after all. But I guess we have to bite the bullet and conform to the standards of the day, if only to keep these tech companies in profit. All this messing about with gear has little to do with the eventual task of learning how to use it of course. That's another hurdle which must be overcome. But sometimes I long for the days when you could simply stick a microphone in front of a guitar and press play on a tape recorder and get a decent result. It didn't hinder some great, classic records from the past. When I listen to early Sun label recordings by Elvis Presley, or some of the Bill Hayley, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, Duane Eddy waxings of the late 1950s, early '60s, I'm staggered by how good they sound despite such primitive and basic recording equipment. The Beatles recordings too, just so sonically good. And they had none of the technology of today. Sometimes I think things have become, literally, lost in the mix...

Had another totally frustrating day with the installation of my studio's recording equipment. John made some headway with the Mackie Control Surface which now seems to function ok with the Cubase software. However, the ZOOM TAC-8 Thunderbolt Audio Interface has caused us a lot of head scratching. After dashing out to buy an adaptor for the mains plug, we couldn't get the device to switch on. We suspected that the power supply might be the culprit, so I 'phoned Gear4Music to see if they had a replacement in stock. They said they no longer stocked the Zoom Thunderbolt interface and so did not have the appropriate spare power supply. But, after checking other makes of power supply, they said that a TC Electronic one would be compatible. So I dashed off to the Gear4Music hq which is situated on the other side of town, just off the ring road. Arriving at Gear4Music a very helpful girl on reception arranged to get the TC Electronic power supply from the warehouse and allowed me to check that it did fit the Zoom interface, (which I'd taken with me.) Unfortunately, when the on switch was pressed, nothing lit up. My conclusion was that the power supply probably wasn't the culprit and so I set off back home thinking that I'd have to return the Zoom unit itself as faulty. When I got back home, I looked closely at the rear of the Zoom unit and saw a tiny switch which said 'stand alone' mode on one of its positions. I asked John what the switch was for and he said it was probably for if you wanted to use the unit as a simple stand alone microphone-pre amp and not have it connected to a computer. Willing to give anything a try to solve the problem, I suggested that we put the switch in the stand alone position and try to plug it in and switch on again. Lo and behold, the device lit up like a Christmas Tree! Hurrah! Next, John downloaded the necessary Zoom drivers to my Mac Mini so that the devices could talk to each other. Then came the next problem. The Mac Mini didn't recognise the Zoom audio interface... John tried various things but nothing worked. After looking at lots of online information, John finally found the reason for the lack of connection. The Zoom unit apparently isn't compatible with the very latest Mac operating system, which happens to be the very operating system my new Mac Mini runs on. It would, however, work with the previous version, which is Mojave 10.14.4, but not with the one running on my computer which is 10.14.5. And, after a long and diligent search on the internet, there seems to be no updated driver on the Zoom website to make it compatible with this very latest Mac OS. I haven't got a lot of hair left these days but it's been a hair-tearing day, one way or another. So, after looking at all the options and checking out other makes of audio interfaces, I've decided to buy a Focusrite Thunderbolt interface which will, unfortunately, cost a lot more than the Zoom one I bought back in April. But, after enquiring with Focusrite and being given the assurance that their device will work with my current Mac OS, I have no other choice but to buy it. So, it's up early tomorrow morning and a drive out to Gear4Music once more to purchase the Focusrite device. Which leaves me with a brand new, unused Zoom TAC-8 Thunderbolt audio interface which will work happily with any OS except the absolute latest, most recent Mac update. So frustrating. Should anyone be interested in buying the Zoom interface from me, please contact Jon Wallinger who runs my website and we will try to sort something out for a reasonable price. As I said, it's absolutely brand new, pristine condition, unused and will work perfectly as long as you're not running Mojave 10.14.5. Any OS previous to that will be perfectly compatible. Technology eh?...an expensive nightmare. Well, that's me done for today.

The USB 2 cable I referred to in my previous journal entry didn't arrive until this afternoon, which was too late for John Spence to be able to come over and wire my new system up. So, that task has been moved to tomorrow. Again, another set back and very frustrating but, I guess that's the way it is. I have many questions to ask John to resolve, (if at all possible,) about the way Cubase 10 operates. He will definitely have more experience than myself in these matters, but I'm sure something in the way that I work will cause more than a bit of deliberation. I've been used to 'old school' methods with recording for a very long time. Simple arming of tracks, pressing record and playing the instruments in real time. Faders always at hand to adjust levels with eq controls and everything else visible and accessible at all times. Even FX sends right there in physical form on the mixing desk to be able to apply when needed. Unfortunately the software system I'm about to enter is much more complex with so many options and most of them hidden away in a myriad of menu pages. I guess this sort of approach might suit those who simply glue loops and samples together to assemble a track, but, whilst it's nice to avail myself of such methods from time to time, most of my recordings are made by playing the instruments in real time and by simply recording the performance as it happens. I have little use for cutting and pasting, pitch correction and so on. All I'm interested in is getting the musical ideas down in as spontaneous and honest a way as possible. Well, we'll soon see how easy or not that is... Incredibly hot today, the hottest July on record apparently. It didn't help to be trapped in the house awaiting the USB cable arriving. The fan is on in my studio at the moment but it hardly makes any difference to the heat which, even at 9 pm in the evening, is stifling. The UKs new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, made his Parliamentary debut today. As expected it was full of windy bluster, buffoonery and a series of ridiculous, fairy-tale promises that have no real substance or even a Cinderella footprint in reality. He's also assembled an extremely right wing government which puts him on a level with the appalling Trump 'Presidency' in the USA. All of his cabinet minister are people who I strongly disagree with or abhor with a vengeance. What have we come to? Shame on those that have enabled and given succour to this dismal excuse for government... ...

The USB 3 to USB 2 adaptor that I ordered on the internet yesterday arrived this morning. I breathed a sigh of relief as this little piece of equipment is vitally needed to connect my Mac Mini computer with the Zoom audio interface. The socket on the Zoom unit is, (i think,) a Thunderbolt 2 whilst the socket on the Mac is a Thunderbolt 3. I presumed that the adaptor would solve the incompatibility problem. Well, I got another sharp lesson in the way computer companies make their money. When I tried to insert the plug from the adaptor into the Zoom unit, it wouldn't fit. After scratching my head for a minute I thought I'd try to check if it would fit the Mac socket, which it did. Which means the little bit of wire attached to the adaptor has a Thunderbolt 3 plug on the end and not a Thunderbolt 2. Therefore the female socket on the other end of the adaptor must be a Thunderbolt 2. And to use it you need to buy a separate Thunderbolt 2 cable to go between the adaptor and the Zoom unit. So I had no choice but to order a Thunderbolt 2 cable from the internet. I'd already paid £49 for the adaptor and now have had to pay another £30 for the cable I need to work with it. This new studio rig, with all the necessary peripherals, is costing me more than my old system already. As a result, I may have to postpone John Spence's visit to connect the system together tomorrow. It will all depend on what time the Thunderbolt 2 cable is actually delivered. Hopefully, it will arrive before noon but if not, we'll need to look at doing something on Friday instead. So frustrating! On a more positive note, I travelled to Leeds this afternoon for a meeting with Ian Haydock at the Clothworker's Hall at Leeds University to check out plans for the November album launch/concert. Present at the meeting was Dan Merrick who is in charge of the venue and who gave us a lot of interesting ideas for possible future live streaming events from the venue. (Watch out for a potential series of 'Nelsonica Salons,' perhaps some time next year if it all comes together. These would be small, very intimate events with an audience of 30 or 40 people where I could present some of the more left-field or experimental sides of my work and discuss topics of related interest from film to art and literature. The Salons would be streamed on the internet for anyone interested in attending them in the 'virtual realm,' so to speak. This is just one idea bubbling up at the moment but quite exciting and challenging. I'm going to give it some thought and see if it feels like something I could achieve. All looks good for the November 9th album launch but the main problem at the moment is finding a day when Gordon White and Andy Newlove can get together so that Andy can show Gordon how my live equipment is set up. My live gear is not a typical guitar into an amp with a couple of pedals type of rig. It's a fairly complex digital system using three processors and a big, three-tier pedalboard, looper, channel switcher, guitar synth unit, extra delay and so on. It can be a bit baffling and even I can't explain where all the cables need to go. I've relied on Andy, (and Pete Harwood before him,) to deal with all that sort of thing. Plus, of course, I'm using virtually a different guitar for every number in the set. I think it was 15 guitars last year. That's a lot of instruments to tune and swap over on stage. Probably too many, but...I'm afraid that I don't make things simple for my guitar techs. I don't need to use all those guitars in a live show, of course, it's crazy, but they're all quite beautiful and I enjoy bringing then out from my studio for fans to see and enjoy. And this year there will be at least three guitars that I haven't used live before. The nice thing with guitars is that they can take on all kinds of shapes and colours, unlike, for instance, a clarinet. And those different shapes and colours inspire different approaches in terms of playing. Perhaps that's all part of my art education past. The visual aspect has always been tremendously important to me. Also, it helps the visual aspect of the performance itself and takes some of the focus off the fact that there is just one person on stage. Typing these words in the enforced silence of my studio I'm suddenly aware that I haven't been able to record any music for the last few days due to the ongoing restructuring of the studio. I'm getting itchy fingers and the urge to lay down some new tracks but all that will have to wait for some time yet. Once the equipment is finally up and running there will be the inevitable 'learning curve' whilst I get to grips with the Cubase Pro 10 software and start to feel more comfortable working with it. It presents me with a very different methodology to what I've been used to for the last 20 odd years or more. Perhaps at 71 years old this year I'm taking on a challenge too far, but I can't quite grasp that number. In my inner self, I feel like a young man, it's only the physical wear and tear that betrays me. Comes to us all, sooner or later I suppose. Well. there you go and here go I...

Incredibly hot today. In my younger days I would have welcomed it but now it's both uncomfortable and, with climate change and global warming being such a currently worrying issue, not something I'm so happy about. My studio space is extremely warm, even though the sun has just about disappeared below the horizon. Yesterday was the first stage of dismantling my recording equipment in preparation for the installation of the new computer-based gear. John Spence and Jon Wallinger both kindly came to help facilitate the removal of my old Mackie D8B mixing desk and HDR 24/96 multi-track recorder, plus various peripherals. It was hot work but everything was taken apart and stored in a spare bedroom, (a spare bedroom already filled with redundant gear, various guitars and piles of clothes.) Our house is crammed with the detritus of a long career in music. After the old equipment and writhing nest of cables had been removed we began to put some of the new gear in place. As I suspected, there were several items that I still needed to buy so that it could all be connected up. Some of these I managed to find on Amazon last night and ordered. They were delivered this morning, which was welcome news. However, another essential piece of kit, a USB 3 to USB 2 adaptor, proved a little more problematic. I found an official Apple product that was made to specifically address the job. Costing almost £50 I had no choice but to purchase it so contacted 'Stormfront' by email this morning to ascertain whether or not our local Stormfront store had one of these adaptors in stock. I was assured that they did so this afternoon set off into town, with my Zoom audio interface in a bag (for which I needed the adaptor,) to make sure the adaptor would fit the Zoom's Thunderbolt socket. Arriving at the store I was greeted with blank looks. It turned out that the store didn't have stock of the adaptor but could order me one which might be delivered by Friday or early next week. As John Spence is coming over on Thursday of this week to complete the installation of the new equipment, this wasn't at all what I wanted to hear. The upshot of this was that I decided to see if I could find a faster supply of the item on the internet. And in fact, this is what I eventually did. An Apple USB 3 to USB 2 adaptor will now, hopefully, be delivered to me tomorrow. Only problem is, I'm supposed to be meeting event organiser Ian Haydock over at The Clothworker's Hall in Leeds tomorrow afternoon for a preliminary discussion of the 'Old Haunts' album launch event. If the USB adaptor hasn't been delivered before I need to leave to drive to Leeds for the meeting, Emi will have to stay at home to make sure someone is in to sign for it. Driving is becoming an increasing concern these days as the DVLA are now asking for me to undergo a special eye test to ascertain whether my eyesight is up to legal requirements for driving. I had to book an appointment for this test today, which is now scheduled for the 9th of August. I fear it may end up with my driving licence being revoked. To not be allowed to drive anymore will be an enormous blow to my independence and I'm not sure how I'll cope. It's very depressing... Another worry today was brought on by our beloved cat Django. He was attacked, a couple of days ago, by one of the neighbour's cats and suffered an injury to one of his ears. The wound seems to have become infected so we took him to the vet this afternoon, an ordeal which he does not enjoy. The vet gave Django an antibiotic injection and cleaned his ear. Hopefully that will help. (Well, it ought to do as it cost us £70 for a brief five or ten minute consultation.) When we got home and released Django from his transport box, he headed off into the garden. We then had to go into town for the aforementioned Stormfront business and left him out. When we returned home, he was nowhere to be seen and endless attempts to call him or whistle him amounted to nothing. We ended up being very worried as the hours ticked on with no sign of him. Emi went out to search the surrounding fields and I walked around the garden doing my usual whistle, a whistle that would normally call him back home. No response, nothing. Then suddenly he came walking down the drive with a look that said "What's all the fuss about? Here I am!" Thank goodness he's ok. Some may think we're crazy to care so much for a simple cat, but he's become such an important part of our lives and we love him dearly. Now, here in my incredibly hot and humid studio, I'll sign off for tonight. More studio adventures later...

A very busy Sunday trying to prepare for the stripping down of my studio in readiness for the installation of new equipment. Clearing some of the cables, FX units and related detritus from around the mixing desk area and putting over a dozen guitars back in their cases and finding places to store them has been quite a tiring, physical process. One of the major tasks of the last few days has been the transfer of tracks from my one hundred and forty six DAT tapes to CDR to make up the correct running orders for the dozen albums I've got waiting for release. This is a slow and painstaking process, executed in real time, but necessary to get each album to flow correctly, or at least to my own satisfaction. I've just now completed the running order for the 10th album in the series, but there are still two more remaining albums to assemble. Impossible to get these done now as my studio is set for dismantling tomorrow at noon and it's far too late, (and I'm far too tired,) to tackle any more work tonight. But at least the ten albums I have managed to sequence and copy to CDR will keep my output flowing whilst I get to grips with the new Cubase recording equipment that is about to be installed. One of the albums I've been assembling has undergone a radical change: I had several tracks gathered together to use in an album titled 'Aqua Moon' but, when I got to grips with trying to sort out a running order for it I realised that the album title didn't really suit the music it was going to contain. So, the title 'Aqua Moon' has been set aside for possible future use and a new title has been coined for the material. The album is now titled 'Memory Loft.' This title suits the feel of the album much better. There's plenty more that I could write about at the moment, but I'm exhausted from the day's work, so will switch off and try to reveal more next week.

Collected my prescription spectacles from the options today. Not sure how much of an improvement they're making to my poor eyesight, but I think there is a touch more clarity in terms of the distance vision ones. Need to persevere and see what transpires. Have been trying to assemble more albums to CDR so that they can be taken to Fairview for mastering. Still concerned that they're not quite as 'fulsome' sounding once they're copied to CDR but, as Fairview's DAT machine no longer is reliable, I have no option but to transfer the tracks from my DAT mixes to CDR so that they can then be copied to Fairview's mastering software. This stuff is never simple. One of the albums I've just now assembled onto CDR is titled 'STUDIO CADET. ' 95% of this album's tracks were recorded in 2016 and it has, astonishingly, languished unreleased in my archives since then. It came as a surprise and a revelation to discover tonight that it sounds, (if I may say so,) very good indeed. An absolute gem! Originally a 12 track album, I've added a couple of more recent pieces to bring the track count up to 14. I can only describe this album as 'little movies in sound.' I'm tempted to make this my next release, (after 'Stand By:Light Coming' and 'The Last Lamplighter'), or at least a simultaneous release with November's 'Old Haunts' album. But there are several other albums, in different styles, awaiting release too. Dealing with them all, especially in terms of mastering and creating their artwork, is a fundamentally time consuming task. Frustrating, as ideas flow faster than machines. Unfortunately, reality hampers and hinders the flow, so I'm forced to accept the slow time scale, though I wish it were otherwise. Nevertheless, there's some sort of progress in preparing many of these recordings for the next process in their evolution to the outside world. Meanwhile, here's the final running order of 'STUDIO CADET.' 1: 'A SPLENDID VIEW.' 2: 'PHANTOM ISLAND.' 3: 'CRYSTAL SPRINGS.' 4: 'BARELY THERE.' 5: 'THE ECTSTATIC TRANSFIGURATION OF THE GREAT NORTHERN TWANG MAGUS.' 6: 'AN INTERVAL.' 7: 'DANCE OF THE ANTI-GRAVITY ENTHUSIASTS.' 8: 'DEEP SKY.' 9: 'SPACE AGE DREAMER.' 10: 'SLOW SMOULDER' 11: 'SUNGLASSES AFTER DARK.' 12: 'MY GIDDY LEVITATION.' 13: 'I SAW YOU IN A SAILPLANE.' 14: 'NIGHT BOATS PASS BENEATH THE STARS.' A flyer for 'The Jewel' album, another one awaiting a release...

Managed to book Steve Cook for a hairdressing appointment tomorrow afternoon. He's very busy at the moment but managed to fit us in and will be coming to our house to do the snipping thing. Must say I'm in need of a haircut right now. Looking very unruly. Need to avoid the dreaded 'Boris Johnson Effect.' Also have arranged with Paul to collect my new computer from him on Thursday, complete with its downloaded Cubase 10 software. Next step in the studio rebuild process is to arrange a mutual date with John Spence and Jon Wallinger to dismantle my current set-up and clear the space in readiness for the new gear to be put in place and plugged up. I suspect the last bit of this will not be without some head scratching and minor problems, (though I hope not major ones.) One inevitable hurdle will be for me to learn how to use the new recording system. My current set-up, whilst not exactly fault free, feels like second nature, a very immediate, quick and straightforward way to record which, despite the technical workarounds I have to navigate due the the equipment's wear and tear, produces pretty good and quickly realised results. In short, it generally doesn't get in the way of my imagination... So, I'm simultaneously excited by the new way of recording my albums, which the Cubase system presents, and at the same time extremely nervous about the obstacles it will inevitably throw in my path. I've always been in favour of recording technology being as invisible and non-intrusive as possible. I'd rather think about making music first and dealing with recording technology as an afterthought. Whenever the need to concentrate on technology takes one's mind away from the actual music making process, I tend to become more than a little frustrated. I guess, like the internet, it's a double edged sword... Despite the fact that I should now be starting to clear away some of the memorabilia, toys and decorations from the studio to better access the equipment that will need to be dismantled, I've actually continued to record new material. Completed a very strange but beautiful instrumental today titled 'Night Boats Pass Beneath The Stars.' It could be suitable for 'Old Haunts' but that album is already full to the brim. I'm wondering if it might suit the now long ago recorded, but as yet unreleased, 'Phantom Fuzzbox' album. Or maybe I should save it to add to the eventual digital download version of 'Old Haunts.' Whatever, as always, time will tell... Made an appointment for my next podiatry session today. 30th of August. I also have to make an appointment for a DVLA eye test/assesment. Chances are that, because of my visual impairment, I'll have to surrender my driving license. To no longer be able to drive will present me with a severe blow to my independence and I'm fearful of a negative result to the tests. Picking up my prescription glasses on Friday which, I hope, may help matters, but I suspect that the improvement will be minor. How did things get to this sad impasse so quickly? I don't feel any different from my twenties or thirties and yet my physical condition betrays me. I'm frustrated and angry about it all but there's little I can do. It has to be accepted as being one of the inevitable consequences of age. But I'm damned if I'm going to just roll over and give up on what I love and believe in. As someone once said, 'Rage against the dying of the light...'

'15th Of July (Invisibles)' was a song I once wrote about a rainy July Sunday spent in East Yorkshire, an unbelievable 46 years ago. It may even have been 47 years but I'm not sure. Many fans may already be aware of the background to that particular song, but, as today is the 15th of July and there are probably new fans who don't know the story I'll explain a little bit about the song's inspiration. On that 15th of July in 1972 or '73, my as yet unsigned and semi-pro band, Be Bop Deluxe, (first lineup,) were booked to play at The Duke Of Cumberland pub in North Ferriby, a village near the city of Hull. The band arrived at the venue to discover that a thunderstorm and downpour had caused a power failure and it wasn't possible for us to play. We had built up a strong following at the pub and made friends with some of the young people who came to our gigs there. I had fallen head over heels for a very beautiful and intelligent girl I'd met at the venue and we had struck up a romantic relationship. On that rainy 15th of July, as we were unable to play because of the power cut, she invited me back to her parents house in the nearby village of Kirkella. Her parents were wealthy and their house was imposing and beautiful. I was dazzled by her charm and intelligence but at that time was, (unhappily,) married to my first wife, which obviously made things difficult. But that rainy July day inspired a very personal and deeply romantic song. The lyrics tell of the visit to the above mentioned house and the gentleness, warmth and yearning of the relationship. It is, in some ways, a quite naive and sentimental piece of writing but it came right from the heart. The song didn't get recorded for the band's first album, 'Axe Victim,' but was recorded for the very first session we did for John Peel's show and has subsequently been released as a rare track on much later compilations. As fans know, I very rarely listen to my past work. This is because I always find fault with it but also because many of the songs contain encoded, but sometimes explicit, references to my personal life, a life which has moved on, as everyone's has. But on those rare occasions when I hear the opening lyrics of '15th Of July', "It rained all day across the world, and turned the dark trees deeper green..." I'm transported back over all the long years to that day and am grateful for the inspiration and the feelings that the song captured, A moment in time, but some moments last forever. I guess I'm a dyed in the wool romantic... Anyway, perhaps that's enough sentimentality for today. Finally got the running order for 'Old Haunts' sorted. Sounding good at last after a couple of attempts to get the album flowing from start to finish. Here's the final running order/track listing: 1: 'GENTLE SPRITS PREVAIL' 2: 'ONCE UPON A RIVER.' 3: 'RAIN TOWN.' 4: 'ANTIQUE INTERIORS.' 5: 'IN A HAUNTED ARCADE.' 6: 'THERE ARE GHOSTS HERE.' 7: 'BELLS RING SWEET ACROSS THE MEADOW.' 8: 'THE PHANTOM PALACE OF THE PRINCE OF DREAMS.' 9: 'AS THE STARS BEGAN TO GLOW.' 10: 'LOST IN THE COSMOS AGAIN.' 11: 'MY NEW EROTIC GUEST.' 12: 'TO IMAGINE IS HARD.' 13: 'THIS GILDED AGE.' 14: 'WHEN ART SCHOOLS SHAPED TOMORROW.' 15: 'THE DARKNESS WILL REMAIN.' 16: 'SOFT LIGHT.'

The Cubase software download problem has been solved. The problem was that, although the software downloaded into my new computer, it would not 'unlock.' To unlock it you have to put in the required code number that came with the software package, to register it, which Paul did after he had downloaded the software. However, a message then came on the screen saying that the software was already registered to someone else so could not be unlocked! I'd bought the software from Gear4Music and, of course, a brand new product could not have been registered to someone else. The only way that could happen was if the software had been sold to another person who had then returned the software to Gear4Music as 'not what they wanted' and then Gear4Music had re-sold the software to me. This seems like the only explanation, but the original purchaser must have downloaded the software into his own computer, entered the code to register it, then returned the box and dongle to Gear4Music claiming it wasn't what he wanted. Then Gear4Music re-sold it to me as an unopened, brand new product, perhaps not realising that the previous buyer had already registered the software as his property. All very naughty to say the least. Anyway, Paul made calls to Steinberg, who manufacture Cubase, and they agreed that the software had probably been sold previously, registered, and then returned to Gear4Music. So Steinberg generated a new code so that Paul was able to register and unlock the product. Problem solved but not without a fair amount of head scratching, time and trouble. Paul is away this weekend so I won't get the computer back until this coming week but then I need to begin the process of dismantling my existing studio system so that the new gear can be installed. I'm up against the clock with this as John Spence, who is going to help me with the change over, has a limited time, (due to his own work commitments,) to be able to assist me. As I'm still in the process of getting the 'Old Haunts' album track sequencing in place, I can't start dismantling the studio until that task is completed. And as Fairview studios DAT machine is no longer safe to put DAT tapes into, I have to compile the album from my DAT tapes to CDR to take to Fairview for mastering. Sometimes technology puts more obstacles in one's path than one needs.

As usual at weekends, Emi and I travelled to Wakefield to visit my mother. She will be 91 years old next month. She is frail but as sharp as a knife mentally. Can't get my head around the fact that she was only 20 years old when I was born, way back in 1948. As I've mentioned so often in this journal, time plays strange tricks with our perception of events and their sequence. In the essential core of me, I'm still a wide-eyed kid of the 1950s, dreaming science fiction dreams, lost in a magical realm of wonder and imagination. Another part of me exists outside of time, somehow impervious to circumstance and the cultural signifiers of any era. It's as if I'm floating above it all, looking down and acknowledging all the changes but not, ultimately, bound or chained by them. Free and yet, paradoxically, kind of tethered at the same time. In this lies a great mystery I suspect. My weekly visits to Wakefield, the place of my birth, inevitably spark memories. The city has changed, in some ways dramatically from the haunts of my youth. Many of the old buildings which deserved to be preserved have been demolished and replaced by typically banal contemporary architecture, buildings that say absolutely nothing about the city's history or heritage. Like so many other places, it has become a victim of indifferent and ignorant planning departments. Once thriving and colourful outdoor market places have been replaced by identikit shopping malls, whilst the thriving high street has also declined dramatically, like most high streets all over this country. What strikes me most is that when driving through the town I am confronted with locations which, superficially look similar to the historic city I grew up in, and yet there are peculiar, unwelcome, invasions, twists and gaps in its core fabric. It appears as if it's a dream, a dream where the details are awry, blurred, out of kilter, twisted into some weird semblance of the familiar. It appears as a kind of ghost town, or a film set that isn't quite real or accurate, and I have to superimpose upon it the visual and emotional memory of what it once was. No one is against progress, but history should not be sacrificed to blandness and uniformity. The past is as important as the future and a balance needs to be struck. I've been an enthusiastic 'futurist' for many years, but I also am an advocate of the preservation of those foundations on which the future is built. In this age of immediately dismissible cultural information, we need to protect our heritage. How does all the above feed into my musical life? Well, those who know will, know....

Despite attending the hospital every month for eye scans and related injections, I've never had an eye test at an optician's. I just use 'off the shelf' reading glasses which, though strong, require me to also use a magnifying glass in tandem with them. At my last eye clinic session at the hospital, the doctor thought it might be worth trying some prescription glasses, mainly to see if it would improve my distance vision, so I made an appointment with a company called 'Vision Express' and, a couple of days ago, had an eye test. The result showed that any improvement will be minimal but may help a little. So I've ordered spectacles, a pair for distance vision and one for reading. They'll be ready to collect on the 19th of this month. A fair amount of money for what will be only a very slight increase in clarity, but I need to give them a try. This gradual deterioration of my eyesight does depress me, even though I try not to let it bring me down. Elle and Elliot came over for dinner on Monday. Emi prepared a lavish Japanese feast but I could only eat a limited number of dishes due to my Diabetes. There's a lot of carbohydrates and sugar in Japanese food. Still, a good time was had by all and we amused ourselves taking the mick out of the two Tory Prime Ministerial candidates. Today the British ambassador to the US has been forced to resign due to leaked emails that were highly critical of Trump and his administration. The emails were supposed to be secret, a communication between the ambassador and the British Government but someone, probably for political reasons, leaked them to the media. None of this is the fault of the ambassador, of course, who was simply giving his honest assessment of Trump and his deeply flawed administration. The comments about Trump were extremely damning and, as was expected of such a thin skinned and insecure man, Trump reacted with venom and spite and has made the ambassador's position untenable, hence his resignation. Trump would dearly like two things at the moment: Boris Johnson as PM and Nigel Farage as British ambassador. Unbelievable! Both would be an utter disaster and only bolster Trump's ego rather than achieve anything decent for the ordinary people of the UK. But in these insane and politically inane times, anything could happen and probably will. Where will it all end? On a more positive note, I've completed the recording of the 'Old Haunts' album. Now there are 16 tracks to try and squeeze on the CD. I've still to sort out the actual running order but will attempt to make a start on that later today. Here is a list of the track titles but it's not the running order: 'RANDOM ENCOUNTERS' 'THE DARKNESS WILL REMAIN.' 'BELLS RING SWEET ACROSS THE MEADOW.' 'THERE ARE GHOSTS HERE.' 'ANTIQUE INTERIORS.' 'ONCE UPON A RIVER.' 'HARD TO IMAGINE.' 'RAIN TOWN.' 'THE PHANTOM PALACE OF THE PRINCE OF DREAMS.' 'IN A HAUNTED ARCADE.' 'SOFT LIGHT.' 'THIS GILDED AGE.' 'LOST IN THE COSMOS AGAIN. 'THE NEW EROTIC GUEST.' 'THE STARS BEGAN TO GLOW.' 'WHEN ART SCHOOLS SHAPED TOMORROW.' My Mac Mini computer is now over at my friend Paul Gilby's house where he has been attempting to download the Cubase recording software into it for me. Paul's internet connection is more reliable and faster than mine and he suggested it might be safer to download the software at his place. However, it's proving problematic and it hasn't yet worked out as it should. Paul will be contacting the software's manufacturers to try and solve the problem which has arisen. Why is it that computer stuff is never straightforward?

Things moving quite rapidly. I now have 15 tracks completed for the 'Old Haunts' album, all of which, (even if I do say so myself,) are sounding very good. In the main vocal-based, this is going to be one of those albums that I find personally satisfying, both from a conceptual and aesthetic point of view. I may yet create one more track though, a short instrumental to open the album. Still need to tackle the problem of a running order, always a difficult and time consuming task, but hopefully will end up with one that works. The album will be released in November of this year and, all being well, will be the subject of a launch party event at The Clothworker's Hall in Leeds. The launch party will also feature a live instrumental set by myself. I have a couple of new guitars to show off, so that will be an added incentive for me to perform live one more time! A little late to get preparations underway this year, but I'll try and come up with some new video and backing tracks. I've been very lucky to be able to secure Gordon White's guitar tech talents for the event. Andy Newlove and Pete Harwood, who have both guitar-teched for me at different times in the past, were unavailable due to being out on tour so it was a bit of a worry. However, Gordon is now confirmed in the job and it will be great to work with him. He's a lovely guy and very professional. My new Mac computer arrived yesterday, earlier than expected. This will form the 'brain' of my new recording system, once I've had chance to dismantle the old Mackie hardware and install everything. I'll only use the new computer for recording duties. Everything else will be done via my regular iMac. Endured the dreaded eye-injections at the hospital the other day. Glad that's over with, though I'm back for more at the start of August. Pre-orders of the 'Stand By: Light Coming...' album seem to be going well from what I've been told. Let's hope it continues. Jon Wallinger, who looks after my Dreamsville site for me, seems particularly enthusiastic about the album, (and its companion album, 'The Last Lamplighter.') Jon gets to hear the albums prior to release and he's a good indicator of how fans will react to a new piece of work. Weather has been hot and sunny these last few days and even the Glastonbury Festival was spared ints usual annual mud bath. But, temperatures are on the rise all across Europe and the signs of global warming are ever more present. The UK has moved to reach zero carbon emissions by 2050 but some say this is not quick enough. There's a need for radical and fast change in terms of the energy we use if the future of planet Earth is to be one fit for humans and animals to live on. The evidence is overwhelming yet we still see short-sighted individuals such as Trump declaring the whole thing a 'Chinese hoax.' Some idiots should never be allowed near positions of power and influence. God knows we're in danger of being governed by a similar fool ourselves. Almost 3pm and time for a little outside exercise. Need to get away from this computer screen for a while...All for now.

A Podiatrist appointment at the health centre today to check on the condition of my feet, my usual five or six weekly inspection because of the dangers that Diabetes causes to the feet. Despite having lost most of the nerves and feeling in my 'pods', things seem no better or worse than my previous visit, so not too much to worry about at this point in time. Tomorrow is my regular eye injection routine though. Have to be at the hospital by 10 am for this and, as always noted here in this journal, not at all looking forward to needles being stuck in both my eyeballs. Work nearing completion on 'Old Haunts' (as mentioned previously,) but a new vocal track underway which I'm rather fond of. Will try to complete this tomorrow and set it up for a mix, though my reduced eyesight, as a result of the 24 hour impact of the eye injections, may slow the progress of it. I have to admit that, all modesty aside for a moment, 'Old Haunts' is going to be a very good album with a great deal of personal insight. At least a couple of the songs are plain speaking, emotional recollections of my past, romantic life. It's a kind of exposing of some areas of my emotional travels, albeit in symbolic, metaphorical terms. But anyone who has followed my story with a certain amount of curiosity may be able to draw the lines between the dots. When I contemplate where I've come from, where I am now and where I might possibly end up in the future, I'm amazed and confused. How to take in the variety of experiences and the long journey to here and now? It's like a vast catalogue of happenings that I can't quite get a grip on, pages turned and then forgotten in the desire to read the new page. I guess this is what happens when we arrive at our senior years, a lifetime of loves and failures, ecstatic moments and deep depressions, moments of joy and sadness. We stack all this stuff up and attempt to count it, evaluate it, trying to figure out what it all means, to discover whether our brief life here amounts to anything or nothing. I think, when all is said and done, that is what most pre-occupies my 'art' for what it's worth, and has pre-occupied my life since childhood. Always aware, somehow, of the fleetingness of life, I can't seem to escape my thoughts about the fragility of our existence and the shifting sands of time and tide. It's both depressing and elevating. My mind is a flip-book of images that are precious. But those images are not just an individual's personal reflection, but the reflection of a particular generation who have experienced similar moments in their lives. Artists have to articulate their own experience. Peter Blake once said to me that we have to make art from what we personally know, and I heartily agree with that. Make art from where you are and it will speak to those who share your space and time. But it may also universally address the human condition, from which we all suffer with both joy and pain. Plans going ahead for a November album launch party, including a live performance. Guitar techs Andy Newlove and Pete Harwood unable to take care of my live tech requirements but just heard today that Gordon White is available and willing to take on the task, for which I'm very grateful and very pleased. Looking forward to this although I'm sure to become more and more freaked out by the creative preparations that will be required over the few months coming. I always say 'yes' to these things, then regret doing so, getting myself tied in knots of anxiety until it's all over, then wondering if it's possible to do just one more...I guess I suffer from a 'love-hate' relationship with live performances. Something, somehow, keeps me doing them, though I don't really know what that 'something' is. Maybe it's a fundamental need to feel the love of an audience and the satisfaction of imparting, in a live situation, music that I believe in...

A couple of days ago I finally got my nerve up to push the button to order the new Apple Mac computer and its peripherals. And at some expense it has to be said. This completes the gear purchases I'll need to rebuild my recording system from the old hardware Mackie mixing desk and 24 track recorder that has stood me in good stead for so many years. The various peripherals, (keyboard, mouse, Thunderbolt cable, HDMI cable and Superdrive,) arrived yesterday but the computer, a Mac Mini, will not get here for several days yet as it has to be custom configured with extra memory and storage. This computer will only be used for recording, all my other computer needs will be satisfied by the iMac that I've had for a few years. I now have 12 tracks completed for 'Old Haunts' and could call a halt to the project but may attempt to create a couple more to bring the track count to 14. But once that is done, if indeed I do go ahead and record further tracks, the next task will be to sort out a running order for the CD and later get it mastered at Fairview. It's sounding good though... 'Old Haunts' will probably be the album for the launch party treatment we're planning for November. Having some problems with that though as the two people who have guitar teched for me at different times over the last few years, (Andy Newlove and Pete Harwood,) are both out on tour with bands during November and December. I've now asked Gordon White of Single Coil guitar repairs if he would be able to take on the role and he says he'd be happy to do so but also has some touring work on close to that time and will have to check with his employers on the length of the tour. But fingers crossed that Gordon will be available. He handles all the luthier jobs on my guitars for me and does an absolutely excellent job of them. He's also acted as guitar tech for lots of musicians, including Richard Hawley and Duane Eddy so I know he will be perfect for the launch party event. If everything comes together, it will be held at The Clothworker's Hall at Leeds University again, a venue which works well for both the audience and myself. 'Stand By: Light Coming...' is now available to pre-order from Burning Shed so I'm hoping this method will allow more fans to secure a physical copy of the CD. We'll see... Now it's time for my blood-sugar test and a spot of lunch.

Recovering today from a grand night out with the Nelsonica team at my favourite village pub. Mayor of Dreamsville, Jon Wallinger, had arranged a get together of the principal members of the team that help stage my annual live event and Emiko and myself were kindly invited to attend. Jon, Ian, Eddie, Duncan, Martin, Paul, Tony, Emi and myself occupied a long table where we enjoyed a perfect feast of food and drink, a rare occasion for us to relax without the organisational pressures of my live events. Much laughter and a little liquid refreshment added to the evening's fun. I made a quiet suggestion that, despite my decision that last year's 70th birthday concert might be my final live performance, that I would like to hold an album launch party event later this year, if at all possible. I can't pretend this was purely a spur of the moment decision as I'd been contemplating the possibility for several weeks but, with the wind in my sails and a couple of new guitars to parade in front of fans, I might just find the nerve to do it. The only problem is that it's a little late in the day to begin the long process of planning and creating all the content that these events require...but we'll see what transpires. I would think that the launch party would centre around the current 'Old Haunts' album project, but possibly with another album on simultaneous release too. I have so many 'in the can' awaiting release. Tonight I've just mixed another new track for 'Old Haunts,' this time an instrumental piece titled 'The Phantom Palace Of The Prince Of Dreams.' It's a spooky little piece with an almost middle eastern feel. This brings the album's track count up to nine but I still need at least a couple of other tracks to add to the list. Must get the album finished by the end of this month though as July is going to be studio renovation time and the move from my old but faithful Mackie hardware system to a much newer software system based around Cubase Pro 10. A certain amount of trepidation about the change, as I've noted before. It will take some getting used to and will have a fairly steep learning curve but I'll give it my best and hopefully it won't be too painful. Strange dream last night...In the dream I was with Jon Wallinger, walking on the old Waterloo Road in Hunslet, Leeds, which is actually no more as the area was redeveloped back in the late '70s. But in the dream, it was like it used to be in the '50s when my father worked there as manager of R.Broughton and Son's radio and television shop. In the dream, Jon and I walked down the street and came to the shop where my dad had worked. It was in a state of dereliction, broken down and partly boarded up. The door of the shop was open and we went inside. The interior was in a terrible state, debris everywhere, dust covering all the surfaces, broken woodwork, plaster falling from the ceiling, a total mess. We picked our way through the rubble and on the floor I spotted an old electrical transformer. I turned to Jon and said: "I think that was one of the transformers my father worked with when he sometimes repaired radios here...I'm going to take it home with me." At that point some workmen entered the shop from a back room and asked what we were doing there. I explained about my father. They said they were in the process of demolishing the premises but allowed me to take the transformer. Jon and I then left and walked away from the old shop, but then Jon took out his phone to photograph it as we knew it was about to disappear forever. I woke up from the dream and, for a brief moment or two, couldn't figure out if it was real or not. Memories of visiting R. Broughton and Son's shop in Hunslet when I was a child in the late '50s and early '60s are vivid and poignant. If I had a time machine I would go back to relive those moments that are still dear to me today. And sometimes I do travel back via the mechanism of dreams... Another flyer for a double album completed but awaiting release... 'The Jewel' is an album recorded a couple of years ago but not yet released.

Have been busy recording new tracks for the 'Old Haunts' album so, along with various domestic duties and other distractions, haven't found time to write a journal entry until now... Some interesting work emerging for 'Old Haunts.' So far there are seven tracks but with a few more still needed to complete the project. Titles of tracks completed so far are: 'The Darkness Will Remain,' 'Bells Ring Sweet Across The Meadow,' 'Random Encounters,' 'Once Upon A River,' 'There Are Ghosts Here', 'Antique Interiors,' and 'Hard To Imagine.' All are vocal tracks so I may record a few instrumental pieces to break it up a little. The work continues... My visit to the hospital for my eye injections a couple of weeks ago was disappointing. Scans revealed the ongoing deterioration of my eyesight and I had to have injections in both eyes. The doctors said they need to try a more 'aggressive' approach to the treatment, which basically means even more frequent injections so now I have to return to the hospital at the start of next month. It's so frustrating... Meanwhile, the insanity that Brexit has thrust the country into continues with a Tory leadership contest, due to Mrs May stepping down as Prime Minister. The contenders for her job are being slowly whittled down by MP's votes and will eventually get to the point where only two candidates remain. These two will then be put forward to the national Conservative Party membership to vote and the winner will automatically become PM. (Which, of course means yet another leader the country as a whole has had absolutely no say in appointing.) The contenders are a pathetic bunch but arch buffoon Boris Johnson looks like walking away with the prize. God help us, our own bumbling 'Pound-Shop Trump' or 'BoJo' as he's known to his fan base (but Bozo to me.) Johnson has many 'qualities' in harmony with Trump, not least the compulsion to tell lies and hurl infantile insults, (plus an equally bizarre hairstyle.) Of course, Trump is a Bozo supporter and is pushing for him to become PM. If I had any say in this, (and I'm not and never have been a Tory voter,) I'd pick Rory Stuart as the best of a bad bunch. He's young, intelligent and seems to have a grasp of the reality of the situation. Whilst he's done much better in the race than most people expected, I fear he may be eliminated in today's round of voting, leaving just the hard-line Brexiteers to bring the country to a disastrous 'no deal' conclusion. Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson came out and made a very good speech yesterday which highlighted the foolishness of leaving the European Union. He had been listening particularly to the creative community of musicians and artists who are, in the main, very much anti-Brexit and have serious concerns about the negative consequences of leaving the EU. He basically made the case for remaining, underlining the fact that, really we're all Europeans, a point I've been trying to make since this sorry debacle began three years ago. Unfortunately, I know from discussions I've had with some neighbours and others that much of the Brexit vote was swung on an intense dislike of Europeans and immigrants. I heard the hoary old, "the French hate us," "the German's hate us" excuse from people who really ought to know better. And from the much older generation I even heard talk about Hitler and how we "beat the bloody Germans" in the war. Well, yes but I don't see what that has to do with leaving the EU in the 21st Century. As my son and daughter pointed out, the older generation won't live long enough to see the negative impact that Brexit will have on the young. Time we oldies stood aside and let the younger generation have a bite of the cherry. Nevertheless, the worrying rise of 'populism' and nationalistic, right wing bigotry is causing more problems and division than at any other period in our post war history. It looks like the country will have to suffer the impact of this wrong-headed thinking until it learns its lesson the hard way. Hopefully, once Brexit advocates feel the cold steel of the outcome, they'll wake up and see the light. But maybe not. I'm not going to hold my breath... Well, if nothing else, we can look forward to a Bozo lead Government Circus filled with clowning and pratfalls. Roll up, roll up! Enough! As The Who once sang: "I'll pick up my guitar and play, just like yesterday..."

Today is the 75th anniversary of D-Day when British armed forces and their allies stormed the beaches of Northern France to push the occupying Nazis back and begin the liberation of the French people and ultimately the defeat of Hitler and his warped ideologies. Watching the ceremonies on tv it's hard not to be deeply moved by the stories the surviving veterans tell about the horrors they endured back then. It must of been like Hell on Earth and thousands of lives were lost in the battle. What the outcome would have been if the Nazis prevailed is unthinkable. We owe those veterans and their fallen comrades so much. D-Day happened only five short years before I was born, which seems astonishing. My mother remembers the war vividly and tells of having to seek shelter in the cellar of my grandmother's house when the drone of German bombers came overhead. One of her school teachers and his son were killed when a bomb hit their house on Thornes Lane. In the 1950s, whilst our family was on holiday in Dymchurch, Mum and Dad decided to take us on a day trip to Northern France to visit a cemetery full of war graves. These were some of the young men who had fallen on D-Day. We had never been out of the country previously so this was an exciting trip for us. We booked a sightseeing tour and sailed on the ferry from Folkstone which wasn't too far from Dymchurch. Once we'd arrived in France a coach took us through the French countryside to the cemetery, stopping en route at a roadside cafe for lunch. I remember my grandmother, (who was with us,) turning her nose up at the French food on offer. Eventually we arrived at the cemetery and saw the rows of identical white gravestones. I can remember it as if it was only yesterday but I was still in short trousers, just a young schoolboy. I only have two photographs from that trip. One is of my mother, my younger brother Ian and I standing on the deck of the ferry as it set sail for France. I have a simple little camera in a cloth case hanging from my shoulders. The other photo' is in the cemetery in France and show me with my brother Ian, my grandmother and my mother, (whose back is to the camera.) My father took the photographs which have survived to this day. The quality isn't very good as they're small, square prints that were standard back in the 1950s. Nevertheless, there we are, blurry and ghost-like, unaware that I would be writing about this and sharing the pictures in the year 2019. I stare out of the frame, a skinny kid, looking out at himself a lifetime later...and I sit here and look back at him, through a portal in time... My brother Ian in Mum's arms and me by her side on the ferry to France, sometime in the 1950s. Ian and myself with my grandmother, (in striped dress looking at the camera,) and my mother, (far right with her back to the camera,) at the war graves cemetery in France, sometime in the 1950s.

And so arch-bigot philanderer and serial liar Trump arrives in the UK in his guise of so called 'President' of the USA. Here for an ill-advised and highly controversial State visit, Trump has already cemented his reputation as an undiplomatic pariah by insulting the Mayor of London in one of his incessantly unpleasant tweets, just seconds before his 'plane touched down in England. Of course, the UK government and Royalty are no strangers to hosting lavish state events for various dictators and political bad guys, it's almost a tradition. Shame on them. Trump's claims to be for the 'little' people of America is hilarious. Anyone can see he's only concerned with himself and his money. Everyone, that is, except his drooling fan base who appear to adore his regular displays of ignorance and aggression. A horrible man and the sooner he loses his job the better the world will be. And, sooner or later, lose it he will. But, for now he will revel in the media attention he'll get here in the UK, even if the majority of it is negative. His personal inadequacy craves the spotlight and I suspect he believes the more controversial he becomes, the more people will talk about him, and he just loves being talked about. It might be better if the media starved his ego of that attention and simply ignored the entire thing. A blow to his narcism is clearly a blow delivered more effectively than any other. But that's not likely to happen. He's meeting his pals Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson whilst over here, two more political creeps he resonates with. And while on the subject of Johnson, who covets the job of Prime Minister when May finally steps down, let's all hope his leadership ambitions fail. He's just a 'pound shop' Trump, as one observer noted. His fans have christened him 'BoJo' for short. 'Bozo' (the clown,) more like it. Not that the Conservatives have got a sparkling set of choices to choose from for their leader. Where will it all end? So, I retreat into my realm of music and song and try to shut out the inane folly that seems to have befallen much of the world. I'm currently working on a new album titled 'Old Haunts.' The starting point is to conjure up a state of beautiful decay, reverie and nostalgia. A twilight world where rain falls gently on rusty factories and streetlamps glow with pale light on abandoned avenues. Well, that's the starting point, but it will inevitably develop and stray. Tomorrow is an eye injection day at the hospital. As always, I'm not at all looking forward to it. The procedure puts me out of action for a day and no work will get done. And so, I must make an extra effort to get a new track completed today...

As always, the last few days have been busy, one way or another, but I've managed to squeeze in a break from my studio now and again. On Tuesday Emiko and I decided to have an 'Art Day Out' and drove over to The Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The weather was warm and sunny so I put the top down on the car so we could enjoy the air. Not sure how healthy the air was on the journey to Wakefield though as we were travelling on the motorway which was busy with trucks and vans churning out various flavours of noxious fumes. Still, once we got out of the city and headed through the pleasant countryside hills to the Sculpture Park, life seemed sweeter. We ate lunch in the cafe there and walked to the memorial bench of my late brother Ian. His inscription is getting a bit worn and faded now but that may be simply a result of my failing eyesight, or either that plus a combination of winter weather. Sitting on Ian's memorial bench always gives me great cause for reflection. Quite a bit younger than myself when he died, I feel a great sense of a life that should have flowered much longer. As the years pass a deeper sense of melancholy and longing prevails in my heart. Ian would have joked about this, of course, always being someone who appeared not to dwell too much on these things. He always had a sense of humour about the absurdities of life and tended to shrug the darker things off, though I think they lurked beneath the facade and, in some ways, perhaps contributed to the lack of physical care that ultimately aided his passing. Not that I can claim any superiority in that department. Ian worked at the Sculpture Park for several years, at first as a part time young employee in the Park's original shop, then moving up the ladder until he had a position in the office. The office space was originally in a small, old, single story building, just behind where the Visitor Centre building is now. The Visitor Centre was not yet constructed when Ian worked there and I'm sure he'd be amazed at the way the Park has developed in the ensuing years. But every time I walk up the curving slope to Ian's memorial bench, I pass that old building where he had his office, and I remember the many times I went to visit him there. Usually I would visit Ian at his office at lunch time and we'd drive to 'The Station' pub, not far from the Sculpture Park. Other times we'd go to 'The Old Post Office' between Bretton and the M1 motorway. Those lunches with Ian were always fun, lots of laughter and love. I was so happy to spend time with my brother. How I miss him... After Emi and I left the Sculpture Park on Tuesday, we drove to the Hepworth Gallery and looked at the ceramics exhibition, then we drove to my mother's home and spent a little time with her before driving back to our own home. All in all, an enjoyable day out. Now I'm starting to put together a list of potential 'jazzy' tracks for the 'Stylus' album. Not a running order at this stage, just a list of possible inclusions. Looks like it will be hard to choose which tracks will make the final album as, so far I've listed 34 tracks and still have more to add. Somehow I hadn't realised just how many pieces of music I'd made that could fit the 'jazz tinted' genre. I've also got three brand new tracks to add that no-one has heard yet. These are titled: 'Woozy,' 'Science-Fiction Serenade,' and 'We Dare To Dream.' Obviously, a download album can contain as many tracks as necessary, there's no physical limit because there is no physical disc. But putting everything out at once would present listeners with far too much information to take in at one sitting so I have two options. 1: Be very ruthless and choose only 12 or maybe 14 tracks at most. 2: Release all the tracks as a series, (three albums,) but not simultaneously. Anyway, once I've completed making a list of all track possibilities, the next task will be to listen carefully to them and attempt to put an interesting running order together. No small job this with so much to choose from. Have been tempted by another guitar. An 'ISANA BLACK PEARL.' It's a German archtop guitar finished in black with just one floating pickup. It's a re-issue of a guitar that Elvis Presley was photographed with when he was in the Army and stationed in Germany. The Elvis connection is interesting but not the reason for my interest. I simply like the look of the thing. It's not particularly cheap though and I'll have to think about selling one of my guitars if I'm to buy it, more to appease Emiko rather than anything else as she thinks, (quite rightly,) that I have more than enough guitars. What to do? Which of my guitars can I bring myself to sell? Or maybe I should just forget it. Ok, it's late...studio switch off time.

With 'Stand By: Light Coming and 'The Last Lamplighter' now mastered and awaiting 'post production', (artwork and manufacture,) I'm turning my attention to a project I've had in mind for some time now: A compilation album of some of my more Jazz inflected tracks, going back over the years. I've been thinking about making it a vinyl album but with an included download version that would contain much more tracks than can be fitted on a vinyl release. However, I've had a word with John Spence about how the tracks might need to be mastered specifically for vinyl and it poses some problems. They would need to be sent to someone who is familiar with vinyl mastering and they would also need to be sent in a sort of 'virgin' state. This probably means not in digital form. But as my mixes are all made to digital, rather than analogue, this might prove difficult, plus, as it's a compilation, the tracks would be lifted from released CDs which obviously have already been mastered for that particular medium. It would also be expensive, both to master and produce, and the demand for such an album on vinyl might not be so great, especially as the jazzier side of my music tends to appeal to a more specialised audience. I think pragmatism needs to be exercised here. So...I'm now thinking of making this a download only album, perhaps a double as there are so many suitable tracks to include. It would also be good to get the album reviewed in Jazzwise magazine to try and introduce the music to more jazz oriented listeners. Over the last couple of days I've recorded two new tracks which I'll add to the project, both tracks fit the jazz/blues vibe. Working title for this project? 'STYLUS.' Choosing the tracks and running order is no small job though. There's a surprising amount of jazz material in my back catalogue to choose from. Even tracks like 'Deeply Dazzled' and 'Dreamland Avenue' fit the remit. Jazz is a very broad church these days and my jazz tinted tracks range from melodic, swing style to more abrasive, avant excursions. This is something I definitely want to do in an attempt to pull these tracks together and make a real statement about my love of jazz and its influence on my music. Well, let's see where it leads... Podiatrist appointment tomorrow morning, way too early for me but it has to be done. Now I'm switching off the studio for the night and going to try and watch some TV or a DVD.

Spent most of the day over at Fairview Studio near Hull, transferring the 30 tracks I've recorded, (for the two new albums,) to Fairview's computer, ready for mastering engineer John Spence to put the final polish on before being sent off for manufacture. Always nice to spend a few hours with John, catching up on things generally, as well as doing a bit of work. Good to see John feeling much better after his recent knee operation too. Hearing any new album I take to Fairview can be a bit of a surprise. Listening back to it with all the songs in the correct running order can reveal certain things and give deeper insights into what the album is actually about. This isn't always apparent when I'm continuously working on an album at home. It's easy to lose track, to a certain degree, being so wrapped up in the process. It's also strange to play the album back whilst in the presence of someone who hasn't heard it before. I'm always conscious of the fact that John is sitting there and reacting to it for the first time, which can provoke an extremely critical appraisal from myself, imaging what the other person might be making of it. No matter how 'right' an album may sound in the privacy of your own studio, the moment it's played back in front of someone else, you immediately re-assess it, and not always favourably. I tend to be hyper-critical of everything I do anyway, but it's best to try to let go and just say 'it's what it is', warts and all. But that's sometimes not easy. Anyway, what conclusions did I come to about these two new albums? Well, first of all, they're flawed. But what album of mine isn't flawed? I hear lots of things I wish I'd done differently, after the fact, on every album I've ever made. It can be quite discouraging sometimes, but by then it's too late to change anything, so I just have to let it go. The main album 'Stand By: Light Coming...', surprised me by the way it revealed its inner meaning. Hearing the songs in their correct order at Fairview showed that the songwriting 'theme' as such is all about Time. Time passing, our perceptions of time, the need to make the most of the time we have left to us, and the way that time and memory are inextricably intertwined. Images of clocks ticking through the night abound in these songs. The other thing that emerged from listening to the album is the deep sense of melancholy in many of the songs, and the frustration and anger that life 'runs out like sand', (to quote a lyric from my 'Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam' album from the early 1980s.) Maybe I've had an awareness of the brevity of life from a young age. I can remember thinking about this kind of thing when I was still a very young child... So, 'Stand By: Light Coming...' can perhaps be described as 'music for aging melancholiacs.' It has a lot of sadness, but a sadness tinged with joy...like dark clouds surrounded by golden rays. It should ring rusty bells for people of a 'certain age' but may also bring younger listeners to a more acute awareness of how precious every moment of life is. A cliche, I know, but life is all too brief, even if we're lucky enough to live long enough to make a real mark on it.. And what about 'The Last Lamplighter (Return To Vulcan Street.)'? This is an album made up of tracks left over from the sessions that produced 'Stand By: Light Coming...' so, inevitably, a certain amount of the thematic structure is carried over from one album to the other. There are a couple of references to 'clocks ticking' and the passage of time in these songs too, but there are a few diversions, particularly in the five instrumental tracks that are included to break up the vocal ones. As for the sonic qualities of these albums, I'd say that they were textured and richly rendered, noisy at times, spontaneously put together, never perfectly executed, sometimes abrasive, quirky, even scary, sometimes tender and naive. And, as stated before, hopelessly flawed, but perhaps forgivably and poetically so. At the end of the day, it's just stuff that emerges from Being. Anyway, that's it. The only thing left now is to complete the artwork and get these buggers out there to face the music. And now it's time to move on...

Have been more or less constantly working on the 'overflow' album, titled'The Last Lamplighter,' which will contain tracks that did not find a place on the 'Stand By: Light Coming' album. Some tracks were left off that album because there wasn't room for them, others were left off because they didn't really feel right to me, (although several fans have expressed an interest in hearing them.) So, I've been experimenting with different track lists for 'The Last Lamplighter' in an attempt to make an interesting album from the left over material. After some soul searching, I think I've come up with a good solution. A few of the left over tracks have now definitely been consigned to the waste bin. These are not songs that I consider worth hearing and I certainly won't miss them. Others, however, sound ok and I have included them in the album. But to make sense of it all I've had to record some new tracks to not only bring the track count up to scratch but to add mood and variety. I now feel the album has a real purpose, both as a companion piece to 'Stand By: Light Coming' and as an album in its own right. Here is what will be the final track list: 1: 'THE LAMPLIGHTER'S LAMENT.' 2: 'TICK TOCK TICKING.' 3: 'WIDE AWAKE IN THE HEART OF YOU.' 4: 'THE WINTER MERMAID.' 5: 'STRICTLY FOR THE BIRDS.' 6: 'PLASTIC MAC.' 7: 'HOUSE OF MYSTERY.' 8: 'GHOSTS OF UTOPIAN CITIES.' 9: 'THE WOMAN OF TOMORROW.' 10: 'VULCAN STREET.' 11: 'SERENE IN SILVER.' 12: 'WHAT'S A BOY SUPPOSED TO DO?' 13: 'MY LIFE IN NEON, MY LIFE IN SOUND.' 14: 'LOST LIGHT.' 15: 'THE LAST LAMPLIGHTER.' Mastering of both albums is now set for this coming Friday, (10th May,) at Fairview Studio with my engineer friend John Spence. Hopefully I'll have everything ready by then and we'll get all the tracks for both albums transferred to Fairview's computer ready for John to master. 'Stand By, Light Coming' will be the first new CD album I'll be placing with Burning Shed to sell. It will be interesting to see how it goes. 'The Last Lamplighter', however, wont be a physical CD but a digital download only via my Bandcamp page. But now 'The Last Lamplighter' sounds fit to sit alonside 'Stand By: Light Coming' and can hold its head up proudly. I think this may be the first time I'll be releasing two brand new albums simultaneously. Meanwhile, today sees the reissue of 'Fancy Planets' in digital download form. The album was originally issued as a limited edition CD in 2009 and has been out of print for several years but is now available again. It contains one of my favourite tracks, 'The Golden Days Of Radio' which has a video I made for it on my Dreamsville website. The album is very much in the rock/pop arena and might appeal to Be Bop Deluxe fans who haven't kept up with my output over the years. I have lots more to tell in this journal entry, (too much to be honest,) and don't have time to write everything up here at the moment, it's been a busy couple of weeks, but I'll try to catch up in the next entry or two. Now though, back to work...