February the month that follows the first breath of the New Year, a month that seems to skate along at some pace, with wild weather to boot. Rain and storms, winds and hail. I love this month because it beds us in for the March madness when time drags it heels, for us writers we can see royalty payments up ahead, but they are far off in the distance, and much reduced these days in size. This month saw The Strypes do what they do best, play live, ripping it up on their first headline tour of the UK. It filled my heart with joy to see them again and to hear them race through the set like whippets on heat. Sold out shows and a much younger crowd than before, i watched the front row as ever as they sang open mouthed into the air just above the safety barrier. Ross leans down to touch hands, and to sing in full flight like a hawk above his prey. At the back Evan holding fort in another world creating some new order. Pete jumping like a grass hopper from one foot to the other and Josh giving it sneers and attitude to the max. All amazing to watch. And then there was Prince, but thats in another blog. I saw him twice in one month and became obsessed with tweets trying to find out where he would pop up next, mole whacker at large. I was glued to a feeling of greatness, from both sides, and if only i had stayed in and practiced all those years ago, i would still never be as brilliant as this. Glenn and i are coming closer to working with each other again, a tour for November and some Squeeze shows in the Summer, i delivered. In other words i gave Glenn some new lyrics to work on, and now the clock ticks. Im excited about working with Glenn on the tour in November, i hope it will be new and rewarding for us both. Its a chance to try and see ourselves from a different angel, neither Prince nor The Strypes but two blokes who have grown up together in separate beds. As you can see above the curtain is in place ready. We have history and some shared PRS to show how lucky we have been.

There is so much to look forward to this year including the barn, which is now in a new stage of building. It looks amazing, we are so excited and talk about little else, which can be dangerous. I can’t wait to get into my new shed. The builders are amazing people. Other builders have been at work on my brother Lew, he has had a new hip hop op, it all went well and naturally Lew will be back in the pool swimming 100 of miles again very soon. Louise and i went for dinner up at the big house, it was a lovely evening and i was so pleased to meet Henry for the first time. He has forward thinking plans about Firle and so he should, its time for forward thinking. The big house is a treat, its everything i hoped it would be, a record player, some wonderful Dutch art, the butler and his wife, the stairs and coats of arms, and the history which dates back to Henry the 8th. It was all his fault. Firle is a spiritual place to be, im not sure how the sun rises or the moon wanes but i know that this place is almost imaginary. I hear the church bells chime the hour and the clip clopping of horses walking past the house, Owls hooting and Sid barking.This time passes so quickly, this time is now gone already. February is testament to the quickening pace of time, its a false virtue filled with hope. This small house is full to over flowing, this house is where i live, i wake up and find myself here without even thinking, without planning, i am just here. Like a twig on a stream going down the way of many before me im floating on all the twists and turns the currents and the sudden falls of height. With a sense of higher power and a fair wind all will be revealed. And yes i feel loved too. In other news, my book is in final first draft, and im getting some positive feedback from my agent. I went to see Wilco Johnson play with Roger Daultry, it was magical. I drove 2,300 miles and had some great food here in the doors with her in the doors who is ever so good to me even though it must be so hard to love such a complicated old soul like me. Music has been there, or thereabouts, and then there has been more rain wind and storms. Grace is home from India, Cissy is at home, Riley is…Nat bags is being amazing too, Im a lucky bugger.