I am very pleased to share the news that Kinky Wizzards will be playing live again in our hometown Cardiff, at Clwb Ifor bach on the 10th September.

We will be announcing special guests for the show soon.

You can purchase tickets for the show via this link: https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/kinky-wizzards-clwb-ifor-bach-tickets/11279195?pl=clwb&fbclid=IwAR3rMLcnMDJ0SC7xk0cTjMpvGUqVmbqSr4ibjrk2reCmDNKVV5N_4y0IXWY

I recently read that China had succeeded in building a ten storey building…in a SINGLE day!

Watch the clip of Jeremy Clarkson driving through China’s newly built road system and you’ll be amazed.

Meanwhile, the USA infrastructure is falling apart, and Biden has only just managed to put in legislature to try and tackle it, but there’s every chance a building or highway could collapse, like the tower in Florida.

Why does it always have to take a tragedy with multiple deaths for the western world to get their act together!?

In fact, scrap that, the U.K. has moved at a snail pace in response to the Grenfell disaster and most of those in power let alone responsible don’t care.

Like political discourse, everything seems to be on a far end of the spectrum without the apparent option of a middle ground.

I’m absolutely positive that countries don’t have to be authoritarian to get stuff done but processes to improve and develop western countries such as U.K. and USA are tediously and painfully slow, and it’s no overstatement to say that this complacency and lack of work ethic and efficiency has cost people their homes, and at times, their lives.

Time for the western world to find ways to make things speed up, or else see themselves fall behind.

It would have been hard to have avoided the huge headlines earlier this week regarding the stage we are at in regards to the climate crisis, and a crisis it is, that’s what we need to start calling it.

It’s hard not to feel helpless. I’m quite frankly sick of the short sighted and totally selfish views of the few companies in charge that are responsible for the majority of global emissions. That aligned with complacent politicians have made for a deadly combination.

So whilst we agitate at the top ranks for the necessary changes, we will be looking to ourselves to see what changes we can make, (at least those who read the news and care, not enough people do).

I for one, have not yet driven a car. I didn’t see the point when I was living in cities but since I’m back in Wales, I have little choice but to learn because the infrastructure of public transport in and around Cardiff is not really up to scratch. In fact, it’s very poor, especially as far as trains are concerned, which is a shame because my city has so much good to offer. Transport for Wales came in promising to make changes for better, and it hasn’t yet happened. Cancellations still happen, bus replacement services cause disruption, tickets are overpriced and the trains themselves are a stinking mess.

Making public transport that can be electric and efficient both in energy and delivery of service is a step forward on a localised scale and I’d like to see it happen. The good news is that there are plans for a metro service that are currently being working on. The problem is that it’ll take at least five years to fix.

In the meantime, there’s little to no incentive to use public transport as an alternative to driving.

I am pleased to share with you the video presentation of the Encore stage in partnership with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Ty Cerdd and the national Eisteddfod.

I was asked to compose a piece inspired by a traditional Welsh folk piece, and I decided to compose my own piece in response to ‘Morfa Rhuddlan’ for viola and Celtic Harp.

I’ve never composed something like this before so it was a wonderfully rewarding challenge and I loved being part of this event.

The link to the video is below and my composition features at 15:25.

We have started to release single cut videos from our live performance at Ratio Studios.

The first two are below. They are being released weekly.

To keep up to date with them, be sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel.

I went lane swimming in a pool for the first time in ages yesterday.

It was so good to get back to it, of course after such a long time due to the pandemic.

I used to swim 200 lengths a week when I was doing my undergraduate degree. It does wonders for musicians in terms of encouraging the health of your muscles and playing and I recommend it to everyone in general.

I did 80 lengths, sharing the lane with someone else and we were both courteous to each others, he kindly let me pass a few times and in hindsight, maybe I should have booked a fast lane!

Being underwater, seeing through goggles, hearing nothing but the water, moving your arms and legs, getting the rhythm of your breathing secure and feeling your muscles work through the water. Besides that, there is the coolness of the water as you are immersed in it, the bright sounds created in a pool environment and the relaxation of washing the chlorine off and a hot drink. I have missed it all so much and look forward to getting back into more of a routine with it.

I use my space as an opportunity to encourage everyone to get into swimming if you can, because in so many ways, it works wonders!

If you put through one foot in the door, how long is it before your full body follows?

This is a good question to ask oneself in relation to time and how you choose to spend it.

I was offered an exciting gig, and whilst my initial instincts would have led me to say yes because of money and opportunities, my further instincts and considerations drove me towards saying no, and I am glad I followed those feelings and stuck with my guns.

It’s easy to stay on a route once you are on it, if it offers certain things such as security. However, if this route is chosen at the expense of other desires, are you setting yourself a trap?

Not being able to have time for your own endeavours and initiatives can be frustrating, and it’s best to find ways to balance commitments so you can serve others needs as well as your own.

For myself as a musician, I have decided that as we move into the live scene, that I am not that interested in the cover gigs. I will happily do them now and again, but I cannot bring myself to do it every weekend for cash because in honesty, my true motivations lie in creating original works, and I would rather spend the time doing that.

Everything involves compromise, but I think it is good to not try to over-compromise yourself at the expense of your true desires and personal goals.

I love the fact that I’ve done so many collaborations with different people, many of which have involved online exchanges and in quite a few cases with people I’ve not met in person. It’s amazing that such a thing can happen with the internet.

However, there’s the other collaborative approach, one that involves a group in a room together. There you are in the moment, reading the environment, the situation and the possibilities together. This happened for me for the first time in a while.

If you are willing to thrash ideas out, compromise, be open to options, try things out, allow trial and error, laugh at the errors, and jump for joy at the immediate successes, magic can happen.

I’m glad to say that magic happened today with my group and there are a lot of exciting and creative opportunities going forward.

I’ve been at two events in the last week, both of which have been a bit more crowded and involved with people than I’ve experienced in a long time. The environment was also louder.

And whilst it has been lovely to see people together again, it’s also admitted been disconcerting.

I consider myself someone to be introverted. I can easily spend weekends on my own, in my own company, either entertaining myself with music, movies or a long cycle.

And when you’ve not done something for a while, it takes some time to get used to such environments again. The quietness of everything has especially been apparent and I really struggled with things being a bit louder again.

So as the world opens, and humans can get together and speakers blast louder again, I’d consider it normal to initially find it strange or even unsettling for the time being.

Prince had so much charisma when he was alive it was beyond belief. I would have loved to have seen him live. He hired killer musicians and put on a killer show and had that special electricity to just put raw energy and groove into everything he did.

The guy had an enormous work ethic and listening to the vault podcast about his writing process is awe inspiring. He produced a catalogue that is relentless and ambitious. He was quite shy in person and during interviews, but on stage, he had a persona that could grip entire arenas.

The way he plays guitar mind is tremendous. He’s got killer groove but he can also solo and make the guitar soar.

It’s great that his music and live videos have become more available. I think more of my generation needs to know his music.

My top Prince tracks:

I wanna be your lover

Controversy

1999

DMSR

Let’s go Crazy

When Doves Cry

Purple Rain

Sign of the times

Raspberry Beret