Alors...

Salut.

Last year Teenage Fanclub relocated to the south of France for 3 weeks to work on a new album. We ate cheese every day and I learned that a pinch of curry powder in your salad dressing gives it a wee sweet kick. And we recorded some music. Plans are afoot to finish up. Watch this space.

I like France. And I like collaborating. A while ago Harry Pye sent me lyrics for a song called "Sympathy For Jean Luc Godard" and inspiration struck. Harry also encouraged me to 'make some art' on postcards to go along with his drawings in order to make a video for the song.

Here's the video.

And here's our website - www.francismacdonaldandharrypye.com

Other stuff I have been up to lately:

* Motoring to Manchester to see Laura Cantrell live. Wonderful new album here. I think she liked the 'Auld Reekie' smoked cheese I brought along as a gift.

* Recording with two different people called Aaron. Crazy I know....

* Scheming with and for North Uist's own Julie Fowlis.  Brilliant new album here - Track 5 ("To Calum") might just tear your heart out...

* Scheming with and for The Vaselines...

*Scheming with and for Camera Obscura - who tour UK in May (Yay!). Info here

*Working on music for a BBC project...

*Making music for filmmakers...

*Watching some films. Two favourites spring to mind: "The Great Beauty" (particularly glad to have seen this one on the big screen) and "I Am Tom Moody". Off the top of my head honourable mentions also go to "Dallas Buyers Club", "Only Lovers Left Alive" and "The Zero Theorem". And you know me - I generally like to keep things positive here. But referring to "Monuments Men" as baloney would be a disservice to baloney.

When Camera Obscura tour the UK in May, support comes from Crybaby.  Here's why:

Toodle pip.

Harry Pye

As I type I have only had one telephone conversation with Harry Pye. We have never met.  But Harry has encouraged me to make original works of art and to contribute to a recording of a song sung by the great Neil Innes; we have written several of our own songs together, with which I am chuffed (one will be premiered with a video at an art happening in Denmark next month); and he has co-painted a picture of me meeting Michael Nesmith:

More will be revealed. For now here's a link to a blog post from Harry himself:

PS: films I have recently seen and enjoyed/appreciated: "The Act Of Killing", "Tim's Vermeer", "Vicky Christina Barcelona". Oh and it was pleasant being interviewed for this