10th June 2001

Well what has been happening in the last ten days. On the 4th June
it was Mrs Nash's birthday, we won't say how old because that is
rude, and we went out for a meal at a local Japanese restuarant in
Golders Green. It is a bit of a tatty old place and the service
leaves a lot to be desired but the food is top drawer and well worth
the wait. It is the only food that I could never tire of and if you
haven't tried it then you should. I know a lot of people are put off
by the idea of eating raw fish and seaweed but you have to forget
that and concentrate on the taste and not be prejudiced by what you
think it should taste like. Anyway enough Jamie Oliver, lets move
on. I have been getting to grips with my new mini-disc and have been
recording stuff all over the place. I should have bought one years
ago and then I would have had an audio record of all the "brilliant"
ideas that I have forgotten. I had Wally up at the studio this week
but he was not there to record me but to record a bunch of Manc
scally's called Jobe. If I am to get him up to the studio to record
me than he has to have little incentives like this. For this kind
gesture by myself he has promised to come up and record me singing
next Tuesday so I could have a couple of tracks in the can by
Tuesday evening unless the Welsh Flake let's me down!! He arrived on
his new motor bike which for all those interested is a 1000cc BMW
fuck pig monster and I got on the back to go up to the studio. It is
a blast being on the back and I trust Wal implicitly but it is all
the other tossers on the road that worry me. On the short journey to
the studio we almost saw two accidents and it is the other motorists
that have put me off the idea of ever owning a motor bike. I am
certain I am going to have trouble stopping my son Taylor from
buying a bike when he is older because after Wal took him around the
block on the back he couldn't stop saying "That was wicked" for the
following hour. As I type he has just been harrassing me to let him
have my old "Born To Run" bikers jacket!! I am hoping to get some of
the new stuff mixed when I am down in Wales rehearsing for the
Southampton gig so I will have to get my throat in shape. It is
typical timing for me because at the moment I think I getting a
cold, sore throat, snotty nose etc. We will be travelling down to
Wales very late on Tuesday night to go to a funeral on Wednesday
morning. The man who designed the album sleeve for "Ripe" died from
cancer last week and Wal, TK and myself are going to pay our
respects. Steve Hammil will be sorely missed by everyone who knew
him. He was an extremely talented, funny and gentle man and in a
world that has more than it's fair share of evil bastards his loss
is even more incomprehensible. I would ask those who pray to
remember him and his family this week.