S*T*U*F*F* Reloaded

I’m sitting here in as close to silence as you can get in London, sipping a Knockando Scotch whisky, courtesy of my great friend and business partner Neil in New Zealand. I can’t even remember now why he deemed it necessary to dispatch the bottle my way, but there you go. I don’t drink on Mondays or Tuesdays, so Wednesday is the first chance to have any alcohol - a good enough reason to have something nice.

Its been brilliant over the past few days - people downloading the record, giving me their thoughts… and many donations, which has quite literally astonished me beyond belief. I am going to make a point of replying personally to everyone who donates - without cutting and pasting.

I have to say, as I have in many of my emails to the contributors, that the feeling of getting a donation is much better than that induced by a sale. You just know that the person at the other end has seen that the record is free, yet decided to pay something. I’ve had everything from £1 to £15 but to be honest, the amount is not important - it will go straight into making more work or pushing “Sayonara” - I just get a warm feeling brought on by the knowledge that they have chosen to pay.

I’m working away on the site, thinking of new ideas and trying to engineer some proper hardcore stuff - like a map-based review system, remixing tools, stem downloads, the thanks page and a few other bits and bobs besides. I just can’t find the time I need to do everything.

I submitted a new mix of my track “Happytown” to Apple today (to a rousing reception), as they’re going to use it in a big Logic Studio demo programme that’s rolling out in the UK in September. I have to go along and take part in the demos, playing some guitar and talking a little about Guitar Rig for Native Instruments. Should be fun.

BORING WINE BIT FOLLOWS… I had a wave of madness a couple of weeks ago and started to clear the cellar, drinking all the wine I have amassed over the past couple of years. Nothing was safe, and its been a wonderful time! Chateau Phelan Ségur ‘04 was good, Chateau Beau-Séjour Becot ‘01 even better, but a 2003 Chateau Kirwan on Saturday night was the highlight - absolutely marvellous - left us reeling with every sip. I have only a couple of bottles left (apart from some I have in a cellar in Devon somewhere) and then I start all over again… there’s a nice Grant Burge “Meschach” from the Barossa Valley and a 2004 Faiveley Nuits-Saint-Georges which is reserved for Foy Vance when the two of us finally get to sit down for an evening.

Right - off to enjoy the last drops of this golden nectar…