If I may begin with a rant. It's just taken my PC four and a half minutes to open Microsoft Word. I calculate that, by the time I reach my four score years and ten (bloody hell, that's only 18.5 years away) I will have spent 6.74 of them staring vacantly at a computer screen, waiting for the little hour glass icon to disappear.

That's almost enough time to make an album! So if you're wondering where my next collection of ditties is, ask Bill Gates.

Anyway, what have I been up to?

Well, the year began with a couple of warm up solo acoustic gigs and a tour of Denmark. Anyone who's experienced one of my acoustic shows will know that there's a fair amount of mindless blathering involved and I was slightly concerned as to how the Danes were going to take to my banter, especially considering that the national tongue of the country is, in the main part, Danish.

I need not have worried. The audience's grasp of English was significantly better than my own and they laughed in all the right places (and a few extra places for reasons still unknown to me). Indeed, it was a shame I had to interrupt proceedings occasionally whenever I felt the need to sing a song!

In late March I joined my peers for a couple of 'Here & Now' gigs in Zurich and Dortmund. It was my first encounter with August Darnell (Kid Creole) and his delightful Coconuts. What an entertainer the man is, a true gentleman and professional (although I do question why he named his fine backing vocalists so? The Coconuts were not hard, hairy or difficult to get a drink out of!).

Then round and around the M25* and up and down the M1* several times with my acoustic guitar and trusty faux leather stool. It was great to see everyone at these gigs and hope to see everyone else during 2010.

* For those not resident in the UK, the M25 and M1 are two of the main motorways in the country. These picturesque thoroughfares are notable for their stunning display of cones throughout the year. Travellers often get the chance to linger a while in their stationary vehicles to take in the medicinal carbon monoxide fumes and watch the colourful natives in their Hi Vis jackets and hard hats eat bacon sandwiches.

We managed to get away for a short break to Cyprus at Easter to visit Sarah's 47 cousins. I'd never been before and was surprised and delighted at how green and pleasant it was. (Just a small tip for anyone thinking of visiting this lovely Island. Look out for a substance called Zivaneer. It's a colourless liquid suitable for fuelling motor vehicles and removing paint from pine dressers. Bizarrely, the Cypriots seem to enjoy drinking the stuff.)

May saw me in Germany. My last band gigs were in 2001, so I was really looking forward to revisiting old friends. It was a short and sweet adventure but highly enjoyable none the less. Sarah acquitted herself admirably on her first extended outing as 'tour manager'. Her recent experience in dealing with small children came in very handy. The band (Paul, Bob, Simon & Adam) and the crew (Biffa, Darren & Chris*) were in top form and tour bus shenanigans were much in evidence. The shenanigans were accompanied by infantile japes and mindless derring-do. Sometimes it's good to act your shoe size!

* Chris was to leave my employ some weeks later citing the old 'I'm playing drums with Florence And The Machine' excuse.

On the 20th June, I wedded my 'tour manager'. At Chelmsford Magistrates Court (Oh, the romance!) and in front of our nearest and dearest, our troth was well and truly plighted. Much feasting, supping, dancing, joy and merriment ensued. The result was a memory I will cherish forever. Posh and Becks sent their apologies (although they weren't invited).

The summer months brought the festivals. Of note were the German date with Rod Stewart (I've never seen rain like it); 'Here & Now' at Ascot racecourse (I've never seen so many well dressed drunk people in one place).

But the highlight of the summer (for me) was Fairport Convention's Cropredy Festival. I'd always thought that this festival was mainly patronized by persons of a folk music persuasion, and I was understandably reticent about how I would be received. I'd made the mistake (a couple of months earlier) of visiting the Cropredy forum and had noted some of the more negative contributions regarding my imminent appearance. I'm all for freedom of speech and believe that Mr Angry of Tonbridge Wells is entitled to his opinion, but I do feel that performing that particular act with a synthesizer would render it virtually unplayable.

Armed with these thoughts, I entered the stage and threw myself upon 20,000 people's mercy. I was rewarded with the biggest group hug I've ever had. I haven't stopped smiling since. My thanks to Ric, Dave and all the Fairport Convention family.

A quiet Autumn gave me time to concentrate on the solo acoustic album ('No Frills' - coming soon - I promise). I'm not sure which law it is (Murphy's, Sod's or Newton's) but the amount of work expands in order to fit the time available to do it, regardless of whether that's knocking a nail into a wall or building a ship. If you have a week to do a days work, it will take a week.

So, in the absence of any A&R interference or marketing deadlines, an album that should have taken a few weeks, seemed to be taking forever. I decided, therefore, to set myself a date, after which something dreadful would happen if it were not all done and dusted. I determined that, if it wasn't finished by October 1st, my entire collection of celebrity toenails would spontaneously combust.

Alas, the final mix wasn't completed until November 10th. So, although much of the collection remained in tact, British comedy actors from 1946-1965 was decimated (does anyone have a spare Norman Wisdom?).

Having negotiated the hurdles, there was the final straight to deal with (mastering, cover design, pressing etc). As I've only been making records for 26 years, this caught me completely unawares and delays with artwork and the vagaries of MCPS licensing meant that the good people at ShortHouse Records were unable to get copies off to Santa in time for Christmas.

Rest assured that 'No Frills' will be available early in the New Year, in time for somebody's birthday!

Thank you (yet again) for your patience and have a great 2010.

Happy New Year!
Nik x