My life away from Integra is a busy mix of family, music, travel and sport and the latter part of 2025 was no exception. 2026 looks set to continue in a similar vein.
Family wise, all is generally good. I am very proud of my all of our children and grandchildren but special mention here to daughter Carrie who successfully completed her degree – no mean feat in her spare time with a full time job and four kids to look after.
The grandchildren are growing up fast. The eldest, Georgia, has discovered the same love for travel that the FD and I have and has taken herself off to Crete, whale watching in Norway and Dublin in the last few weeks of the year – she has more adventures planned and will be celebrating her 20th birthday in January.
The second eldest, Ellie, is now working and looking at University options.
Talking of education, I was delighted to be asked, and to accept, becoming a Governor at Harefield Academy School. I look forward to playing an active part going forward.
The younger cohort of the family are enjoying life with sport fairly high up the agenda – two or three regularly join my son Tom and I at Watford games.
On the music front. I personally performed 39 gigs in 2025, mainly open mics but also some longer set support slots. I did five in the run up to December heavily promoting my charity Christmas single which went down well and added some more money to the charity coffers – than you.
I played at fifteen different venues
The New Inn in Maidenhead
The Thatched Cottage in Maidenhead
The Community Centre in Bourne End
Uncle Tom’s Cabin in Cookham Dean
Wycombe Arts Centre in High Wycombe
The Ostrich in Colnbrook
The Ivy House in Chalfont St Giles
The annual Feast Day event in Chalfont St Peter
The St Werberghs Centre in Chester
The Live Rooms in Chester
Blues at the Tropic in Ruislip
The Narrowboat Sessions in Ellesmere Port
The George Ale House in Great Missenden
The Chequers in Wheeler End near High Wycombe
The Drawing Room in Chesham
I already have 14 gigs in my diary in the first quarter of 2026.
The big news musically, as far as I am concerned is the completion of the recordings for my album that is currently in manufacture.
There will be a physical CD including a 4-panel digipack with a 16 -page lyric and information booklet. The CD and artwork is currently in production and scheduled for release in early March. It has 13 original tracks – 7 of which are not currently released or available on the streaming channels.
It will be able to be purchased via the Bandcamp platform as both a digital album (albeit probably with less tracks) and as the “full Monty” physical CD.
It will also be available directly from myself and I will be announcing details of pricing etc. shortly.
If you would be interested in reserving a CD, please drop me an email and I’ll contact you about pre-orders.
In November I took delivery of a new guitar – yes another one! – a Martin OM28e – a beautiful instrument that I had to get imported in by Guitar Guitar in Epsom. She looks, feels and plays like a dream and is my current “go to” instrument for both finger picking and strumming.
Having sold 207 pieces of Whitefriars Glass from our collection a few weeks earlier, the monies raised were almost pound for pound the same as the guitar so seems like a fair swap!
Since my last Communique newsletter, I have attended a number of gigs including seven Wishbone Ash dates on their UK tour (I played at the Ashcon event at the Live Rooms in Chester), Big Dez (I supported at the Blues at the Tropic), Mississippi Macdonald, the Nigel Bagge Band, David Sinclair 4 and Del Bromham.
In January, the FD and I will be attending Laurence Jones’ album launch in London and also travelling to Oslo for a short break where, coincidentally, Wishbone Ash happen to be playing! A perfect combination of holiday and music.
I will also be seeing the JFK Band, John Verity, Stray, The Proof with Paul Cox, The Big Wolf Band, Bad Influence and, as part of a short break in Liverpool, The Small Fakers at the Cavern Club.
As well as the aforementioned trips to Oslo and Liverpool, the FD and I will be travelling to the Italian Lakes in May and attending the Wishbone Ash convention (Ashcon) again in Chester in September.
We are currently working on the logistics of an autumn road trip to take in the Scottish islands of Arran, Mull, Islay, Jura and Skye – the trip potentially involves eight to ten ferries so timing would seem to be a crucial factor!
Finally, I can’t finish without mention of the mighty Hornets who, as I write have reached fourth spot in the Championship after a run of four straight wins and only one defeat in thirteen matches.
After a somewhat ponderous and inconsistent start to the season, the exciting and very young squad are really beginning to look decent under the leadership of Head Coach Javi Gracia.
If we have a sensible January transfer window – not losing any star performers and possibly adding a couple of players to bolster the options, I really feel we can (1) consolidate a play off slot and (2) possibly challenge for an automatic place.
Obviously it is always the hope that kills you but the current vibes are positive and strong!
