Monthly Archives: October 2024

Cast The First Stone

Well somebody has to if only to be the scapegoat?

The arts usually require a certain bone headedness to succeed I believe. Change my mind.
Good, so can we all agree on that one I think. people will mostly tell you what you are doing wrong or that you should give up.

I listened to Elephant Shelfs first proper Album from 2010, its held up better than I thought it would! Somebody mentioned it on Facebook today so thought I ought to give it a listen again.
It was the first full band album I recorded/produced (as well as played on, though I had been recording for years) and people loved it at the time and some still do it seems. It’s very different recording a band than recording just yourself on a multitrack. It was mostly live with a couple of instruments added in later. You can’t tell with your own work at the time, you might judge it say as technically proficient but not see its artistic merit or vice versa. Some music I have done in the past stands up very well, but at the time of making it I didn’t think it was anything much at all. Some though is a train wreck.

This week my sister visited for 3 days and we repotted some plants and stuff like that which is not my area of expertise at all, but is hers as a trained horticulturist. It did stretch a few muscles that are not in regular use though. Pleasant enough, then back to the music stuff on Friday again.

Wearing my Jazz/Swing hat here live with Orchard 🙂


My current track I am recording is not inspiring me much as the vocals sounding a bit tired and uninspired. I will try again, but not today as my heart’s not in it.

Another acquaintance has left this mortal realm I discover. Once we get to this sort of age its a never ending stream it seems. A friend of my partners is terminally ill and likely to be going soon. Everything, everywhere at once it seems.

I never was a big fan of Guinness.












Such Times As These.

I watch the news. I despair and feel so powerless. And there are still some bad people everywhere. Mustn’t grumble, but I will. Here is an angry song. Killing for peace doesn’t work it seems nor the concept of bombing starving people to save them.

False Prophet

It’s been a hard week for me as my mental health is really not good right now. When is it ever?

So I am trying to get through it as best I can really. Normally I get a bit of a lift as the clouds blowover but its not happening at present. So on with the usual stuff at home, recording practicing, production and this week a bit of video editing too. I did a charity gig with a band I part of yesterday with the proceeds going to a local food bank.It was very enjoyable and good to have a proper gig on a Saturday night, abet a teetotal one 🙂 Other than that its back to wrestling with eternal questions…. Or should that be infernal questions’?

Only joking!

If I had brains I would be dangerous…



This Song wants a Little More love

Golden Ticket

Go on, give it a spin 😉

Ok that’s the commercial over. I have been having a couple of not particularly productive days. So I have decided to just roll with it for the moment. I have the usual ideas buzzing in my head a bit but I haven’t started to kick off with them quite yet.

I am feeling a bit anxious generally to be honest. As in worried rather then panic attacks. I don’t know why but I have felt like that for a few days. There is a band rehearsal tonight for our charity gig at the church on at the weekend. I expect I will wobble through it. I am just feeling weird and very unsettled.

My old band Elephant Shelf many moons ago

It’s strange how much slight wrong bits in a tune can actually turn into magic moments. The secret chord you accidently create in an arrangement, but can’t really untangle.

A few recent Diana Stone tunes 🎶