Ma Hauns

Hello.

Jeez. Right?

I am trying to get out for regular, responsibly socially-distant jogs. (Recommended for physical and mental health). Yesterday (as I type) I was listening to BBC Radio 3 and they played this and I nearly started snapping my fingers and doing prancing high kicks:

But I never.

And then there's this:

I dug Quiz  (Michael Sheen as Chris Tarrant was a hoot).

I am digging Better Call Saul.

Modern Family continues to deliver.

And Limmy's Homemade Show is also worth a watch.

Gosh in terms of TV criticism - I could be the new Clive James.

I am also making my way through some shows by my favourite now deceased rapscallion.

• Floyd On France? Tick!
• Floyd Around The Med? Tick!
• Floyd On Spain? Tick!
• Next? Floyd In Italy...

They don't make 'em like that anymore.

My 11 year-old is getting on-board with Greg Jenner's Homeschool History.

Roman architecture! The power of faith! Negronis on the veranda! Celibacy! Seminarians playing football! If you missed Priest School (yes, yes, OK, you dragged it out of me - it features my music. Slap the cuffs on!) You can catch up here.

Oh - set the video! This is coming back! Sun 3rd May. 9pm. BBC Scotland.

The opening titles feature my theme music - an' ma hauns...

Btw - this seems like a worthy charity.

I ❤️ NHS. 

Stay safe. And try not to inject any bleach. x

There's A Hole In Daddy's Arm

Greetings, all. Hope we're staying safe.

So it looks like my chance to open for the great Robert Forster at the Strathaven Hotel in May has vanished. (Hopefully postponed as opposed to cancelled.)

Aww. It would have been a brilliant night but, well, some things are more important.

Meanwhile here's how Robert is spending his self-isolation.

Me? 

I've been passing the time various ways, eg writing some music for a well kent TV show about gardening.

Also listening to this gratefully-received masterpiece:

I've been watching Rick Stein's Long Weekends and Floyd On France (wasn't Keith Floyd brilliant?)...

...and Modern Family.

I need to catch up with Better Call Saul.

I gave Tiger King a go but I'm not sure it's for me.

I am reading this:

 

Historical fiction. Need to roll with it's tone. But I'm a-rolling with it.

"Priest School" featuring my music - he said bashfully - is on TV soon (a 3-part gaelic version went out over Christmas (remember Christmas?)):

I saw the late John Prine at The Fleadh, Finsbury Park in 2004. I was there playing with Laura Cantrell. Linda Thomson was along as a guest of Laura's and joined her onstage for "The Whiskey Makes You Sweeter". David Johansen was floating around too. I think he was in London for a New York Dolls reunion show. Anyway, John Prine was great. Especially when he sang "Sam Stone".

When I was at school - a good number of yonks prior to 2004 - I was co-opted into a folk group with my best pal, John McCusker. He wasn't my best pal then. First couple of times I met him I thought he was a precocious brat. But I digress. In order to boost our repertoire I learned John Prine's "Sam Stone" from an LP we had in the house called A Better Class Of Folk. Mike Whellans sang it with a kind of communal sing-a-long chorus that worked better than you might have guessed, given the nature of the song. I would have sung it with our band A Parcel O' Rogues ("I will never listen to this album again" -Mike Harding) when we played The Strathaven Hotel folk club back in the day.

"There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes..."

Farewell, John...