143153846 - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Born at a fairly young age in Birmingham, UK to a bakery wages clerk (sweet, sweet thing) and a travelling salesman (brutish bastard). Bad car accident with head injuries at 6 probably accounts for latterday brain-wrongs. Shone at English virtually from spermhood, so was a girly swot with matters of wordage from the off. Also fell big time before I could walk for the records around the house; as impossibly terrible as they were, it was a defining period. Traumatic childhood with the clerk and the salesman hurling grenades at each other in prolonged, all-out war. Further calamity in big kids' school when I learned, to my eternal joy, how girls worked. Downhill fast, somewhat distracted. Worked at Mum's bakery upon leaving with woeful grades, buying a second hand electric guitar with my first wage packet. Sold it a month later, shattered in the knowledge that fingers the thickness of soup cans do not Ritchie Blackmore make. Arsed about for many years working in Brum's record shops, finely honing a solid twattery routine of curry, lager, ice hockey and unfulfilling relationships. Moved to Brighton in 1987 and continued as was until I realised I'd moved there not to. Lost Mum, Nanny Madge and Uncle John in quick succession, leaving me the end of the line (which I shall remain). Worked for Virgin in Amsterdam, Belfast and Cardiff and wasted skip-fulls of money. Went travelling for a year in 1996 on the proceeds of Mum's house sale and kind of pootled along from depression to crisis until 2001, when I met HER: Susan, my incredible girl and wife since September 2003. Had and beat cancer a couple o' times: Ah, 't'was but a doddle. Finally found some sense in it all as a music writer, gig promoter, radio presenter and occasional DJ from 2000 - 2006, then decided to move to Canada shortly before our house burned down and forced our hand: Wa-hey! The Flames of Destiny! Arrived in Nanaimo, BC, December '06, despite vociferous local protests. What happened next remains to be seen, so it's handy there's a Profile Edit facility, or you'd never know ...

My Interests

I'd like to meet:

Sandra Bullock and Charlize Theron, naturally; Mikhail Gorbachev, Lech Walesa, Dame Helen Mirren, Paul Theroux, Michael Stipe (properly; I've smiled at him twice and he smiled back once), Kylie Minogue, Bill Clinton, Bill Murray, Hank Hill, Wayne Gretzky, Prince (or whatever the billy he's called these days), Chandler Bing, Will Self, Stephen Fry, Simon Pegg, John Simpson, Pele, Robert de Niro, Glenda Jackson, John Simm, Jessica Stevenson, Sally Phillips, Sporty Spice, Michael Palin and anyone with any workable ideas on how to sort out this mess...

My Blog

Blog Cabin 019: The Great Wasp War of Summer 2009

You could say my relationship with the creepy-crawly kingdom is somewhat strained. On the one hand, Im utterly fascinated by many of the behavioural and societal aspects of their world. Its difficul...
Posted by on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:55:00 GMT

Blog Cabin 018: Should We Talk About The Weather?

Although I hesitate to say it too loudly through fear of tempting fate, but I do believe spring could finally have arrived on Vancouver Island - or at least this bit of it. There are certainly a few c...
Posted by on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:14:00 GMT

Blog Cabin 017: Another Annual Music List Thingy

As far as my tastes are concerned, 2008 has been a vintage year for music. Its a very long time since I can recall so many albums released in twelve months that have seen me hopping up and down and/o...
Posted by on Sun, 21 Dec 2008 11:55:00 GMT

Blog Cabin 016: All I Want For Xmas Is A $7000 Hydro Bill

I'm feeling rather festive this year. My current profile picture may hint at this. But it's most unlike me. I don't really "do" Christmas. I have no kids and besides the in-laws and sister-in-law - al...
Posted by on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:47:00 GMT

Blog Cabin 015: A Random Memorandum

Hello dear subscribers and the wider world. Ive missed you. Howve you been? I do hope this finds you all boasting fettles most fine. So, Im currently on a break from working on the book while the ...
Posted by on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:04:00 GMT

Blog Cabin 014: Bad News For People Who Like Rad Views

I hate to disappoint my bewilderingly loyal subscribers and casual droppers-by alike, but this will (probably) be the last post for quite some time possibly up to a year. My plan was always to post ...
Posted by on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:06:00 GMT

Blog Cabin 013: How To Get Ahead(ache) In Advertising

"By the way, if anyone here is in advertising or marketing, kill yourself. No, this is not a joke: kill yourself. I know what the marketing people are thinking now, too: 'Oh, he's going for that anti-...
Posted by on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:08:00 GMT

Blog Cabin 012: Backslapping Update

There was a lot of interest in Blog Cabin 012, with messages of support from near and far. Thankings-a-plenty for that. Some of you seemed convinced I was standing alone, broadsword erect before t...
Posted by on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:38:00 GMT

Blog Cabin 012: Our Mother the Mountain

Amongst the factors dictating it was the place for us when purchasing our apartment last year was the view available from our living room and deck. Running the length of our apartment block, there's a...
Posted by on Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:34:00 GMT

Blog Cabin 011: The Great Christmas Leg Disaster

December 20th marked one year since Susan, (our faithful gib) Eddie and I landed betwixt bothered and bewildered on Vancouver Island to begin piecing together a new life. Uncertain of what might lurk ...
Posted by on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:19:00 GMT