hi everyone,

just a wee update on what we’re up to.

since monday, we’ve been staying at a beautiful house on the island of martha’s vineyard, just off the cape cod coast.  ridiculous i know, but true.  and stranger still, it seems to suit us!   andy (producer) and ruddy (engineer) have rigged up a studio for us, where we’ve been polishing off the songs for the album - a bit of guitar here, some keyboard business there and a lot of singing.  we’re going to get some photos to you, just as soon as we get our camera shit together.  meanwhile, the 5th trashcan album is taking shape.  naturally, as the singer, i am falling ill every day with some bug or other and feeling very sheepish about it but despite these self-indulgences, work is being done; carbon is being pressed into diamond.  we’ve got 13 songs recorded (i could list them, they’re that close to being finished, but i’ll hold off for now) and well, it’s just a really wonderful record.  hopefully everyone who hears it will fall in love with it and to it.

recipe for really good eggnog, from my sister barbara:

whip 6 eggs, two at a time until light, add 3 pints of milk and 0.75 cup of sugar (no, i don’t know what a cup is either) and mix until sugar dissolves.  put a quarter-pint of rum and the same of scottish whisky and american bourbon into a measuring jug, add the three-quarters of a pint of hard booze gradually and stir it into the mixture.  in a separate bowl, whisk a pint of heavy cream until it’s thick (but not stiff) and mix that into the whole shebang.  let it chill in the fridge till very cold and serve in a cold glass with a sprinkle of nutmeg.  takes about 10 minutes if you have a food mixer, and it’s DELICIOUS!  if i’ve forgotten anything, i’ll update this recipe.  and let me know if anyone tries it.

lots of love to you all,

frank xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well…. here we are in 2008… so glad you made it. How was our 2007 ? Low key is one way to put it. After the previous few years of touring the U.S.A., Australia, Japan, Ireland and the U.K. with our ‘Weightlifting’ masterpiece, we needed some time at home to recharge the batteries, rejoin our families and get back to normality. Most of the year was spent at home in Scotland. Writing was done, one new song was released on the “Ballads Of The Book” album, a concert was broadcast on Australian TV, and three shows were played. Those are the bare facts… between the lines our musical journey continued apace in a small rehearsal room behind the Bay Horse Tavern in Shawlands, Glasgow. We grew into a six piece band. Davy Hughes could not join the fold due to family/work commitments. Grant Wilson ( A friend from Kilmarnock who has played with us at various times over the years when Davy could not make it ) picked up the bass. Stevie Mulhearn (A friend from Troon who also played with us a few times in the past) joined us on the keyboards.

The room was made comfortable with coffee machine, ashtrays, kettle, cups and atmospheric lighting. We would congregate most weeks and jam the latest songs that were written or just jam whatever riff/chords/feel that the mood brought. Some days were hungover, some days were paraletic, some days were straight… the music was always evocative. We had decided to change our working habits and being ‘in the moment’ seemed to be the answer. No slaving over guitar parts or working out exact arrangements of songs. The groove became king. If the ‘feel’ was good then we were happy boys.

After a Spring and Summer of this lovely behaviour, we decided to leave the room, (Autumn had kicked in and dampness arrived), and head to New York to record. Paul got married and the party of the season was had in the Hunting Lodge, Kilmarnock….just across the road from our old Shabby Road studios. Pauls best man was Jody Stoddart, and old Kilmarnock friend and the finest guitar slinger in the west. Paul had the inspired idea of asking him to join us on our New York recording sessions. So six became seven and the air fares increased… but so did the good times. We finished 2007 in the best of moods…. 3 weeks in Glasgows finest son… New York City. The results of our trip will be released sometime in 2008. It is our finest record so far… the songs are top of the range, the band is rockin’ …. 2008 looks like it will be ours. All the best to you and yours, we shall see you on the road somewhere soon.

Love,

John xxxxxxx