Return to Tandle Hill

Yesterday, me, my brother and my friends Kevin, Dave and Steve went up Tandle Hill which is on the outskirts of Rochdale and Oldham.

Some of you who know my band 'A Means to an End' know there is a song in our set called 'Tandle Hill' which is about when me and a girl (both 16) went missing up there (fell asleep on a bench) and had a lot of policemen searching for us.

These pictures were taken from the walk on the way up there and down, helping me relive my memories.

Thanks guys. I really enjoyed it.

Ocean in a Bottle - The End of Summer Part 1

The latest Piano EP by my Piano project Ocean in a Bottle is now available called 'The End of Summer'.

Available as a free download from here

Part 2 shall follow at the beginning of October

Clive James - last poem

Never been a huge fan of the TV legend growing up (I remember him most for Clive James on television growing up and hated it) but I have just found out he has terminal emphysema and this piece published in the New Yorker, it's being called James's last work. It's heartbreaking.... Have a read.. 



“Your death, near now, is of an easy sort.
So slow a fading out brings no real pain.
Breath growing short
Is just uncomfortable. You feel the drain
Of energy, but thought and sight remain:

Enhanced, in fact. When did you ever see
So much sweet beauty as when fine rain falls
On that small tree
And saturates your brick back garden walls,
So many Amber Rooms and mirror halls?

Ever more lavish as the dusk descends
This glistening illuminates the air.
It never ends.
Whenever the rain comes it will be there,
Beyond my time, but now I take my share.

My daughter’s choice, the maple tree is new.
Come autumn and its leaves will turn to flame.
What I must do
Is live to see that. That will end the game
For me, though life continues all the same:

Filling the double doors to bathe my eyes,
A final flood of colours will live on
As my mind dies,
Burned by my vision of a world that shone
So brightly at the last, and then was gone.”

Poetry Book giveaway

Yes. A poetry book giveaway.

As I am a in generous mood today and walked into Cathy's living room before
and saw the opportunity to take this picture of two cats which previously were
not on the best of terms shall we say, I thought I would share it and offer a copy
of one of my books (I will doublecheck with the winner what they have) to the
person who offers the best caption to go with this.

Email your answer to me on aen1mpo@yahoo.co.uk (Make sure you make it
caption for book competition in the subject to ensure I don't miss it).

Closing date - one week tomorrow 28 September 2014. 

Good luck.