Archive

Entries from 2026

2026 is the year of the Horse

Bla

April

30 Early swifts

Note Three soaring above at 7pm today, 30th April—much earlier than usual. Previously: 2025, 9th May (but I’d been away for the preceding week); 2024, 7th; 2023, 7th; 2022, 11th;  …

28 A week on the moors

Article I’ve just spent a week in a beautiful converted barn on the edge of Saddleworth. Nothing restores my positivity quite like being alone on the wild Pennine moors.

28 Happy 15th, Beyond Tellerrand!

Note My favourite conference is celebrating its 15th year right now in Düsseldorf. I’ve attended several times, both on my own and with Geri, and it’s an event that means a lot to us …

02 England 0-1 Japan

Note Arriving just as the sun aligned with the roofline. I’ve been to Wembley Arena many times for gigs, but I’d never been inside the iconic Wembley Stadium next door. On Tuesday …

March

29 Recent gigs and talks

Note Torn Sail at Squire PAC; L-R: Jim Baron, Henry Claude, Huw Costin, John Thompson and Jeff Davenport. John Newling at Beam, 19th February. I’ve known renowned artist John for many …

27 Return to Tokyo, Part 3

Article Days 11 to 15. We celebrated a retirement, caught beans for good fortune, and spent three Perfect Days ticking off favourite places and stores.

20 Return to Tokyo, Part 2

Article Days 6 to 10 brought several trip highlights, including an outstanding café, trippy outdoor bathing in Karuizawa, and a perfect few hours at Sakamoto Library.

16 Return to Tokyo, Part 1

Article I’ve split my summary across three posts, and this roundup details the first five days. Highlights included lots of sumo, a studio session, and getting to know Ryōgoku.

15 Weird switches

Note Another time-consuming but deeply rewarding home repair. I love my 43-year-old Technics SU-Z15 amplifier far too much to replace it, and I’ve no excuse when there’s a detailed …

February

07 Tokyo music haul

Note I’ve just returned from my third trip to Japan — my first in almost eight years. I have some general notes and photos to post when time allows. In the meantime, here’s the music …