A heart warming seasonal story...

Many days and weeks ago, in the small Cornish coastal paradise of Porthtowan, myself and a few friends gathered together at the Unicorn public house to play some music to the demoralised local populace. Living in such a remote location as Porthtowan - where the damaging effects of the 1970's cod wars are still strongly felt - many people in the village hadn't heard live music in up to three or four days and their appetites were salacious. Hoards had gathered to welcome us to the Unicorn - itself named after a rarely seen beast - and much merriment and happiness ensued for all. It was a glorious night. Why I left the venue later that evening thinking ..."If only someone had taken a live audio recording of our musical antics tonight"...

Imagine my surprise, many days and weeks later to discover that someone had indeed taken an audio recording (warts and all) of many of the songs played that fateful night in Porthtowan. So here gathered together for the first and no doubt only time is that collection of songs. It's called Unicornicopia, and you can listen and download it entirely for free here and take a feint whiff of the magical atmosphere that was created that night...

What's one better than last year?

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, 2013 has finally wafted away like the fart in the proverbial elevator that it was, so I wish you all a hearty welcome to 2014; all shiny and new like a pair of spandex trousers, and I do hope the next twelve months will be equally as smooth and comfortable for everyone involved.

Haven't had a chance to write a blog for a while as I've been busy beavering away on my upcoming solo EP at the Truro college recording studios whilst maintaining the pretence that I'm actually just doing homework. Most of the tracks are now nearing completion and it should all be available in a few weeks.

I guess that's why I'm back really as I'll now need to try and fluff up my promotional erection so I can give each and everyone of you a poke in the eye with my spam-dagger of absolutely non-consequential music related news...

Item one of which, as you can see from the 'Monkey Island Memory-evoking' poster, is that I have a gig. For me, it's quite a good one. Sometimes I literally have to play in the rain by the bins, so it'll be quite nice to stretch out my feet in front of the open musical fires of Lusty Glaze's very first 'Woodburner Session'. I'll be doing two 45-minute sets and will be airing a few of my aforementioned new songs to the rain-soaked masses of Newquay - providing mother nature allows everyone in the vicinity to survive that long. Hopefully everyone lives, because the following week is American singer Ben Jordan who's got a far bigger promotional wanger than me, so any help giving the event a sharing will help me not end up looking as popular as a Jewish clown at a Nazi rally to the lovely people at Purple Gecko Events, who've been good enough to stick their necks out for some very talented local original songwriters - and also me.

Item two is that I'll be going on Source FM (106.9) this Saturday on Cornish Cream around 1pm to play a few songs from the new EP and have a little chat with Andrew about item one, but I'll no doubt end up talking about the best way to transport woodland creatures safely through urban areas or some other tangent...not because of me of course, but because of Andrew - who having worked as a DJ for so long is pre-conditioned to natter on in a variety of locally interesting directions, interspersed with the occasional witty and powerful insight on local issues of the day. It'll be a hoot either way I'm sure. So yes, if you're near a wireless transmitter or internet connection on Saturday morning might be worth a listen or maybe text in a question for me to answer about what it's like to eat your dinner out of a bin or something? I'll give a prize to the person who gets the funniest thing read out on air.

That's my news, god bless (save?) anyone who read all that