I have become obsessed with finding Photo booths in London.  There are hardly any left these days and there’s even an 0845 number to find your nearest one.  I did not use this number but rather I tried to google because I needed to find one for someone else.  In the end I started investigating.  Here are photographs that are not acceptable pictures.

I ended up in Victoria station at 11pm at night losing my temper with the ‘Photo Me’ booth.  I was trying to apply my make up and the really annoying automated voice would not stop.  She would not stop.  When I eventually got my change out it kept coming out of the machine and in the end I started shouting at her and left in a huff.  I eventually came across one on my travels back from work one day in Hammersmith.  I finally got some pictures which my friend remarked doesn’t really look anything like me which is kind of ironic and rather defeating the purpose.  A memento to a disappearing ‘thing’!

Bob Dylan is seventy.  I got quite overwhelmed on his Birthday.  I looked back at old footage and for me he is still my favourite artist.  My ipod has barely anything else on it and he has travelled with me throughout my life and his words have rippled through me.  He deserves every accolade because he is simply great.  I remember hiding outside the SECC for an hour just to get a glimpse of him.  I know he hates this kind of behaviour from fans but I plead guilty although I am not quite so obsessed to meet him as I was.

I went to see Terry Reid at the Jazz Café which was a great evening even if the venue is not one of my favourites.  I was kindly on BJ Cole’s list which was quite an honour.  I didn’t meet BJ but I am sure I will one day.  The gig was fantastic, Terry’s stories were great (he famously turned down singing for Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple) and his voice reminded me of Tim Rose who very few people know about.  BJ Cole is a fantastic steel guitar player and has played with everyone from Elton John to John Cale as well as creating beautiful music in his own right.  Recently he has been working with Scott Walker which will be very interesting to hear.  The band was great and it was completely rammed to the rafters.  We all enjoyed it immensely.

So I was at the Chelsea Arts Club and talking about these tapes that have changed my life ‘The Psychology of Winning’ by Denis E Waitley which I found at a local car boot sale.  I liked the cover and wasn’t going to listen to them but I got hooked.  I guess it’s a bit like the ‘Secret’ that everyone goes on about but for me this is my secret.  It literally helped me to look so much more positively at things.

Denis E Waitley Cover of 'The Psychology of Winning' Tape set

Denis E Waitley inside of 'Psychology of Winning'

A Liverpool music rock writer Mike Evans was there and a huge pigeon pooed on me not once but two or was it three times.  I couldn’t believe it.  He was miles up but managed to hit me head on.  I was then told that in fact this was a very lucky sign.  So I feel that could be the reason that our song  ‘Lucky’ has been chosen to go on a film but I’m keeping it under my wing because I never have full details and I’m afraid I will get it wrong.

I’m still writing, and adding stuff to the songs. I finished a song today after my meeting with an advertising music company.  Peter Murphy sang it with me originally but the idea of trying to get that track off Mike is just not a possibility and really not worth the agony.

I have found two fantastic bookshops.  Firstly Worlds End Bookshop I have known for many years but it has been taken over by somebody new, and we talked about music, a little chit chat.  In the window was a beautiful 1915 children’s book but I didn’t ask how much it was cause I knew it was a lot.  Anyway, I got this lovely publication about Elizabeth Taylor and what’s amazing about it is she hasn’t even met Richard Burton yet!!

Cover of 'Elizabeth Taylor The Inside Story of her Life and Loves' published by J B Publishing Corp 157 W 57th St N Y Copyright 1957 J B Publishing Corp

It’s that old.  Elizabeth Taylor-the girl with the violet eyes!

Back of 'Elizabeth Taylor The Inside Story of her Life and Loves' published by J B Publishing Corp 157 W 57th St N Y Copyright 1957 J B Publishing Corp

The second shop Hurlingham Books is at Putney.  I had always walked passed it but it was never open.  Anyway, I eventually saw two books I really wanted in the window.  I entered the shop thinking I must go in and browse to which a man inside said ‘you here to browse?’ and I realised this was quite a joke.  You can’t really ‘browse’ cause the shop is just piled high with books that are barely accessible.  Anyway I thought the technique was great.  I stand outside the shop point my finger on the windowpane which he can just about see then he goes into the shop finds my finger, shouts, and lo and behold he manages to pull it from the pile without toppling all the hundreds of others, plugs in his card machine and I got two lovely books for hardly anything.  I am so pleased I am back in the habit of reading.

Real Photograph Gorleston-on- Sea August 1932 bought at Portobello Market May 2011

I am very excited on the musical front for my friend Roger O’Donnell who is going back on tour with the Cure.  A far cry from our little pub gig in Stockwell I’m sure.  I also had a lovely catch up with my friend Daisy and her husband Chris who’s been playing with Imogen Heap.  I would love Daisy to play cello on a song of mine but it hasn’t happened yet. In the meantime, I’m concentrating on my little plan, keeping my head down, working hard and fitting in the music when I can.   I am hoping to go to America to do a video with someone who really loves this song and would like to do it for love which is quite something in this hard day and age.  It would be an offer I couldn’t refuse.  I am very happy.  Here is my inspiration ‘Lucky Number’.  I can’t compare it to this fantastic song but it is the most amazing video from a unique and brilliant artist Lene Lovich….

Brian Kavanagh has finished my website which I am very pleased about.  It is nice and simple and I can update my blog which is incorporated into it, in the News page.  So we are going to release ‘Good Fortune Bad Weather’ in the Autumn probably on the day of the Equinox like last time.