Where's the foundation?

Perdifumo

2012-02-14T05:57:00.000-08:00

I've spent the start of the year holed up in the south of Italy avoiding the bad weather, with Maria and her lovely family. Looking after the grandma, sitting by the fire, learning Italian, writing songs and eating pasta. I'm also applying to festivals so I have something to do when the snow clears. That's all for now.

Houseconcert in Rome

2012-01-29T04:31:00.000-08:00

Really nice show in the della pepa's roman villa

Dolce king

2012-01-29T04:30:00.000-08:00

That man again

New years eve

2012-01-29T04:29:00.001-08:00

Simon and Oscar

2012-01-29T04:29:00.000-08:00

Christmas in England

2012-01-29T04:28:00.000-08:00

Jamming with my nephew oscar

Natale in italia

2012-01-29T04:27:00.000-08:00

The Troubadour Chronicles

2012-01-19T09:49:00.000-08:00

I have put my songs from the last couple of years on the road into one big album. Yes, one album. 110 songs. It's over 5 hours! So you might want to put it on when you have a quiet night... and then slowly fall asleep.

I'd like to thank all the musicians and producers who helped me make this - particularly Kevin Wesley William, Chris Leggerie, Andreas Langhorn, Patrick Fergus, Jasmine Wynants, Ro Halfhide, Emma Hill, Alec Genton, Rory Blahzl, Maria Rosaria della Pepa and Simon Wallace. And of course the people I met on my travels. People who inspired me, gave me a place to stay, and came to the shows. Without whom I wouldn't have anything to write about or anyone to sing to.

I've made it free to download so that money isn't a barrier to my music reaching you - but please make a donation if you can.

And if you get to the end of it, please let me know your top 12 tracks. I'd like to put out a more easily digestable 'Best of'. Buona fortuna!!!!

Photo by Judithdekker.nl

DOWNLOAD ALBUM

(There are 33 videos too. Click the links to view)

1. Every day's a joy (video)
2. Rise of the renunciate (video)
3. Debt train
4. IKEA
5. Dreams of plenty
6. Daytime TV
7. Mortgage on mind
8. Job applications
9. Cold cold world
10. Viva la revolucion
11. A cruel beginning to my decline and inevitable death
12. Work eat shit sleep
13. Dear shareholder (video)
14. City life
15. Soulseller
16. Every moment matters (video)
17. Killing the kids (Jamie Oliver Blues)
18. ADD (video)
19. Mother feeder and the homecoming kid (video)
20. The sorrow of Gaia
21. The stone age didn't end because we ran out of stones
22. The US economy
23. Another dead man in Afghanistan (video)
24. A day out in Detroit
25. The ballad of Jolie Holland (video)
26. The cabin song
27. Super easy classic rock (video)
28. Renee Vancouver
29. Mel Gibson’s mind
30. Mr Pleasure Man (video)
31. Ode to the lonely stoner
32. Eindhoven: City of light
33. Song to Woody (video)
34. Vanessa & Sebastian
35. Gay OK (video)
36. The art of conversation
37. Five years on (video)
38. Nick Helderman and the immortals
39. Dance for me
40. The waiting game
41. All-knowing girl
42. Girl with the perfect posture
43. The law of diminishing marginal returns
44. Why are they like the way they are?
45. My leaving was a long time coming
46. I want you to fail (video)
47. A journey (The Blair Crusades)
48. The end of the farce
49. Loneliness of the bank CEO
50. Gordon Brown Blues
51. Anywhere but here
52. After the Olympics has gone
53. The trial of toni terry
54. Tales at the end
55. Strange times
56. The obituary of Will Perrin
57. Nights like these
58. Sleep
59. Making my life too hard (video)
60. Bored in Camden (video)
61. Music for a mountain top
62. Peace of mind
63. Letters from a long arm
64. Athens' streets
65. On the train to Rome
66. The Italians
67. I didn't sleep so good (video)
68. The Marie Cubi House Band
69. Wifi? (video/video)
70. The water's on song (video)
71. Cold cure blues
72. Curse of standards
73. Oath of abstinence
74. TV in my mind
75. It is dangerous out there (video)
76. Oh Christchurch
77. Takaka hill
78. The city' s not the same without you (video)
79. The buskers (video)
80. Save the developers
81. The quoll
82. Maria (video)
83. Good life on the road
84. East timor song
85. Peace and love (video)
86. Under the stars (video)
87. Coffee lover (video)
88. Dumpster diving date (video)
89. Queensland rail
90. Troubadour (video)
91. Jailbait
92. Plastic sea
93. Dog's life
94. 34 years old and a birthday at sea (video)
95. Riportarla a casa
96. You can't say no to love
97. Sailing
98. I'm not sea sick, just sick of the sea
99. Gulf of Carpentaria
100. The model
101. The searcher (video)
102. Bad for good
103. Big fish, little pool
104. Liberate Libya (video)
105. Mohamed Bouazizi
106. Revolutions 2011 (video)
107. Letting go
108. Let there be light
109. Love is happiness
110. Son of a gun

I have to say I'm pleased with it! Of course I'd change a lot if I had time... but then I have the feeling I'll never get it out. Maybe I'll do some revised issues in the future. It's rough around the edges and I should re-record some of it, but as it is it has a nice story arc, and you can see how my playing changes over the travels, which would be lost if I re-recorded. And with the songwriting, the transition from sardonic to spiritual. I'm definitely a different person than when I started travelling... more interested in meditation, well-being and other people. I'm taking a break from travelling now because when you're on the road it's very difficult to be productive. I'm working on a new album about Ayurveda, have three film ideas, make some music videos, and want to apply to festivals. As well as trying to get some assistance from music companies to make life easier, so I'm putting some effort into that as well. As always you can follow updates on the blog or go back over the last 3 years if you really truly have nothing else to do!

I toured Europe, North America, New Zealand and South-east asia. There's still lots of places still to go and all to go back to. Here's a map of the chronicles (people who've visited me, not people I've visited) with website hits for last year:

Christmas album

2012-01-14T14:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!! I hope you had a Merry Christmas. I was in the South of Italy with my girlfriend's family for my first Italian Christmas. It was an experience! They know how to get it on. One big singalong.

Then I had my second musical Christmas, coming over to England on 28th for another Christmas dinner and another jam. With my brother Simon this time, who was visiting from the States. He's a fantastic harmonica player and has already played on lots of my albums.

For this year's Christmas album I recorded a few of the songs I played at shows in 2011. Simply, on the laptop with Simon. It's just a bit of fun. Hope you enjoy them.

1. Love is the drug - ROXY MUSIC [2:08]
2. Dancing queen - ABBA [2:14]
3. Live it up - MENTAL AS ANYTHING [1:50]
4. Rawhide - NED WASHINGTON [2:06]
5. Work song - NATHANIEL ADDERLEY, OSCAR BROWN JR. [3:52]

FREE DOWNLOAD

I've nothing planned for this year. Let's just see what happens. I'm sure good things will come. I hope for you too!

Perdifumians

2011-12-25T07:20:00.000-08:00

Midnight mass

2011-12-25T07:19:00.000-08:00

When in Rome, do as the Catholics do.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T07:18:00.000-08:00

Season's greetings to everyone around the world! It's been an amazing year. I met amazing people and have enough memories to last me a lifetime. Thank you to you all!

I'm in the south of Italy near Salerno with Maria and her family for a real Italian Christmas. The sun is shining, the pasta is bright and the pope is on TV. They're mad for the nativity here. Every house has a scale model of the Jesus and Mary show. I was in Napoli a few days ago and there's a whole street that sells just nativity kits. It's a real industry.

It's nice to kick back and take a break from travel and music. After the last show in Germany I went via Amsterdam to Gent to watch the 6-day cycling for my father's 65th. Then lost my passport in Brussels (travel stamps and all) and had to go back to England to get a new one. Then Salerno for a week, Amsterdam for a week, and then back here. It's to england on Wednesday for another Christmas (my brother's back from Austin with his family to) and new year.

Next year I have zero planned, which is a great feeling. Just the chance to explore the interests I've collected on my travels. There's a new Buddhist temple in Rome with a retreat going on so I can sit still there for a week. Whatever makes you happy hey ;)

And I've found an Ayurvedic doctor in Rome where I can get a Panchakarma for another week. It's expensive but worth it. I have become obsessed with ayurveda and spend all my time reading textbooks about it. It's like discovering the musical scales of life when before I'd been tapping random keys.

Cologne

2011-11-22T06:19:00.001-08:00

The after-party downstairs in the kitchen after a lovely show last night in Cologne. Elke hosted me and did a fantastic job. A great end to my German week.

Waltrop

2011-11-22T06:18:00.001-08:00

David hosted me in the community house he lives in on a farm outside Dortmund. A lot of people made it out to the middle of nowhere. Thanks for coming!

Essen

2011-11-22T06:17:00.001-08:00

Maya was my host in Essen for one of the best shows. They all spoke excellent English and it went down really well.

Duisburg

2011-11-22T06:16:00.000-08:00

Friday was a real party in Duisburg. A student house with great people hosted me.

Geldern

2011-11-22T06:14:00.000-08:00

Thursday was in Geldern in a small bar. Not many folks but those that came were lovely.

More house concerts this week

2011-11-15T09:12:00.001-08:00

All in Germany. Send some friends down if you can. I'll send you the addresses if you ask.

17th (Thur) - Geldern (at the Dorfkrug)

18th (Fri) - Duisburg

19th (Sat) - Essen

20th (Sun) - Waltrop

21st (Mon) - Cologne

Collaborative track

2011-11-12T07:15:00.001-08:00

I put guitar and vocals for a new track online here:
http://kompoz.com/p/28272
If any musos want to add some music on top that would be great.

Rome

2011-11-11T01:58:00.001-08:00

Back with the extended family in rome. Turbulent times in Italy though. Let's hope the bastards gone for good this time.

Hannover

2011-11-06T04:30:00.000-08:00

Another big crowd last night. 50+. I've been lucky to get such good organizers. Claudia and her two kids did a fantastic job putting it together. They're hosting house concerts every two months now. Addicted. Theyre so organised. Germany, you've got to love it. Although I think I did too much banter and too many lyrical songs last night because even if you speak good English it's still hard to catch everything as the words come flying by. It would be nice to have a bit of a band with me, drums and double bass would make it more about the music than the lyrics.

2nd night in Bonn

2011-11-05T08:09:00.000-07:00

Bonn was a treat. So nice to play without having to change towns, and to not have to leave the same living room was even better. Shows are two sets of 45 minutes and I did all different songs the second night so katrin had something new to listen. I have so many songs now, I could have done a third and even forth night if I practiced my back catalogue to remember ones I've long forgotten. 300+ songs now. The only downside is I feel less of a need to write new ones, although I did come up with one about bob diamond, the barclays ceo, and played that with katrin on piano.

Bonn double bill

2011-11-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

First of two shows in Bonn last night, the same living room. Katrin is an old friend and a formidable organizer. 30 people last night and more tonight. Hanging out in the daytime, visiting in the hospital and baking in the afternoon.

Jamming with the flatmates

2011-11-03T11:44:00.001-07:00

Jackie, Philip and Johannes on the ukes.

Kaiserslautern

2011-11-03T11:43:00.001-07:00

A fantastic show with 40+ people. An orchestra and a choir, unfortunately they didn't all play along. It's a big technical university town and lots of smart people there. Really a show to remember. Thanks so much for Johannes and flatmates for fixing it up. See you next year!

Zurich

2011-11-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

Zurich was wonderful last night. A big thanks to everyone who came down and susanne and family for hosting at the last minute. I didn't play on the stairs. It was just for the after-party. All the shows this week are through couchsurfing and if they're all as good as this then it's going to be a great week. I'd forgotten how beautiful Switzerland is. With the leaves changing. Quite breathtaking!

And the food

2011-10-27T12:50:00.001-07:00

Rome

2011-10-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

Back to the sights and sounds of italia

99%

2011-10-24T02:56:00.000-07:00

I played two songs live before the march. A great atmosphere! Power to the people

The people

2011-10-24T02:55:00.000-07:00

The Bellbines

2011-10-24T02:54:00.001-07:00

Occupy!

2011-10-24T02:54:00.000-07:00

Temple Diez

2011-10-24T02:52:00.000-07:00

Very atmospheric Amsterdam band www.templodiez.com

Pageturner

2011-10-24T02:49:00.000-07:00

Wicked event last Thursday in the Pakhuis Wilhelmina. Ottoboy here in his duo phase

Dinner

2011-10-19T04:49:00.001-07:00

Thanks Erik and Roos for dinner last night. They even let me hold their baby.

Ad hoc

2011-10-17T03:36:00.000-07:00

I played with Ad Hoc, an excellent swiss duo from winterthur.

Back in Amsterdam on Wednesday

2011-10-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

I'm on the radio www.amsterdamfm.nl live at the main library on Wednesday afternoon from 3pm to 5pm and then a house concert at Celebesstraat in the east of Amsterdam at 8pm. If you'd like to come along please email Marike Knaapen at info@stadsgiraffe.nl

Imparando

2011-10-06T06:20:00.000-07:00

Up and away

2011-10-06T06:19:00.001-07:00

Balloons

2011-10-06T06:19:00.000-07:00

Paestum

2011-10-06T06:17:00.001-07:00

Man with laptop

2011-10-06T06:17:00.000-07:00

Either a smart worker or a Facebook obsessive.

Another day another cake

2011-10-06T06:15:00.001-07:00

Maria's mum and dad

2011-10-06T06:15:00.000-07:00

Clara and Nicola

Perdifumo

2011-10-06T06:14:00.000-07:00

I'm in the south of Italy with maria's family. It's really beautiful down here. The food, the wine. Lots of eating. It's like Hari raya but I prefer this food. I'm even learning Italian, slowly.

Heading south

2011-10-06T06:12:00.000-07:00

Roman dining

2011-10-04T03:38:00.001-07:00

Francesco

2011-10-04T03:38:00.000-07:00

Maria's cousin's a character! Baked us a welcome home cheesecake. Buonissima!

Back in the UK

2011-09-30T02:20:00.000-07:00

For my mum's birthday. Ah!

Breakfast Malaysian-style

2011-09-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

Back to Hari Raya

2011-09-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

We met up with Mokhtar and co in Kuala Lumpa and they're still eating at Hari Raya parties!

Kuala Lumpur

2011-09-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Rusty

2011-09-21T03:15:00.000-07:00

We sold our beloved tandem in Phuket. A sad moment. I've been reading a lot about Buddhism in Thailand so that makes it easier. Knowing that none of this actually exists and it's just suffering makes it easier.

Bus to Hat Yai now and tomorrow KL.

Last ride

2011-09-21T03:12:00.000-07:00

More jamming

2011-09-19T21:58:00.001-07:00

Offerings

2011-09-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

Sightseeing

2011-09-19T21:57:00.002-07:00

Locals

2011-09-19T21:57:00.001-07:00

Locals

2011-09-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

Taj at work

2011-09-19T21:56:00.001-07:00

Beautiful home he designed himself

Onstage in the Rocking Angel

2011-09-19T21:56:00.000-07:00

Backing band at an impromptu show

Not too shabby

2011-09-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

Learning Thai cooking

2011-09-19T21:53:00.001-07:00

Home cooking

2011-09-19T21:53:00.000-07:00

Chinese breakfast Thai style

2011-09-19T21:52:00.001-07:00

Taj and Chom

2011-09-19T21:52:00.000-07:00

For the past week almost we've been staying with Taj and Chom in Phuket. A really lovely couple who've looked after us so well.

They're both architects but don't dance much. And have travelled extensively in India and China and have great travelling stories. It's been a blast.

Made it down

2011-09-16T21:41:00.002-07:00

Slower going down

2011-09-16T21:41:00.001-07:00

Tiger temple

2011-09-16T21:41:00.000-07:00

Worth the climb. We got up there before the sunrise at 6. The exercise for the day done before breakfast.

Sunrise at Tiger Temple

2011-09-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

Stunning coastline

2011-09-14T00:23:00.000-07:00

Trang jamming

2011-09-12T20:26:00.006-07:00

Botanical gardens

2011-09-12T20:26:00.004-07:00

Locals

2011-09-12T20:26:00.003-07:00

Knotted

2011-09-12T20:26:00.002-07:00

Canopy

2011-09-12T20:26:00.001-07:00

Not good for my vertigo

Waiting out the waves

2011-09-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Tour guides and diving instructors waiting for the waves to stop and the season to start next month.

Today's root

2011-09-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

Go west. That's all we know

Trang

2011-09-11T04:51:00.000-07:00

We're in Trang now. Mid-thailand. The whole countries under-water judging from the news.

We hitchhiked with rusty from phattalung, over the mountain pass in the back of a van in the pouring rain, and got dropped off in the local mall, which are identical the world over. Just dried off and then Maria knocked her coffee over and it went on her legs and she was badly burnt. We couldn't get any help in the mall and ended up in hospital as she was in such pain. After that we got a tuktuk to the cheapest hotel, which turned out very nice. €3.80 per night by the station. You can live cheap in Thailand!

We just had a lazy sunday watching the rain.

Spices

2011-09-11T04:46:00.001-07:00

Blending in

2011-09-11T04:46:00.000-07:00

Trang Market

2011-09-11T04:45:00.002-07:00

Sunset

2011-09-11T04:45:00.001-07:00

Wat

2011-09-11T04:45:00.000-07:00

Templetastic

2011-09-11T04:44:00.001-07:00

Pattalung

Thai train

2011-09-11T04:44:00.000-07:00

Beach cabin

2011-09-11T04:43:00.001-07:00

Perentian islands

2011-09-11T04:43:00.000-07:00

After Hari Raya all the locals advised us to go to the nearby perenthian islands, an hour off the coast by bone-jarring speedboat.

We found a cheap cabin for 30 ringit (about €8) and after volleyball laid on the beach for three days. Which wasn't as nice as it sounds, as we were both sick from the heat. On the last day we managed snorkelling and were glad we came. The coral was teeming with life and we were surrounded by fish.

After the island we cycled north back to Kota bhura. Then another day to just near the thai border. We almost made it but thunderstorm struck. We have a small window of riding, as we can only start at 4pm because it's too unbearably hot, and then thunderstorms kick in around 6. In the morning it's boiling by 8.

Across the border next day we got the train north to better countryside and cooler weather. We hoped.

First cut

2011-09-04T22:10:00.002-07:00

Baby christening Muslim style

Ceremony

2011-09-04T22:10:00.001-07:00

Hari Raya

2011-09-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

Hari Raya was an experience. After a month of daylight fasting they celebrate by eating in each other's houses. It's congestion on the roads and indigestion in the stomach for around 7 days. They eat non-stop. Taking it in turns to host. Visiting family members they only see at this time of the year, and then seeing them again and again in different houses as each does the same circuit. Some host with a speciality dish, others with sweets, depending on the time of day, so their is some variety.

Mokhtar and his family were our very kind hosts for four days. He lives in KL but keeps the family house here on the north east coast for these occasions. It was his grandson's christening (insert islamic word here) and he had to have a goat sacrificed. It was in the early morning so we were spared the sight. Although in the main he is at odds with this extremely conservative society. He even used to have a dog, which is frowned upon.

The people of this province have voted in an Islamic council and live without much of what they have on the West coast.

There is no alcohol allowed but there is a drugs problem and many roads have speed bumps to stop the kids motorbike racing, as there have been many deaths. But there is little else for them to do. No bars or clubs or even cinemas.

Music is discouraged too. When I played at the Ramadan bazars I would have been the first time some people had heard live music.

The religious leaders believe that this life should be a preparation for the next and free from all distractions.

When we were busking, a few times, those dressed like priests would come and stare at us for a long time, circling, thinking, and then put money in the hat.

It made me think about coming back next year with a band on the back of a flatbed truck and put on a real show, touring the circuit of bazars. The hotels are empty this time of year. It would need a bit of sponsorship to cover the costs. Maybe if I did it officially it would cause problems though.

The idea of travelling with a band and a truck with a sound system appeals to me though. Playing shows for the people who are without. Busking goes part of the way but a band is a show.

Thunderstorms and cycling

2011-09-01T21:08:00.000-07:00

We're still making our way up the east coast of Malaysia. There aren't many people and not much to see but we knew that. It's nice to have some more of the earth to ourselves after java and Singapore, which were taken.

The monsoon season isn't for another month but the thunderstorms are starting. They come around 4pm. We didn't learn our lesson until the second time. Now we will ride in the early morning.

Yesterday we were still riding at 6 looking for a homestay and got caught in a torrential downpour that was going to last all night. We sheltered in a bus stop with some locals who gave us directions to a nearby resort. We made a dash for it before it got dark and got soaked to the skin. Today we ride in wet clothes. they should dry off pretty quick.

There aren't many homestays along here, just a lot of unfinished or closed resorts. I don't know the story. It's even hard to get food for breakfast or lunch because of ramadan.

Only a few days left of this episode of the tour. Ramadan ends soon with the hari raya festival, then we'll cross into Thailand, then we'll head to the west coast to avoid the storms.

Beach cabin no.9

2011-08-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

The crystal mosque

2011-08-28T18:37:00.000-07:00

Snacking with Andrew

2011-08-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

Our great host in tengannui

Maria gets a new dress finally

2011-08-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

Night by the beach

2011-08-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

Ramadan busking

2011-08-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

New looks

2011-08-24T05:28:00.000-07:00

Polyester. Steamy.

Mesing

2011-08-24T05:25:00.000-07:00