The familiar cry that it’s not fair echoes through the land as the Tommy/Farage/Brexiteer fanboys and girls (mustn’t be sexist 🙂 ) shout about the destruction of an English society that never really existed. Certainly not one I have seen in my 68 years on this planet to date, fuelled and sponsored by proxies of the wealthy who fund division for their own ends. Make the little people fight and keep them divided has always been the game. England was built on this premise and convincing the cannon fodder to go along with it has now never been easier. The politics of the school bully in the playground reign supreme at present. Literally and figuratively so it seems in the case of Nigel Farage’s school days. Private schools in England are still a gateway to much denied to others of ability. Look at many elected politicians who seem to provide reasonable evidence to support this hypothesis. Punching down at minority’s or ridiculing them is as much a part of class privilege as hunting, shooting and fishing still it seems. Once again art/music and much the cannon fodder are encouraged not to pursue buy any means possible. Music education cut to the bare minimum in schools and so forth.
What will happen when there are very few jobs left in say 20 years as most can and will be automated.
Who will be able to buy the stuff produced…
In another life many years ago I happened to meet the head of a very large utility company who’s arrogance was mind bending which was only matched by their total inability to understand a concept that a 5 year would be able to grasp. I used to naively think that people got to positions of power because they had some special quality or ability. Sadly this is not so much the case. For many its luck and being the person that shouts loudest in the room.
A car brought new costs more that half the cost of a house in some poorer parts of the UK. Some people are doing very well indeed and of course there is nothing wrong with that but even the average comfortably off family are bombarded with xenophobic propaganda daily. In the last few years Trans people have also been targeted too. To what end. To keep control, to keep society divided, to keep the little people fearful and frightened. We see the perfect example of this in the USA where a man who has criminal convictions is elected president by those that are now disadvantaged because if it. He told them that the ‘Elite’ was the enemy and he is of course part of that elite. We see the same sort of thing happening in the UK now too of course.
In truth the division in English society has always been there except that now everybody with a smartphone can join in the hue and cry broadcasting hate far and wide. Are people worse than they used to be?
I doubt it somehow, it is just that now they chose to share hate freely with a few jabs of a finger and thumb.
What I do suggest is that if you happen upon some outlandish claim or great threat is that you research it a little rather than take your lead from some provocateur news pundit who makes a living from stoking the fires.
I wish you all a peaceful and perhaps prosperous new year for 2026…

Well it’s been quite a year with a few ups and downs as usual. My partners been ill but is now on the mend though still feeling some discomfort from a surgical procedure.

At present it’s one of those days, Bathroom sink got suddenly blocked and I had to take the trap off and stuff but now its got a leak underneath so will have to get plumber. Also my cold is now having a reprise, Bollocks. Just remembered I have Homeserve cover so I booked a person for Tuesday pm. Fingers crossed that they can fix it… Or at least turn up 🙂

I have been looking at what I have done over this year musically: I have recorded 79 of my own tunes (songs instrumentals) and released 3 albums on streaming services Played on 3 of the Invisibles releases Played on 3 other peoples releases on streaming services. in 2025 my recorded works have been played around 45,000 times and 10,000 plays of tracks recorded with Jon Bickley and also with the Invisibles’ too. It’s a fair amount. That’s globally, most in the USA followed by Far east, Indian subcontinent then Eastern Europe and Russia. Remainder western Europe (including the UK) and Gulf States. It has been an increasing as a trend at present. It will be interesting to see if it stalls next year as I don’t think it can just keep increasing really. I expect its a blip to be honest. It is surprising when you do break it down and look at in writing. I am doing an end of year album release of 6 tracks and calling it “Cool Woke Virus“

The many, many faces of me.

And why not I hear you say.

I have played around 25 gigs with various people and at open mike’s a couple of times. A quiet year compared with the glory days though. It’s nice to still be gigging though at 68 years old.
Its my plan for the NY is to try and transcribe some of my songs so I have workable versions I could play live at OMs and stuff. Reality can get a bit boring this time of year I find though. I am not a big fan of Christmas to be honest. Also I don’t think I will be doing any singing this week until my throat clears a bit. I am having a lot of garlic with everything at present to try and shift the end of the cold and congestion.

My anxiety/depression and related problems have had the usual ups and downs through the year and as ever the arthritis has made itself known on and off in varying degrees. So here we are another year on and feeling my age a bit. And also the eternal question which is what’s next, if anything of course?

My days apart from music related activities’ are pretty random unless I am going out. Maybe it’s the winter effect but I really am just plodding on a semi-comatose state. Not depressed or anxious, but more like a feeling of being absent…

A few tunes from this year

• Feeling The Fear
  A song about feeling the fear and running away, but its not far enough.
• Still Fire Inside
  A song about feeling the blood rushing and the spirit still rises with that special person.
• Show Me Something I Can Believe In
  Pop world vibe
• I Know You Will Bite Me
  A song about when you know somebody is dangerous no matter what they say.
• Christmas Jingle Thing No1
  Electronica Christmas Music
• I See You For What You Are
  I See You For What You Are by Diana Stone
• Drifting on a gentle wind
  Impressionistic Solo Piano
• Slow Sunday Winter
  Thinking on a winter's day about what's gone wrong.
• Wasted Life
  Looking back on life and its highs and lows and what was worth it and what wasn't
• Crusing Elevator Easy Music
  Mellow Calming Elevator Music
• Can You Give Me A Sign
  A song about trying to work at what the point is if there is one.
• I ask You Was It Worth it
  A song about meeting somebody from your past that has not done so well in the intervening years…
• Embrace The MIrror
  Piano trio and vocal
• Christal Robot Dream
  dreaming of ice and winter
• All Human LIfe Is There
  The thoughts of somebody watching life pass by on the street from the window. Perhaps an older or lonely person that feels apart and no longer needed wondering about the thoughts going on in the heads of the people passing by.
• Magic In This Rainy Weather
  Poppy trance song
• Come On Baby Feel Your Way
  Just another rock song about getting it on
• Just Been Thinking About What To Do With You
  Soul song about desire and longing and frustration.
• Summers Gone
  Chill out Violin tune
• All The Devils Are Here
  A song about chaos and fear and confusion.

We are al in a time of massive upheaval fuelled by those that should no better. Spineless individuals trying to normalise hate and division and it looks as if they are winning right now. We slowly push forward into the world of ‘Don’t ask and don’t tell’.

The last pre Christmas gig this year for the Sonic Boomers. Also the first time I have warn Antlers. Judging by its success I must do so more often. A good crowd in a very big pub. It looked a bit daunting from outside. Run by women and all women bar staff. It went on for miles and had a huge outdoor heated area. I think there were quite a few travellers/Irish judging from the women and what they were wearing as there are a lot in Luton and Dunstable have a fair few usually. A black haired young 18/20 year old women and disarming pretty who could not look more Irish was absolutely fascinated by the violin. Lots of dancing and stuff and all very happy. 3 hour gig so pretty hard work though at the end I still felt I could have kept going. I expect I will suffer for it by Monday though. A couple of my Facebook friends showed up too. I do have a bit of a cold/sore throat but it held off last night at least. That is England to me, it hasn’t gone away despite the everything. Its weird I read all the reform shit and protestations then you go to a pub and there are Asians, Irish, proper gypsys a few crusty ancient hippie types and its also boasts its an ‘LGBT’ friendly pub. Sports bar too of course so giant TVs everywhere plus snooker. I do have a slight cold at present annoyingly.

A recent solo piano excursion. A sort of away day so to speak.

My diary past the end of this week is very, very empty. That’s not at all encouraging to be honest. Christmas of course looms very large now too. I am feeding myself lots of garlic in the vain hope of shifting this cold and staggering through a music project but very slowly. Just doing a sort of orchestral interlude part. (Synths of course). As ever I am not entirely convinced but you the jury can decide when it’s finished. And I have run out of steam for today so no more fighting the cold.

I was bored waiting to go to the gig so I did a proper IQ test the other day. Timed with no cheating possible. Turns out I have lost a few brain cells since I was 8. Then it was about 136 and now it is but a mere 120. Alas poor grey matter I knew you well…