Saturday 23rd May 2015

We finished drinking at 4.30am last night - we're still rock n roll, you know. Woke up at some point in the early afternoon at my mate Jack's house, and eventually headed home. So hungover; quickly replied to a bunch of emails about the film, before heading to St Ives to catch up with my parents, and also my sister, who I haven't seen for ages.

Then dashed over to Histon to play a trio covers gig. It's such an easy gig for us; the set Griff and Vix have put together, which they've been playing for years, is so polished, seamless, everyone enjoys it without fail. These gigs are physically hard work as they're quite long, but mentally these are the most non-taxing songs we've ever played. Gave them a good show tonight, keeps the cash coming in.

By the time I finish writing this, I'll be 34. It's been a strange year, the last one, in retrospect. In the year from 33-34 I quit the day job, I moved house twice, I fell in love, I fell out of love, I fell briefly into debt, I climbed my way out of debt, I've played well over a hundred gigs with audiences ranging from 3 people to 2000, I've toured solo 3 times, I've toured with the band twice, I've made a film, I've written a book. Not sure what I'll be saying when it comes to this time next year but, it's a cliche I know, in the last year I've really found myself - as an artist I've worked out what works, what doesn't, I'm growing in stature all of the time.

Yeah, so some things aren't right at the moment. The fact that I've been caught by the same speed camera 3 times is a concern, and my dad is really struggling with the chemo at the moment. But there are plenty of things to be happy about; I'm in 3 amazing bands and constantly turning down really nice drum work because there simply isn't enough days in the year, I'm making a film which is really, really special and is on the verge of completion, I'm touring the UK with a really strong solo show that I've worked exceptionally hard to nail after a really limp start, I've nearly finished writing my novel and musical, my sitcom script has been liked by a producer for a major production company and it's now been passed on to another producer - if she likes it then I'm sorted, I've got my own forthcoming show on freeview TV. I'm not scared of anything. Apart from bees; they scare the shit out of me.