- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

This year has been so strange for me because of the many things that have happened.
Its been a year of rediscovering my love of running, swimming and songwriting. In April of this year when I was down in Largs for the weekend, i think that’s where my love of playing music was reborn and I started to redescover old songs that I wrote, it was also given me the goal to maybe get some sort of official release out of these songs, which is still forthcoming. It’s really hard to write a song and im still trying to find the best way to do it, but they only thing you need is the heart to do because that’s where writing comes from.

In the last year ive also started to teach guitar through many different organisations. I may not have made much money but ive learned so much about teaching music, and Ive also i feel enhanced my skills as a guitarist. Ive got to work with some great musicians and teach some inspirational students. Im still learning and not sure what im doing wrong or write but its an interesting journey im on, Not sure I can make a future out of it, but im going to give it a go. I’m also at the moment working closely with some local musicians to see how we can bring new projects to the area.

I’ve also in the last year took part in many running events. I don’t where ive got this burning ambition to take part in so many tough events. The only thing I can say it that ive loved evey minute of it. With my love of running I took it one further step this year in May when I ran my first marathon with a friend in May. I raised over £1000 for a charity that is very close to my heart multiple sroallis which I lost my dad from 3 years ago. I’m also glad to hear recently there has been a break through in the fight for a cure.

I’m feeling very physically and mentally fit than ive ever done before in my life. In the last year ive also grown a love for swimming which im doing daily, it gives you so much energy and freedom as running does as well. I took part in the first “Great Scottish swim” which was so much fun.

I’ve also this year been managing Glasgow band “Suspire” which has been a privilege to do so. It was always something I said I would never do but I decided to do it and ive not looked back. I truly believe this band can go places because they work hard and they love it.

I’ve also in the last year been gigging extensively across Glasgow which has been great fun. Its a great feeling to be playing my songs live and sharing my love for music along with many of the other acts ive played with. From songs “Travellin man” to” IL never forget” they all tell a story about my life. Ive also seen two acts that I always wanted to see, that being “Bruce Springsteen” and “Elton john” took great influences of mine. They were two of the best concerts ive ever seen

Over the next year I will hopefully be going travelling over America and back to Australia again. I’m hoping to also get an Ep out of my music with a future prospect of a full album.

Album Blog

The Album is taking a long time to record at the moment, due to some technical problems with my studio. I will hopefully get them resolved soon enough, and get the album finished. I have a burst of Creativity at the moment and im continute to write other songs. I have my 10 songs chosen for the album that im going to record. I have decided to place one of my finished songs on my music page, so you can all have a listen. This album has been a project ive been working on for the last few years. It’s taken a long time to try and find the right songs to record out of the ones ive written but i know ive made the right selection. The title of the album is going to be called "Old and Present friends". It felt like a positive title because the songs deal with loss and gain, so it’s almost a concept album. From the passing of my dad, from travelling, holidays to meeting new friends and losing friends its all in this album. It also features a new version of the first song I ever wrote, a very short song but I thought i place it in there. I had a dream long before I decided to record this, that it was going to be done in a relaxed way with no pressure and that’s why I decided to record it over a period of weeks so I didn’t get fed up with it. So I hope you enjoy the album and feel free to get in touch on what you felt about it. The album will hopefully will be finished in before Christmas 2009.

Album Tracks

1 There is no answer
2. Forever Alive
3. Wounds
4. The place i belong
5. Empty roon
6. Travellin man
7. The spirit of the song
8. Walking in London
9. Summer dream
10. Rockin all night long

Elton John at the SECC on the 10th June

When I think of songwriting partnerships many great examples spring to mind straight away, from Lennon and McCartney to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. However the standout combination for me is the genius of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. Sitting in the audience in the SECC on 10th June listening to Elton John perform I couldn’t help but wonder how they do it. The concert gave a great insight into not only a career which has spanned over 40 years but also into the songwriting partnership which made it all happen.He opened with the song "Funeral for a Friend" (love lies bleeding)", the opening track from one of his biggest selling albums "Goodbye Yellowbrick Road", which is one of my favourites. He then, along with his great band - many of whom have been with him from the start - treated us to classics from some of his biggest selling albums such as "Bennie and the Jets", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me"", "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" and "Sacrifice" as well as some of the more recent hits like "I Want Love". A personal highlight for me was the performance of "Rocket Man" which lasted 15 minutes and was a perfect demonstration of Elton John’s masterful piano playing. We had the privilege of being treated to an obscure track which you don't hear that often called "Skyline Pigeon", one of his early songs. As someone who writes songs I can say it’s truly a masterpiece.Elton John may be one of the biggest music acts in the world but he showed a very humble and down-to-earth side to him when thanking his support act Pearl and The Puppets, one of Scotland's great up and coming acts who are signed to his management company. He even returned the gesture of dedicating one of his songs to them as they did to him at the start. A further highlight for the audience was learning, as he introduced his band to us, that it was Scotland’s very own guitarist Davy Johnstone’s 2,000th show with the Elton John band! With a show lasting over three hours he treated us to classics from four decades and as he came on for his encore there was only one song that had to be played - "Your song " which helped launch him into superstardom.Out of all the acts I’ve seen he has to be one of the greatest and in my opinion Elton John is one of the great singer/songwriters of our time.