This weeks G and Tippers theme is ‘Practical jokes’. We’ve all done one and we’ve all been on the receiving end of them. What we want, is the best of the best.
I’m back in the studio again in the morning. I can’t wait to crack on with the recording of my second album. It feels like a billion years since ‘It Gets Worse At Night’ was recorded in London.
This new record is already one track down as me and the lads at Studio 5b laid Adrienne down a few weeks ago. That sounded rude.
I’ll get updates and song clips up as soon as I can.
This Saturday I swam the Solent from mainland England to the Isle of Wight. I don’t normally blow my own trumpet, due to both my character and my ribs. But I am uber happy with myself for achieving this. I might go so far as to say that I’m even a little smug.
Swimming the Solent for Lewis Mighty
The point of the swim was to raise money for a special little boy called Lewis Mighty. Lewis needs treatment for a form of cancer called Neuroblastoma. It is a type of cancer that attacks under 5’s mainly. Hopefully the money raised from this swim will go some way to help Lewis get the treatment he so desperately needs.
I left Hurst Castle on the mainland at 9am and landed back on the Island an hour and twenty minutes later. The distance was meant to be a mile and a half, roughly 90 lengths of a regular twenty metre pool. Unfortunately a 4 knot tide had other ideas.
I ended up being dragged further and further from my landing destination and ended up swimming over 5000 metres in that time.
Swimming the Solent for Lewis Mighty
I was meant to be landing at Fort Albert, then that was impossible so Fort Victoria was the target. The tide once again had other ideas and I ended up being dragged way past Yarmouth and landed nearer to Shalfleet. 3 miles down the coast. It wasn’t ideal as people were waiting at Fort Victoria and I could have done with the support.
But to be honest, if I’d failed I would have to had walked down my main High Street butt naked that night. That was added incentive to get me across the line and on to Island soil.
Swimming the Solent for Lewis Mighty
I owe a massive debt of gratitude to Andy and Mandy Toms who supplied the support boat and made the whole thing possible. Also a big thanks to Tom Fastnedge for letting me use his wetsuit. Without it, I would have frozen to death.
Swimming the Solent for Lewis Mighty
But most of all, a massive thank you to all those that have donated and continue to donate. We’re looking on course to raise £2000 for Lewis which is a major achievement.
Have I just woken up and stepped out into a scene from Terminator II?
What the real meaning behind these riots is unknown. After all, the Police killing a man is hardly anything new. I don’t recall this kind of unrest after the MET brutally murdered an innocent man named Jean Charles de Menezes.
This goes a hell of a lot deeper than that and while I’m pretty sure there are underground cells at work orchestrating this, it’s still the general public that are carrying out the orders.
I really do understand the anger that is so deeply rooted in the more deprived areas of the Capital and Britain as a whole. Your Government sold you out and couldn’t give a flying fuck about any of you. I would be more shocked if you weren’t filled with rage.
But if the school bully steals your lunch, what do you do? Surely then stealing the kids next to you just makes you as bad as the bully doesn’t it? Well that’s exactly what you are doing by rioting and smashing up peoples lives on the streets of London.
You’re not angry with the guy that owns the local corner shop are you? So why the fuck are you burning it down?
After 9/11 and 7/7 the Government took away most of your basic freedoms. And we all know they want the rest as well. They want you like the farm yard cattle they see you as. Meat that is useless to them unless it’s obedient and pays it’s taxes on time.
Don’t you see that by rioting you are doing exactly what they want you to do? Now they have the excuse they want to get troops on the streets and take away what freedom you have (or think you have) left. In fact, even the general population are CALLING for troops to come in and stop the riots.
So when we should have been united against a common enemy, we’re instead, disjointed and opposed.
There is one simple way to fight the Government that has cast you overboard. And that is by NOT FIGHTING. A simple statement of non-compliance is what we, the people, need.
Simply say “NO” to your Government. Say “NO” to The Sun and other media outlets that feed us the bullshit we’re fed every day. And forget smashing the windows of Tescos. Simply stop shopping there and those windows will soon be boarded up. And who knows, it may even be replaced by a local green grocers in the end.
The time is almost here for me to swim the Solent. This Saturday at 10 am I will be setting off from Hurst Castle to take on 1.5 miles of 9 knot rip tides to make it back to my Island.
The reason I am doing this is for a very special chap named Lewis Mighty. He needs help to get treatment for a form of cancer called Neuroblastoma. This form of cancer mainly attacks under 5s such as Lewis. Please check outwww.lewismightyfund.org.uk for more information.
We’re trying our hardest to raise as much money as possible and any donation you can make will be greatly received. Simply click here to donate.
In light of this massive challenge, this Thursdays G and Tippers Show theme will be challenges & dreams. We want to hear about your biggest life challenges. Whether it be getting out of bed on a Sunday or climbing Ben Nevis. What do you find a challenge?
Also, we want to hear about your dreams. We want the weirdest, scariest and most sexually deviant thoughts that pass through your brain while you’re sleeping.
Tonight’s G and Tippers Show theme is ‘things that make you happy’. Whether it be a nice cold pint of beer, or a fat bloke falling over. Either way, we want your thoughts.
I’m sorry I’ve been crap on the posting front. I have been on holiday in Greece for the last little while. It was a nice little break that turned out to be more carnage than relaxing getaway.
I’m back now though and nearly recovered from all the 20 pint a day massacres. I now need to concentrate on the swim and getting myself ready for recording and the new football season.
I’m back in the studio with Guy Page and the lads on the 16th to start work on track number two of album number two. Adrienne is already recorded and mixed so that’s a positive start.
This record will sound very different to the last one but hopefully not so different that you won’t ‘get’ it. So much has happened since I released ‘It gets Worse At Night’ that to be honest, I hardly recognise myself. I am no longer that naive, positive, “everything will be alright” kind of character. I am twenty nine and am well aware now that it won’t be alright. BUT…that doesn’t mean I won’t give it my all to ensure it’s as near to alright as possible.
Positivity minus denial. That could be a good album title if I didn’t already have it chosen.
I stepped back in the pool for the first time since holiday yesterday and banged out a pretty rapid 50 lengths just to get myself warmed up and back into it. I swim on August 13th so the date is fast approaching.
I thought I’d be a lot more nervous than I am but I feel pretty calm about it. I am not taking it for granted and I am well aware just how difficult it will be. But I’ve beaten harder things than a 9 knot rip tide and I have no intention of becoming a failure any time soon.
Please check out the swim page and be as generous as possible. Click here.
I have my first pre-season friendly of the season tonight. I’m not sure 8 days in Stalis was great preparation. I’ll whack some pics at the bottom and you can be the judge.
Also, I have a couple more shows booked so check out the Gigs page!
This will be my last post for a wee bit as I’m off on holiday tomorrow. I think it’s my first holiday for about 14 years.
I have travelled a lot with football and music, but always been busy doing those things. This time I am going to Greece to be a sloth. I’m even going to be so lazy (hungover) that I will avoid the rioting.
But as soon as I return, I’m straight back into the firing line. I’m back into the studio to record another tune for the album. Plus I’m playing a couple of festivals, not to mention SWIMMING THE SOLENT.
No rest for the wicked people!
I hope you all have a lovely few days without my annoying input.
My Mrs is away tanning herself in Greece, so I’m left alone to my own devices. Now normally what you’d expect is for me to take the time to write new material and concentrate on productive things to keep my mind from wondering.
A mans mind does crazy things when his Mrs is out of reach. I think at about 4am this morning I was picturing her making love to another man while laughing at a photo of me. I am insane.
So…my album is written and currently being recorded so no productivity needed there. Instead… I’ve built this…
Note the big TV with FIFA, the small portable with TV on, the laptop set up, an Xbox chair, and just out of shot, a bottle of red wine.
While this is somewhat lonely, I bet you fellas are a little bit jealous!
I’m playing Ryde Regatta tomorrow between 1pm and 2pm. It’s only a chilled out acoustic set but there is beer, and it’s free. Not the beer by the way. Don’t get too excited. You could break a hip.
In the evening I’m playing the IWBSA party down at Appley. I’m on at 7pm.
For a man that “doesn’t really gig on the Isle of Wight”, I’m doing alot of gigging on the Isle of Wight.
It doesn’t count though as I don’t actually enjoy it. 😉
