2 May 2012
So, tomorrow I fly out to Ireland for leg two of an acoustic tour that will take me all the way from trendy Dublin to the deep, green South of County Wexford. We have family there so this is more than just a musical visit; it'll be home from home, the burgeoning heart of my musical soul and a bloody good knees-up to boot.
I'll be playing five venues in three days, twice at one in Dublin on Friday night. I swore to a few people and promoters that I'd be going back, armed with an acoustic after the band played over there last year and so this will be the fulfilment of a promise as well as an excuse to see some friendly faces and get out of the big smoke for a while.
I shall probably find time to post one or two things while I'm away but shall not be my regular, semi-reliable self for the next week or so. In lieu of this, I've spent today posting some "golden oldies" including the final part of my trilogy, 'The Cradle, The Palace, The Grave'.
I have one more for you all tonight in the form of a celebratory poem. I wrote it at the start of the recession in 2008 when I was laid off from the editorial department of a large, London based publisher/magazine during cutbacks. Things were pretty tight at the time but I had love if nothing else, living out of a single room in a derelict house near Earls Court. That scrappy, easy come, black-eye-go love took me through a really bad patch and so, I'll put it out there for you all to look and gander at. I dedicate it to you - all those down and out, out and down; all those who've fallen on hard times; all those fallen in and out of love; to everyone who doesn't think they deserve what they want so very badly. This is for you. I call it, 'Gin and Chips'.
Have a great week,
Jon. x x
02.05.12 • Opuss № I