You only shine when you get lonely

That's easter out of the way. Zombies, eh?

Today I received the 80's BBC tv series of Day of the Triffids on DVD. It's not meant to be released til next monday, but that's the power of the internet for you. Let's hope this promising start to the week means something significant is about to happen.

Do you ever wonder if maybe you drink too much? I didn't until sunday night when Piers wandered into The Manor covered in blood and sporting a broken face (cue much laughter and then concern/peas on forehead). I dunno. He still can't remember what happened: cobbled together info suggests a piggyback gone dangerously wrong. Alcohol - the killer of Piers' brain (and face).

But that didn't stop us finishing Resi 4 yesterday. Or having a curry. Yum.

The other big news of the weekend (for me, anyway) was starting recording again. Proper hardcore, can do it anytime and possibly drive yourself mad style recording. My new cohort Andy came over and our first song began to take shape. Slowly, as I'd forgotten how to use everything. It's great and if I could work computers and that I'd post it somewhere when it's finished. Curse these bastard monkey hands!

I seem to remember hearing 'Dreadlock Holiday' by 10cc on sunday evening in some pub, and I think it may re-invigorate my love of that band. People look down on them for some reason, but they did a lot of good singles, if nothing else. Otherwise, I've been listening to Frank Black, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, The Dears, Nirvana, Tenacious D, The Stills, Incubus and The Futureheads... that's a lot of American stuff, isn't it? I'll redress the balance tonight by listening to Senseless Things and Mega City 4 and some other old transit van band rubbish.

And Graham Coxon's first album. And Talk Talk.

That'll be nice.

Waste me

Happy St Patrick's Day for yesterday.

I got talked into celebrating without having any dinner. A mistake. At least it wasn't a technicoloured mistake.
I think that this week the winter caught up with me and I felt very down around wednesday. But then the sun came out and I noticed all the blossom on the trees and everything suddenly felt lots better. I think I have a stealth hangover waiting stage left though. And I nearly cut off my finger when making a sandwich this morning. It's a good finger, too. One that I use.

Instead of having a holiday, I've decided to throw a big birthday bash on my date of birth. The weekend of 24th - 26th June in a big field somewhere down south. I think Coldplay are coming to supply the music on my actual day (saturday 25th), and all my friends will be there. So that'll be nice.

I'm looking forward to this weekend...I was out last night so I don't feel the need to do the usual round of weekend drinking. Plus, I have Resident Evil 4 to play to death. I have no money at all so it's going to be cheap, and that's a good thing. It'll be relaxing: I get to play guitar and work on the film (which, somewhat unsurprisingly, has ground to a halt, everything-wise, while we read our various books on the subject - check out a comic called The Walking Dead for great zombieness).

Am I the only sci fi fan (geek) who just isn't bothered by the return of Doctor Who?

Thanks God it's friday.

Please bury me with it

"Hello, people of earth."
So started my first official solo gig. Yes, I finally broke free and accepted solo "artiste" status. It started as an unexpected but much appreciated gig offer from LMCPromotions (www.lmcpromotions.tk - they are doing sterling work) and ended as a watershed of sorts...
Set:

• Shake Me
  
• Waiting For Answers
  
• Portable Sun
  
• Cloudbusting
  
• Superman Is Dead
  
• We Know How...
  
• How Turns The Tide
  
• Happy Man
  

Apparently, it was a very succesful night and having only a small crowd of friends sat at the back of a very large audience of young folk (full of beans and spunk) made me play harder. Several drinks later - followed by a quick thinking stop off at the off license - and we were all back at mine for a piss up of gigantic proportions - finally Andy Neal and myself got the chance to "jam" and the result was a post-gig gig in my front room. My mandolin has never felt so lovingly carressed and to quote Damo at the time: "Darren can die happy... Look at his face!". It was enjoyable to say the least, and expect new duo type music from us soon. We're thinking of calling ourselves "The Dreamboats" - heavy on the irony.

Good covers of Kate Bush and Sparklehorse (Happy Man), although the old Hopkirk song Shake Me was maybe a little wobblier than it should have been... I was still trying to remember it half an hour before the gig. I got a rockstar style high five during Happy Man too, and amazingly didn't lose my timing.

Modest Mouse are ace.

That's all I can think of for now... Hopefully news on more gigs and stuff soon.

Goodbike.