A slightly quieter week last week, I did the open mic at The Yorkshire Rose, Guiseley on Thursday night. I played 'Your Shadow' and 'These Eyes Of Mine' and also continued to play some recently learnt covers: 'Learning To Fly' (Tom Petty&Heartbreakers), 'Rosie' (Jackson Browne-what is that song about I wonder??), and 'How Long' by Ace. I play all the latest hits!

Speaking of Ace, Paul Carrack was back at the Ritz Ballroom Friday night, and I was there having fun again watching one of my all-time favourite singers/keyboard players in my home town. Nobody comes to Brighouse. It's hardly surprising, most people are trying to get away from it. But for the past 10 years one of my idols brings his fantastic band and they bring the house down. A gig at The Ritz is always an experience, it's straight out of the 1960s, I just wish more artists would play there. This year the dance-floor was packed, and he played quite a lot of new material which is hard as people don't really know the songs. I was quite merry by the end and couldn't resist getting Lindsay 'no dream impossible' Dracass' autograph! She was after all Miss Eurovision 2004!

Sunday afternoon featured the return of the Paul Jeffery Band to The Railway at Berry Brow, Huddersfield. One of our fondest venues from 2007 (we missed last year as the pub was up for sale) was back on form again. It's just about the smallest playing space imaginable and it took a while to fill up, but by the last set (of 3) we had people's attention and as before the original tunes shone through. 'Whiskey Coloured World' was outstanding I thought. Scores a 7. (nb: I'm not rating open mic nights).

So it's onto another crazy week, 3 in 3 nights with the band, 16,17,18 January. Please check the listings. More and more bookings seem to be coming in at the moment.

The Paradise Street album 'Catharis' is totally finished and I'm now printing the complimentary copies (no, you can't have one!), and then it's ready to be distributed to the States from whence it will be digitally distributed to Itunes etc... Will it top previous records of $2.66??!