So...following on...

Well give a man a break!

It's been a long strange exciting year, which accounts for not sharing the majority here due to time and tiredness.

I returned home at the end of August with a new job and a massive kick up the backside. I'm now a full time guitar technician, having passed on the Marillion/Racket Records baton to Frenchie who has been filling in for my absence since January. It was not a job i wanted to give up, and the past 8 years have been a dream job working for one of my favorite bands. However, the Iron Maiden chaps like what I do and want me to stay on for future tours, so i've taken the plunge into self employment and a life on the open road (from time to time...).

The Maiden touring experience was an amazing learning curve, not to mention the 34 countries, thousands of miles, irish bar reconnaissance missions and the endless hunt for kebab perfection.

Although my full time role within Marillion is at an end, I can still be found tweaking guitars and packing cds from time to time. Its also nice to be able to bow out at the same time as their new album hits the (virtual) shelves...check it out at their online home.

I'm currently sat in a Belfast hotel room waiting to start the second days work with The Hours who are supporting Oasis over two nights. They are one of the best bands i've encountered in many years, and have just expanded their line up to seven members. The new album is due shortly and i had the pleasure of spending a day in Battery Studios with them and legendary producer Flood during the sessions.

Having returned from touring I contacted my old JakDog chums Pete and Keith who twisted my arm into reforming the band. We have a new bass player and after two sessions it sounds great already. We are looking to play around my touring schedule, and with the other chaps having alternate projects this should keep everything fresh.

Everything is great at home, my family has just returned from a holiday in Turkey (without me...due to work commitments, but then again it's a change for me not to be the one flying off around the globe). I stayed with the dog in a damp Buckinghamshire.

Anyway...I'm off on a champagne supernova in a taxi.