Saturday 30th July 2016

Up early-ish for an afternoon gig with FH in Maidenhead. Lachlan is back with us and filled the gaps nicely. A new sense of optimism suddenly in the air. All it takes is a good gig sometimes, yeah? We were so good today, so tight, buzzing a bit. 

Got back, had a shower and then off to my mate Vicky's party in town where I realised, as much as I enjoyed myself, I'm too old for parties.

Friday 29th July 2016

Went into the office to show my face, nobody was there at all. Got a lot done, though, so it was worthwhile.

Fringe is a bit close. The musical feels like it's a bit of a mess at the moment. Still haven't learned my lines for OP. The other shows feel fine.

Built a website for the 'musical/murder mystery crossover show' which launches next April.

Evening gig with FH in Northamptonshire was so tense. G and V struggling with this situation. Horrible (but well paid) gig.

Thursday 28th July 2016

Is it bad that I'm planning for 2017 already? Really excited about my touring ideas for next year, to the extent I've even built websites for them.

Today though was mostly admin-based, getting the freelance stuff done, further emails to reviewers about my show in the hope a few of them will respond.

Lovely afternoon meeting with Steve about the charity album project, it's gonna be a lovely and worthy album. It also fills up my October quite a bit.

Evening gig with Claudia was nice, sparse audience but so relaxed, just nice to be playing, yeah?

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Worked from home all day, in between replying to various emails about shows and stuff.

The fringe is really close now.

Remembered I've not actually ordered my flyers yet, spent an hour or so sorting those - found an amazing company, they seem a bit too good to be true but will give them a go. They reckon I'll have the flyers by next Thursday. I travel next Friday. Bit tight, but all fingers crossed.

Another rehearsal with Izzy, still not any closer to learning the OP script but there's a sense that we'll be fine.

Tuesday 26th July 2016

My weekly jaunt of taking Mum shopping to every shop in town, which lasted for hours and I got stroppy in the heat. As always. Roll on winter; I struggle when it's humid.

Got back, worked on next year's tour plans, confirmed another show for the Christmas tour for this year. Did a couple hours freelance work, replied to a few emails about the movie...it's not such a hard life, is it?

Then Oscar Pike rehearsal with Izzy. The show opens next week in Cambridge for 2 previews. No idea how we're going to learn it, but we will, somehow. It's a really fun script, this one, I must remember to enjoy it and not just get stressed by it all.

Monday 25th July 2016

Last full week before the fringe, can't help but feel anxious about I should have done by now/need to do/must do. With the exception of learning my lines for Oscar Pike, of course. And that's a lot of lines.

Went into the office, did quite well I think - usual research stuff, easy enough day.

Then over to Claudia and Marcel's for a run through of the musical stuff with Jo. Really happy that Meg has agreed to be in the musical, thus meaning I don't have to sing. Hurrah!

Lovely barbecue afterwards, stayed till late, chatting, plotting future world domination in a musical sort of way. It's nice to be surrounded by people who share the same ludicrously out of reach ambitions.

Sunday 24th July 2016

Bit hungover from last night, that's the danger of doing a show in the house you live in.

Up early-ish for a hungover musician (10am), off to play a little afternoon gig with Dowsing in a school to raise money for children in Africa or something. Low-key gig, as always a nice vibe - enjoyed that.

Then off to meet up with FH (four of us now in this project), shocked to hear about something that happened last night but in total awe of G for the way he's behaving at the moment. As a result, the gig was actually a cracker; we worked so hard today to make that work, in front of a very lovely audience. The future is complicated, but we'll fight for it.

Got back, got annoyed by the humid weather and then back onto, well, 2017 tour planning...

Saturday 23rd July 2016

Edging closer to confirming my replacement in the musical, which is a relief because I still can't sing. Not easy is it, this 'being in tune' lark? Spent the morning getting really excited about a script idea I had last night that is so good it's going to make me mega rich and famous, and started looking around for venues for it - will be something for April next year.

Then had a rehearsal for the musical in which we timed it for the first time and remarkably we're only about 5 minutes over. We're still unsure about what to cut but the tempo felt nice and I'm really, really impressed by Jo and how she's learnt her lines - she's a singer, not an actress, but she's really turned into an actor.

Nice barbecue afterwards, what a lovely bunch of people.

Then met up with my old chum Rob and got him back here, where he, my mate Paul, my landlord Edd and his girlfriend Emily watched me try out a load of new material, followed by a run-through of 'Least of Your Problems'. Not being arrogant or anything, but I was really good tonight. Now to do this on a larger scale...

Friday 22nd July 2016

Also managed to launch the Freewheeler project last night - emailed all of my favourite local musicians and they've all signed up for it. It's going to be an epic charity project, in which we recreate my dad's old record. It's going to be a beautiful album, and documentary - I'm flattered that everyone came back to me so enthusiastically so quickly, I have wonderful friends who just happen to be amazing musicians.

Spent the morning sorting out fringe admin stuff, and then off to Tiddington for an evening show. Village hall, the first time they've ever had comedy and a stark contrast to the stag party show last weekend - I had to really, really tone it all down. It went okay, I wasn't what they were expecting but still plenty of giggles and they could see I was working hard up there. And then we had a break followed by a screening of '50 Ways...'  - I'll be honest, I didn't think an hour stand-up set followed by a 70 minute film was a good idea. And I was right. It dragged, it felt horrible. The room was hot. It was like an evening with Paul Richards, with an audience who didn't know or give a shit about me. Why did they have to sit through all of this? Horrible. Drove home feeling quite stressed about it all.

Thursday 21st July 2016

Went into the office to show willingness, even though I know the boss is on holiday (but it's still good to show my face), I was the only person there but got plenty done in the 5 hours I did hang around for.

With the Dowsing rehearsal cancelled, I'm not sure what happened but I went into project overdrive a bit. I've got hundreds of emails scheduled to go out in October regarding a February/March tour, more emails scheduled to go out in later October regarding an April tour of Ireland, and then there's the European dates...I've also blocked out all of the Christmas movie filming (2 movies), opened talks with a venue regarding the Christmas musical, nearly filled up my festive solo tour dates and plotted in great depth next year's fringe show. I'm worryingly excited about everything at the moment.

Wednesday 20th July 2016

Got 10 hours of freelance work in from home - did loads of stuff today, and that helps offset the fringe costs.

It is tough, though, working from home in such humid heat. I did find myself popping down to the local petrol station just to get out, and also had a cat nap at around 4pm. Still, achieved quite a bit, I reckon.

Evening met up with Meg for what was supposed to be just a drink and a catch up, and ended up with me pretty much persuading her to be in the musical. She read the script instantly and loved it, we're now just sorting out the practicalities of it all. This could really, really help me.

Tuesday 19th July 2016

Things are starting to stress me out a little - haven't learn't my Oscar P lines yet, haven't nailed the performance of the '50 Ways...' live show because I keep chickening out of performing it and still haven't got my head around the musical. And then my housemate points out that he's miscalculated the accommodation costs (because we have less people staying each night during week 1, meaning the cost of the rooms should in theory go up) so I have to pay more, which I wasn't allowing for.

Still, lovely day to go to the seaside, yes? Decided to treat Mum, as she's very down right now, but the weather was too hot so we just want to Graffham Water, and then Waitrose instead.

Confirmed another lovely Christmas show. Should really be worried about August before December, though.

Evening we had our final CC charity show - 2 great acts, technically a sellout (on paper, a few didn't turn up), happy Paul. Despite the stress of these shows I think the format is still lovely. We'll do more soon, I hope.

Monday 18th July 2016

Where did Monday go? Press release hell, that's where it went. Well, 'hell' is a bit strong, but I lost quite a bit of my day on it. That, and chatting to agents, all of whom are lovely. And putting together flyers for the other shows. Basically a massive fringe admin day, that I should have done about a month ago. 

In the evening met up with Marcel to work on the musical. By work I mean 'learn to sing' and it turns out it's a bit harder than I thought. We've met somewhere in the middle and now I'm going to do a majority of my parts in the style of Suggs, which weirdly still works for this concept. Musical still overruns by about 20 minutes.

Sunday 17th July 2016

With the planned cancellation of tonight's second Buxton show, I had a nice breakfast in the hotel (they gave me a lovely hotel room by the way) and then drove back. I'm still so anxious about speed cameras yesterday - there was one yesterday which I think must have been close (40 mile an hour limit, camera at the bottom of a hill - I think I was doing about 41 but still slammed on my breaks just in case), this whole speed camera anxiety thing is not good and needs to calm.

Drove back at my own pace, even had 2 breaks which I don't normally do. Got back, amazed that my car - which had a lot of smoke coming out of it on Friday, is still going.

Sent off '50 Ways...' DVDs to anyone who pledged last year, caught up on a million emails and tried to fill in the gaps in my Christmas tour schedule.

Saturday 16th July 2016

Drove down to Buxton for one show which I knew would never happen (because it was in a little bookshop and the show wasn't in the festival programme - I enjoyed hanging out with the owners in the afternoon anyway, they were lovely) and then an evening show - initially a 2 night run but we combined both nights into one to give me a sellout tonight and a day off tomorrow.

Evening show in a hotel. The sort of show that pays okay, but equally the sort of show that I often dread because when I looked at the clientele I realised it was people who were expecting a more conventional comedian. The room was divided; a stag party of 17 on one side, and a bunch of people who were scared of the stag party on the other. The first half was me just getting used to the room - played a few games with the audience (Creepy or not Creepy went down a storm), told a few stories; the new one about killing time in Lidl went down well, as did the chips story from my 2014 show. The new version of the Grace song was probably the highlight of the night (and now I've rewritten it even I like it again now), but the I Shouted Marvellous During Sex piece just confused everyone - you could hear a pin drop. For the second half I just did my new Edinburgh hour, which started really strongly then the stag party clearly got a bit restless. It wasn't just the show they weren't into, it was a really hot room and everyone was struggling a bit with just how long I had to do (as I was being paid to entertain until 10.30pm). Got through it, they all applauded at the end, but I didn't enjoy large chunks of that and if I didn't, I'm not sure how I'd expect an audience to enjoy it too.

Friday 15th July 2016

Took Mum shopping in the morning (how much shopping goes she need to do?!) and then 5 and hour drive to Newcastle for the solo show.

Mistimed the journey so was 2 hours early, sat in the venue feeling a bit awkward.

Nobody turned up. Not a single audience member.

Drove to my (horrible) hotel and drank beer alone in my little room, feeling quite low about things.

Thursday 14th July 2016

My second day in the row in the office (this one almost felt too routine, must cut this) but it's good to get a few hours in. Had a nice meeting, very positive and they're so happy with the fact that I'm going to be away for 3 weeks and the way I've scheduled everything in the run up to it.

I still haven't learnt to sing.

Lovely evening catching up with Esther, who has just been promoted and wanted to celebrate, which we did and discussed fringe plans.

Wednesday 13th July 2016

Confirmed another Christmas tour date, that's shaping up nicely now. Did quite a bit of show admin today, am remarkably on top of most things...apart from flyers for Oscar Pike and Make or Break show.

Still worried that I can't sing, and I'm in a musical.

Went into the office and put in a decent shift of freelancing, but the vibe felt a bit strange there today. Possibly the heat.

The band is to continue, even though G+V have split. This band, as a product, is strong and will somehow carry on, without A in the line-up.

Nice catch up with my old mate Tim, followed by a lounge show at his house - he saw the show at it's earliest stage a few months back so to perform it again in it's sharper state was nice, there was evident improvement.

Tuesday 12th July 2016

Fringe accommodation stuff is now totally sorted - we'd had that spare room for week 1 knocking around for ages in the flat we're renting but a very successful actress from a very popular show has taken it, which is nice.

Band stuff is still totally up in the air at the moment; it seems to change by the minute. I really have no idea what is going to happen and I'm feeling pretty angry about it all.

A few things from my schedule can be delayed a bit I think, mostly to make time for the 2 Christmas movies (yep, 2...it's an ambitious idea but can work). The Oscar sitcom can wait for now, at least until October, and the novel? Well, I'm still waiting for the final thumbs up from the proofreader. It is still possible to get them to print by next week but equally, I'm plugging a lot of shows at the moment - it can wait a few months I think.

Brilliant meeting at the local TV station, I went in there with my producers hat on and subsequently got commissioned for 6 episodes of a quiz (which I'll be hosting), 6 episodes of a stand-up night (which I'll be hosting), an hour long special of my current fringe show and a pilot episode of a new comedy/band concept I've been plotting for a while (with a view to a full series of that).

Fresh from this hugely productive, career-enhancing meeting, I took Mum to Waitrose and spent the afternoon getting bitten by the dog.

Evening we had panic auditions for the musical, because it opens in 4 weeks' time. The only person who turned up couldn't actually make the Edinburgh run. Time is tight - the only solution being me taking the role and saving the show, or it doesn't happen at all.

Time to roll my sleeves up and learn how to sing then.

Monday 11th July 2016

All has gone quiet with the band stuff, which could be a good thing - I know G+V have met up to try and salvage the situation.

Worked from home and generally had one of those days when I just needed human contact, so popped down to the post office to buy some things I don't really need but it's nice to get out, isn't it? So it's come to this.

Still, achieved a lot with the freelance stuff today, made a bit of a dent into the spreadsheet stuff.

Did an hours exercise because, let's be honest, I had 6 burgers over the weekend and I'm not proud of myself. Filmed my solo scenes for the Oscar sitcom just to get them done really, edited and scenes numbered already - just nice to get them out the way.

And then back to Christmas tour booking...

Sunday 10th July 2016

How does Marcus do it? He's in his 50s can but can still drink any/all of us under the table.

Spent a bit of the day feeling sorry for myself with this hangover, before snapping out of it and hand-cutting out the DVD covers for the 50 Ways film - a hundred copies now made, just waiting for the sleeves to arrive. That took up a lot of time.

Matt's designs of my Edinburgh flyers are superb, it'll help a great deal at the fringe.

Spent the rest of the day working on Christmas tour dates, getting exciting ideas and generally not being able to switch off.

Saturday 9th July 2016

I'm so glad I'm in some other bands. It's always been frowned upon, but it's days like this when I'm really glad that I have other options.

Two gigs back at the festival, Dowsing was great - played really well, they sang superbly, even though it was drizzling we had a decent crowd and there's just the sense that there's smiles all round.

Nice to have a catch up/lunch with my Dowsing chums after too; Cathy, Esther, Andy, Meg - I've missed them a bit.

Then over to play a stormer of a gig with Claudia in the French tent. Great audience, gig felt like a proper workout at times. Nice project, that.

Quick drink with Cathy and Esther after the show, and then - because I had no FH gig to go to, I met up with my close mate, Marcus and went to a barbecue around his. Suddenly it was 3.30am and were drinking whisky. Not sure how that happened...

Friday 8th July 2016

Into the office for my only day this week, stayed till 3pm before heading off to soundchecks. I'm doing okay as a freelancer, I think.

Picked up Mum and drove her into Cambridge for the gig. The dog was playing up big style, it was a bad idea to bring her along...just so excitable.

The gig? Well, I'm amazed it happened. Thousands of people there, biggest gig of our career but so much tension in the dressing room. G just digging at A whilst trying to win V back, it's a complicated triangle. So many tears from certain people, I'm amazed we got onto the stage. We played okay - we're tight, the audience were mostly oblivious but some who were close to us realised that we were pretty much a banter free zone on stage. V then said something in the last song which upset G.

An hour or so after the gig the band effectively split, cancelling the rest of the weekend's gigs.

Thursday 7th July 2016

Band stuff is still a worry...we're so close, you know, to get somewhere. Yesterday was a real shock, a lot of strong words are being said about it.

I had a nice productive day being worried about what Helen, my lovely proofreader, thinks about my novel and doing quite a bit of freelance work. Claire is up for directing the musical which is great news, it's gonna be great.

Dowsing dress rehearsal was just lovely - nice to see the choir again, so nice to feel so welcome (to the extent it was slightly embarrassing). I'm playing really well at the moment, if it doesn't work out with FH then I think I'll be okay for work elsewhere.

Wednesday 6th July 2016

A day of much confusion, but due to the fact that this is a public blog I'm really limited to what I can say about it. Let's just say band stuff got messy, very messy. Wasn't my fault, if anything I am the outsider in all of this but...fuck, what a mess. Fuckety fuck. No idea what is going to happen now, but the 3 gigs this weekend are going to be awkward.

I booked myself a solo comedy tour to remind myself that I do have a life beyond the band (as much as it's the most successful thing I've ever been in and I'm quite mortified by what's happening), it's a Christmas tour and I'm amazed how easy it is to book a Christmas tour compared to trying to book a tour for the rest of the year. Turns out everyone loves a bit of Richards dressed as a snowman.

Also did a bit of freelancing work, just a bit, let's no go crazy. Probably need to do a lot more of that tomorrow, though.

Had a lovely evening with Anna, watching the new Dad's Army film (it's bloody good - ignore the critics, it's a really nice movie), eating pizza and for the first time ever her dog didn't bite me, or piss on me. Well done, dog.

Tuesday 5th July 2016

A slightly more focused morning. It's actually really annoying; when I don't have the time (like today) I suddenly snap into gear. I could have done with more time today to sort out fringe stuff (finances mostly...fuck it's expensive) and generally make lists of stuff I need to do. Like book the Christmas tour - that's coming together nicely, you know. And the Christmas musical - more on that later. And have yet another look at the novel and believe it's all going to be okay despite the fact it hasn't gone to print yet and the launch is on the 23rd.

Then did the good son thing for a bit, in which I took Mum shopping and she tells me for hours on end how great my cousin is because he's got a house, kids, a wife and is a welder, and then she gets concerned because I've got a solo show in Newcastle next week. I get she's concerned generally, but compared to my plans for next February this is nothing.

In the evening we held our regular comedy night. Amazed it happened. Tiny crowd but we went on with it all the same - Ed was incredibly good, and Rob was great too even though I've seen his show a few times now. I like comedy. I just wished a few more of my friends do too, as much as I'm grateful to Al, Adam, Jo and Marcus for being a majority of the audience.

Monday 4th July 2016

Did a full day of freelancing from home, which at first was lacking in direction but then I got into the swing of things. 

The same can be said for my creative...well, brain I guess at the moment. I need to slow things down a bit, I generally feel slightly dissatisfied with what I'm doing and still assuming that I can wait until next year because next year's fringe show will be THE one. Which it may be, but this show is good, I think, and the other shows are slowly coming together. 

Maybe it's all too much sometimes, too many projects. It was one of those days where perhaps I really could have done with colleagues. 

Evening filming the final bits of Alan's scenes for the soap, before he shaves the beard off. Only 3 scenes, we did them well, and really nice to catch up with Lara afterwards. 

Sunday 3rd July 2016

Up to spend a little more time correcting the various mistakes in the novel, and then off for Sunday lunch around Mum's. She seems okay today and is learning how to use the internet. It may take a while. 

Got back and printed out 100 sleeves for the '50 Ways...' DVD, and set the DVD burner to burn a batch of 50 copies. As I sit here typing this, it's been going for 5 hours and it's done 21. This could be a long, late night. I've checked one in three of them though and they work great on all DVD players. 

Getting frustrated that nobody is up for Tuesday's show - it's a great line-up and for charity, but there's only so many times I can invite my mates to stuff. I've hit that limit I think. I've said it before, but it's time to cut the Cambridge stuff for a bit, six months or so. 

Finished proofing the novel. Fuck, that's a great ending, I actually felt emotional by the end. I really hope the readers stick with it (which is always a bad thing when you have to say that) because they'll feel all warm inside by the conclusion, and not in a predictable way, either. It's basically a rom-com, with hardly any rom, but it's the little bits of rom that make it work.

Saturday 2nd July 2016

Up early to carrying on proofing the novel. The really good thing is: I'm really into it, I'm enjoying reading it for pleasure, I care about the characters. The bad thing is: it's taking bloody ages.

Did that for a few hours, and then off to meet up with the band for an evening wedding gig. Nice venue, we all seemed a bit flat - not sure why, maybe it's because wedding/corporate gigs don't excite us as much? The start of 'Valerie' was alarming - Gaf's count-in got me all confused and we came in on different beats, it was basically reggae. As the rest of the band followed my lead and rescued the song, Gaf seemed to decide that he preferred the reggae and did the whole song on the off-beat, like a legend. I later got confused when Vix introduced a track as a 'bit of Tina Turner' and I started the groove for 'Wanna Dance With Somebody' - getting confused between Tina Turner and Whitney Houston. Oh how we laughed!

Not a bad night, though, was home by 10.30pm and got paid well enough for it.

Got back and spent another 3 hours proofing the novel.

Friday 1st July 2016

How is it July already? Woke up to the realisation that the fringe is really, bloody close and made a to-do list of things that need to be done in the next 5 weeks or so.

Went into the office and was pretty good, I thought. In fact, I stayed there for longer than anyone else. Mostly because it was convenient for my evening plans but still, good to make a few quid.

A little more interest in the film, and the venue in Oxford reminded me I have a show there soon and have completely forgotten to plug it. Still struggling to cast that one final character for the musical, which is alarming because, you know, it's fucking July. I asked around again today.

Evening met up with Izzy to have a first read of the new Oscar Pike show. It really works, which is a relief...I'm really fond of this show already. I have no idea how I'm going to learn it as it feels quite complex, but complex in a good way.

Got back in time to catch the second half of the AMAZING Wales match, and then spent 3 hours proofing the novel, having remembered that it comes out in 3 weeks time.

Thursday 30th June 2016

See, this is what the problem is: my novel launch is creeping up and it's still not quite ready, yet the time it needs/deserves is about 2 solid days, I think. I tend to have 4 hour windows available, which isn't ideal, so as a result I don't even start it at all.

So instead I did a couple hours freelancing, paced around a bit being concerned about the lack of cast for the musical and then decided to pop around and see Mum and take her shopping, again, because she can never do too much shopping. It keeps her happy, but my projects are slipping away a bit.

Had a few hours left in the evening but spent it booking 2017 tour dates. This is what is wrong, Paul Richards, get the current projects up to scratch first before booking next year's fringe previews. I'm tired, and excitable, and all over the place.