2013: Hitting the ground running

'Hitting The Ground Running' would probably make a really good opening track for a blues album, you know - New Orleans deep groove in the pocket kind of thing. Or maybe not, I don't know - I have a lot of ideas at the moment, there's a fair chance that quite a few of them aren't going to work. But it has been a slightly frantic start to the year after what could only be described as a bit of a slow Christmas. Don't get me wrong, it was lovely to see family, and friends who I haven't seen much of recently, and it's nice to eat lots, drink lots and sit in the freezing cold watching Cambridge United scrape a 1-0 win too - these things are tradition. Apart from perhaps the Cambridge actually winning thing. But even before 2012 was out I found myself in meetings about new projects, in long email conversations about ideas and plans that will eventually turn into something. Part of me fears I don't know how to relax, part of me thinks it's because I'm single and relaxing with friends isn't quite the same (although let's be honest, many hours were spent in pubs over the festive season), and part of me thinks relaxing is for those who are content and I'm certainly not that, yet. And also because I'm genuinely excited about the 12 months ahead, if I can pull off all of these new projects - and properly - 2013 will be amazing.

Anyway, I'm rambling, and that's never good for a first post of the year. In short though I'm working on a musical called, 'The Worriers' at the moment - it's a concept I've had ticking over for a while, and over Christmas I just felt the need to drop what I'm doing and start working on it as things felt a bit clearer about how it could work. I'm working my backside off on the script and lyrics at the moment, Martin White (who is now based in Australia) is writing the music and I'm really happy to work with him again on this (he's an incredibly good songwriter), and after a very successful meeting I now have my musical arranger of choice in the team - can't name her just yet until the project is fully up and running but she's awesome and I think this will work a treat. More soon on that, but it's scheduled to open in early September, going to need a reasonably substantial cast and quite a few singers for this one, do get in touch if you wanted to be kept in the loop from a professional point of view.

That feels like my most ambitious project to date - and back to the 'working with lots of people' thing - which is completely different to the other shows I have lined up to work on. This is mostly centred around the new Edinburgh Fringe show I'm writing, which will just be for Izzy Rees and myself, and I quite like the idea of it just being a duo show, gives us a certain amount of artistic freedom - we feel like we made a lot of mistakes at the fringe last year, but this year we'll rock it big style. I'm also incredibly keen to do more with my solo-ish show, 'Some Plays By Paul Richards' - the show really worked (by the end of the run, at least) and with a bit of tweaking and with a short third piece added I think it'll do me proud this year, and I've already learnt it which is a bonus. Part of me wants to do every fringe festival in the UK with this one (18 of them), but part of me is also aware that I've already missed the boat for one of them (in Cambridge, of all places) which is annoying but there's plenty of opportunities still. Obviously this show does involve a few lines for an actress, I've already discussed it briefly with Claudia (who played the role so brilliantly last time, but is also the busiest woman on the planet) and Izzy, tonight I'm at the birthday party for another actress who seems keen, and tomorrow I'm meeting yet another one to discuss future plans so there's a few options there. Ah yes, and there's also the radio sitcom, 'Technically Single' to nail ahead of the recording soon, and the fringe show for Louise Hamilton which is, structurally at least, coming together nicely.

Musically it's been great to be back in rehearsals with The British IBM - I've actually missed Aidy and Dave, we've got some gigs and stuff coming up this month, there's also gigs with Flaming June, Eureka Stockade and Trevor Jones, all of which I think I'll enjoy very much. Recording the new album with Eureka Stockade soon, and recording drums for the debut Dowsing For Sound EP, both of these releases are produced by Rob Toulson which gives me a great sense of comfort as he knows his stuff. I've also, as of today, started a new project with Alister 'the absolute genius' Bunclark - it's just the two of us at the moment, it could possibly stay that way as oddly enough the drums/piano thing works a treat. We go back many years and have such an understanding by now, the rehearsal today was a complete joy. Anyway, we're going under the name of, 'The Fabulous New Sounds Of Alister Bunclark And Paul Richards' and the album we're working on is called, '7 Years Tomorrow' - it'll all make sense soon, promise. Alister and myself are also hopefully going to be playing acoustic covers with Izzy, it was discussed briefly before Christmas and we're keen so that should kick into life soon.

Anyway, part of me fears that this year will be all talk and not enough doing, so best get doing something...