It's been a while since I've updated this properly (apart from the regular gig reports), but I'm now feeling a renewed sense of creativity after the inevitable post-Edinburgh/tour/Lodestar slump. Gig-wise things have been reasonably busy, I keep telling myself to perhaps free up some time and lose a band or two but every time I play live I genuinely enjoy myself too much and it would be impossible to let go of any of these projects. I do wonder though where the time will come from though for my new ventures, and there's a few exciting things in the pipeline.
On Friday evening I went for a particularly brilliant meeting with my mate Jon, I really can't say much more but in short I've accepted a business offer for an idea that could grow into something really rather special - both creatively and financially, it's a wonderful prospect and I'm flattered I've been approached to be a part of this. It does mean a fair bit of work though to be done by the end of January, I know I write quickly but this involves a lot of writing, but if certain industry types sign up (and there's a good chance they will by the sounds of things) this could really be the making of all of us. We'll see though, in the meantime though I'd best get the Red Bull lined up as manic times are ahead.
Last weekend I drove down to Bristol to meet up with Grace, an actress I met here in Cambridge a few months back when she took the lead in my short play, 'Probably The Greatest Goal Ever Scored' that was put on by WriteOn at the ADC theatre. I knew then that I wanted to write more for her - there's an energy about her that makes it very easy for a playwright, and her timing is spot on. We discussed lots of ideas, she initially called to suggest meeting up because she has ideas of forming a film production company (with her brothers and myself in mind), so we chatted about this in great detail and there's a real possibility something creatively adventurous will come out of this. We also went over various film and radio ideas I've had brewing for a while now and we instantly clicked on several of them, just from the initial plot suggestions she was suggesting great things and the more we discussed the more we realised we have much in common (both big admirers of the amazing sitcom 'Him & Her', the love of Christmas etc) so when she's back in Cambs next month we'll get straight down to filming, recording, stage shows, whatever we can squeeze in. I started writing a radio sitcom for this new collaboration last week, it's called 'Technically Single', I've bashed out two rough episodes so far and aim to have the other four done within the next few weeks. After that I went to a party with my legendary mate, Matt, who lives in Bristol, it was fancy dress, we got drunk, met some lovely people, I drove back the next day feeling more creative than ever. I've even booked up the cellar of CB2 for a Friday evening in November to try out some new stage material, most of which is far from ready at this stage, and I'm also meeting Izzy (who played 'Maddy' and other characters so wonderfully in our fringe show this year) next week to discuss all things Oscar Pike as she has some ideas for future development. Exciting times, but so much going through my mind it is stopping me get a decent nights sleep, but it'll all be worthwhile I reckon.
Christmas seems to be very much creeping up at the moment, I've co-written a song with The Prisoner Of Mars (also known as Bryan Shore) called 'I Just Want A Happy Holiday' - it sounds lovely now, big Phil Spector-esque production but also very lo-fi at the same time. We'll get a little video made for it and get it out in good time for the festive season, I just need to finish the lyrics for the b-side now. For the last three years I've put on Christmas shows in Cambridge ('On The 12th Day Of Alex', 'A Fairytale Of Bar Hill/Goldilocks And The Beanstalk' and 'Santa Claus And The Unfortunate Allegations/Dawn Palmer Just Wants To Be Lonely This Christmas') but I didn't enjoy last year's much at all and was planning a break. But it's Christmas, and as always, even though I said I wouldn't do another one, I'm so doing another one this year, especially as so many people (admittedly most of them being my regular cast) have asked me about it. I think the key for me here is that it has to be different - the reason why last year's show didn't work for me is because it was all a bit routine, time to push the boat out this time. The ideas are brewing, and it's an excuse to listen to merry tunes in September. There's also a chance that Helen Arney and I will be putting on a stageplay version of our successful yuletide album, 'It's Going To Be An Awkward Christmas, Darling' in December - we'll see, we're just waiting on the availability of our preferred London venue. If not, we've vowed to definitely do it next year. Either way, the mere thought of it excites me a lot. Christmas excites me a lot.
Currently watching: Him & Her - series 1 DVD, Blackadder The Third, Match Of The Day
Currently listening to: Slow Club - Paradise, Ben Folds - Songs For Silverman, the many entries to the Hunts Post song competition
Currently reading: The Masters Of Sitcom - From Hancock To Steptoe (by Christopher Stevens)
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