I am baffled as to how the brilliant Martin Stephenson has slipped through my net until now. He is the warmest and most sincere man you could ever meet and this pervades through his live set, Full of ad-libs and dazzling guitar improvisations, he is endlessly funny and moving all at the same time. His story of how he pulled through alcholism was very affecting to me. He seems full of light and compassion, not a trace of bitterness. We found we had a mutual friend in the late great Jackie Leven. Martin came up to me after my set and said that was like 1978, it had all the passion of that era, that's rare these days.. a great compliment indeed from a great man..

THE SET:

FORGETIFY / A YOUNG MAN'S DREAM OF REVOLUTION / MEMORY STONE / LIFE IS TOO KIND / NOW IS THEN / AMERICANTA

These three 30 minute sets were played in the space of five nights, New Bardon and The Artichoke being new venues to me. Each were feature sets on open mike nights. Though I couldn't extend and expand as much as on my full length sets I was able to vary each evenings songs and try new things. 'LIFE IS TOO KIND' got it's debut performances and from Moutlon onwards 'FORGETIFY' had an extra verse written that Sunday afternoon and included in the version just hours later. New Bardon is a former working mens club now a kind of bar/arts centre/sports facility with a full kitted our boxing gym opening soon. David there was very welcoming and made the atmosphere very positive, they are real music enthusiasts. 'A YOUNG MANS DREAM OF REVOLUTION' had an intro that paid tribute to Tony Benn, Bob Crow, Scott Asheton of The Stooges, Kazuo Yairi and L'Wren Scott and this was said at all three shows. 'SLOWER TURNING/ALMOST UNSEEN' played on a Yairi guitar signed by the man himself makes for a long open tuned (DADFsharpAD voyage into a psychedelic folk mode, it felt cool. The Artichoke was hard to find, dad and I got very lost down some dark rainy country lanes for about an hour or so, until we made it to Moulton and this beautiful vibey pub which was built in 1630. Stevie Jones ran the usual excellently organised Wildfire promtions production and the crowd were just wonderful listeners. 'LIFE IS TOO KIND' got it's first airing, it's a song I am very moved by and I think it will become a 'Hewick classic' - I do hope so.The Soundhouse was of course compered by soul brother Rhett Barrow. I had capo malfunctions and was on shakier form than the other two gigs alas. I had a real thing about not doing 'AMERICANTA' and/or 'BILLLION PEBBLE BEACH' at this, to be (as ever) different and take some risks. I leanred something on these shows and took in a lot of other music too. I wish I could be doing 33 like them not just 3.. it seems so crucial to be singing these songs, it's my all and my attempt to connect with audiences with something really meaningful and original..NEW BARDON COALVILLE 21.3.14REUNION BLUESA YOUNG MANS DREAM OF REVOLUTIONFORGETIFYSLOWER TURNINGALMOST UNSEENNOW IS THENAMERICANTATHE ARTICHOKE MOULTON 23.3.14LIFE IS TOO KINDFORGETIFYA YOUNG MANS DREAM OF REVOLUTIONNOW IS THENREUNION BLUESBILLION PEBBLE BEACHTHE SOUNDHOUSE LEICESTER 25.3.14LIFE IS TOO KINDA YOUNG MANS DREAM OF REVOLUTIONGARDEN OF BALLOONSFORGETIFYANOTHER JERUSALEM (EXTRACT)NEGOTIATIONS WITH GRIEFRAINBOW BODY